THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bice Ristorante Awards

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Bice Ristorante Restaurant Review:

Modern sophistication defines this downtown restaurant, and Milano-born chef Mario Cassineri helms the kitchen with creative flair. The sprawling cheese and salumi bar is eye-catching; try the various Italian formaggio paired with chestnut, cranberry and mille fleurs honey, plus sweet tomato jam and Mediterranean olives. The signature bruschetta is served on fresh rosemary bread with creamy burrata. Enjoy antipasti like imported cured meats, tender Castelluccio lentils with Chino beets and crumbled goat cheese, and a trio of tartares (ahi, salmon and sea bass). But it is the pasta --- handmade, al dente --- that transfixes: beet potato gnocchi bathed in a delicate porcini mushroom and scallop sauce; basil tagliolini with Mexican shrimp, fresh tomato and burrata; plump ravioli hiding a treasure trove of braised beef, veal and spinach in a subtle mushroom and Marsala sauce. Next, the branzino appears whole on a cedar wood plank (a good example of Cassineri’s skill), the delicate white fish infused with smoky flavor and elevated with a fresh herb-truffle emulsion. Desserts may include a chocolate lava cake and almond panna cotta with strawberry sauce. For lunch, there's melon and pineapple with prosciutto; orecchiette speckled with crab meat, corn and asparagus; or pan-seared salmon with quinoa and chopped salad. Knowledgeable waitstaff is intuitive and relaxed. Don’t miss the wine and cheese tasting flights on Mondays or daily happy hour.