THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Giovanni

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Giovanni Restaurant Review:

This Midtown Italian eatery, open since the early 1990s (a lifetime for New York City restaurants), ho-hummed along, serving to a mix of tourists and business lunchers. But then Tuscan-born chef Patrick Nuti, who notably manned the stoves at the late Canapa and Petrosino, arrived and fired things up. The seasonal menu is mostly straightforward northern Italian fare. Handmade raviolis stuffed with pumpkin and dressed with sage butter are properly cooked: al dente with all the flavors speaking for themselves. The thick pork chop, cooked with fresh fennel, manages to remain tender and juicy. The classic vitello alla Milanese (Wiener Schnitzel to most) is a dinosaur-size piece of meat topped with fresh arugula. The atmosphere can appear on the staid side. Service is attentive.