Il Divo

Il Divo Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: Il Divo is a plush Upper East Side restaurant from Antonio Sinesi and Claudio Della Monica of Milan’s Al Valentino. Framed photos of Rudolph Valentino, the restaurant’s inspiration, line the striped wallpapered walls of the handsome 50-seat dining room. The vibe is glamorous yet understated.

Likes: Eggplant Parmigiana, cod, tiramisu; chic atmosphere with refined service.
Dislikes: High prices; difficult to get a reservation.

Food & Drinks: Chef Massimo Sola’s menu sticks to Italian-American classics. The signature dish, eggplant Parmigiana, is heavy on the gooey melted mozzarella, but that’s hardly a flaw. A salad of buffalo mozzarella, steamed spinach, roasted tomatoes and basil oil is well-balanced and honors the simplicity and quality of its ingredients. Linguine with cockles, fettuccine Bolognese, and Milanese risotto with osso buco are also on offer. Cod arrives at the table flaky, served atop Brussels sprouts, olives and briny anchovies. Lamb chops with eggplant caponata are accompanied with homemade potato chips, sliced so thin they are almost translucent. For dessert, tiramisu is scented with licorice and topped with crunchy hazelnuts and crème caramel is doused in a just-sweet-enough orange syrup. The wine list features Italian bottles, with some big hitters and a few (almost) affordable options.