L'Apicio

L'Apicio Restaurant Review:

After opening his home-away-from-home restaurants dell'anima and L'Artusi, chef Gabe Thompson, along with Joe Campanale, turned to this cavernous space towards the east. Campanale, a former sommelier, likes to find hidden gems from small vineyards. Orange wines and funky reds are where you'll find the most fun on his Italian-heavy list. Meanwhile, watercress over cumin yogurt and the charred octopus atop lemony fregola are starter standouts. Thompson is the king of polenta: it's better here than anywhere else in the city, and every variation is a winner. Add a sweetbread agnolotti, the branzino with cured lemon and artichokes, and vanilla and strawberry semifreddo to finish and you may just dream about this meal after your head hits the pillow.