Gemma

Gemma Restaurant Review:

Now that CBGB and most of the SROs are gone, the Bowery has gone to the VIPs. Case in point: this trendy trattoria tucked inside the swank Bowery Hotel, courtesy of the scene-loving duo of Eric Goode and Sean MacPherson (Waverly Inn, The Park). Cured meats and cheese, antipasti, pasta and anything feeding the wood-burning oven drives the menu. MVPs include the truffled polenta fries; strozzapreti with spicy Italian sausage ragù; grilled skewer of prawns and scallops over organic greens; seared local day boat scallops with sautéed corn, tomatoes and asparagus; and a dessert calzone filled with ricotta and Nutella. Keep the pizza simple, as some of the heavier toppings, such as spicy sausage and onion, cause the thin crust to droop. And avoid salads altogether, like an artichoke and radicchio combo drenched with truffle oil. A full bar, wine and beer are available. What really makes the crowds want to come back is the sexy Tuscan farmhouse décor, ringed in raw wood, dramatic circular chandeliers, romantic dripping candles and a crowd that personifies the stretch’s gentrification. To the Bowery days of the Ramones and “Brother, can you spare a dime?”: RIP.