THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Pignoli

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Pignoli Restaurant Review:

THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED. Pignoli opened in the summer of 1994 with Lydia Shire (of neighboring Biba) and soon after Daniele Baliani taking charge. It hit some early bumps but settled in to be a white-hot destination. A whimsical space in an oddly shaped, low-ceilinged room, pig's tails grace the door, chairs and most everywhere you look, while zeppelin-shaped lamps (think of a pine nut) hang from the ceiling. However, last year Baliani was released (reports conflict as to why) and now Shire's back. The fare is New Wave Italian and expensive with an excellent wine list that taps the Mediterranean for good and interesting bottles, though markups are high. Wafer-thin pizzas, crispy fried clams laid across greens, wonderful gnocchi, quail risotto and other game dishes plus beet ravioli make up the kind of fare at a restaurant that can best be described as a very big city dining experience. Reflecting a modern problem, like with so many upscale spots, service can on occasion be less than highly polished.