Siena

Siena Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: As cozy as it gets on the Upper East Side, Siena fills a void in affordable, Italian dining in an area marked by sports pubs and wine bars.

Likes: Friendly service and friendly prices befitting a neighborhood-oriented restaurant.
Dislikes: Preparations can be uneven and vary from night to night.

Food & Drinks: Choices in the candle-lit restaurant rise above typical red-sauce Italian, with lasagna made from butternut squash in a sage-butter sauce and Caesar salad composed of kale mixed with romaine. Red sauce appears in the eggplant rollatini, an appetizer filled with mozzarella and ricotta. Brussels sprouts salad is unusual for an Italian trattoria and is a refreshing non-seasonal starter. Other appetizers are mini versions of typically larger dishes, including grilled lamb chops and mussels posillipo. For heartier appetites, Siena offers a full array of pastas, traditional Italian meat and fish dishes as well as a salumi and formaggi board where you can create your own tasting of meats and cheeses. A full range of beer and wines, both Italian and European, presents fitting options for this friendly neighborhood spot.