Hey Mambo: Restaurant Review: Baci & Abbracci & Bianca

(photo above: A visit from Ann Arbor's Ms. Amee always means a splendid meal and delightful evening)

Baci & Abbracci - 204 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718-599-6599)
Bianca - 5 Bleecker St, New York, 10012 - (212-260-4666)

What is it with the Italians these days? First a Food and Wine cover section article in the New York Times this week, then a film festival on Turner Classic Movies and actual projected movies on Mulberry St., and Cafe Drake can't seem to eat out in NYC without scarfing pasta. On an unseasonably warm Halloween, out-of-town honored guest Amee Simmons joined us for a stroll through the mad streets of Manhattan, populated even more than usual with an assortment of fairy princesses, sinister nurses and glamorous ghouls. After-dinner drinks were at Gotham Bar & Grill (always perfect for downtown sophisticated libations amidst multiple mirrors and silver snack bowls - is there a better Manhattan on Manhattan?), but an early super was snagged at the still-reliable Bianca.

Country chic interiors (not an oxymoron when nestled between lacquered white shelves adorned with antique bone china) set the tone for a relaxed evening, but it's the effortlessly artistic peasant food that rules at this East Village favorite. A simple spinach salad ($7.95) needed only the finest Reggiano-Parmesan shaved atop the lightly dressed greens to set it apart from lesser imitations, and a starter of grilled radicchio ($8.95) mixed the bitter vegetable with sweet Parma ham and moist shreds of sheep-milk cheese to mellow its flavor into the very essence of Emilia Romagna cuisine. True to the region, a rich and delicious lasagne ($12.95), served free form and assembled on the plate, borrows from the dual regional tradition of meat and bechamel sauces. An entree of simmered homemade fennel sausage and baked cannelloni beans ($14.95) could serve three, though its addictive nature almost guarantees you'll take only a little home. The wine list is varied and comprehensive, although slanted towards the fine (and expensive) barollos and amarones of Italy's high-end vineyards. Not to worry though, as following Ms. Amee's request we selected a fine and fruity Friulian rosso for a mere $24.

For a neighborhood with no shortage of decent, good and great Italian food, a new paison eatery, decked out with trendy concrete floors, mid-century cafeteria seating and a nouvelle-leaning menu seemed suspect at first, even more so given its Grand Street location, known best for restaurants catering to the weekend local tourists, but a happy surprise is Williamsburg's Baci & Abbraci. Intimate yet not crowded, the very dining room buzzes with a warm, contented energy, set in motion by the friendly welcome extended upon entry. (Everyone is telling us the service was great on their visit; we got the lone sourpuss in the trattoria - a glum waitress who was surly and unhelpful with the menu or esoteric wine list. Nevermind as the rest of the staff is utterly delightful).

A varied bread basket and deeply green olive oil are placed at the table almost immediately, perfect for taming the munchies, as the dinner menu is large and requires careful consideration. Adding to the difficult task of selecting only a few dishes to sample is a nightly roster of six or more specials. Happily frustrated with the surplus of choices, we began with the fried calamari ($8.95), always a barometer of quality when dining Italiano. Expertly battered and fried until just tender, sided with the traditional marinara and a parsley pesto sauce, the appetizer was a harbinger of the superlative quality of both entrees. The lasagne ($12.95) is generously portioned and crisp around the edges, gooey in the center and only brushed with a sweet tomato sauce. The lamb ragout over homemade broad noodles ($13.95) is a Tuscan treat; the stew is light in sauce and dotted with diced carrots and red onions, the meat tender and moist and the broth thick enough to stick to both the noodles and your ribs. Wines are generally well-selected, although not many nestle in the budget range; still, a decent bottle can be ordered for $25.