2011 Fall Dining Guide
By Tom Sietsema
Sunday, October 16, 2011

Obelisk is great for special occasions, and Ristorante Tosca is where you want to seal a deal. More often than not, though, Bibiana near McPherson Square is where I go for my personal communion with pasta. Chef Nicholas Stefanelli's squid ink spaghetti scattered with sweet crab and warm with red chili is a bundle of pleasure, and his risotto tracks the days like a calendar (celebrating a forest of mushrooms in winter and green and yellow beans in summer). The kitchen excels beyond noodles. Poached branzino on a raft of roesti is a delightful interplay of fresh fish and crisp potatoes; lean venison crackles with candied hazelnuts; and what looks from a distance like burnt pizza turns out to be a pie tinted black with squid ink and dappled with intense tomato sauce and slices of octopus. Excellent service makes it all taste better. My favorite perch is the friendly bar, set off with colorful tiles and photographs of street scenes of Italy. Through the gaps in the wall, diners can spy on the cooks - and they on us.