Monday, June 05, 2006

A Voce - 26th, between Park and Madison

A Voce is a midtown Italian restaurant catering to the high-end business clientele. The restaurant is chef'ed by Andrew Carmellini, the very talented and creative Chef de Cuisine who worked at various top New York restaurants, lastly at Daniel.

A Voce's setting is modern and warm, given it is in the business district where there is no backyard to lay back on, and no greens in the eyesight. The dining room is a giant loft. under-partitioned, which is unconventional but creates a communal ambient. A row of wooden'ed bench type clinched to the window, creating a cozy separation between the street and the dining area.

Food is classic Italian, with a wine menu that suits the clientele. Food is inexpensive, entries at $20-30, desserts are to die for - pastry chef April Robinson is very talented. Have the chocolate tart with sorbet. The tart has the thinnest base and crust, chocolate ingredient is top end. The filling is rich yet unnoticable, excellent bite after an indulgent meal of pastas and meat. Try Bombolini, the ready-made donuts. Filling is pastry cream, dipping is that rich yet unnoticable chocolate, sinnful, uncomparable foody experience.

Overall, the food is from classic Italian kitchen with creative twist. Nouche in mint source, and so on. It won't be something that you will say "wow" and "ah", but it is not the pasta from your neighbourhood, it is refined culinary arts only sensible appetite can tell the ingenuity and authenticity of the cooking.

If you go to A Voce and ordered hanger steak, and thinking that is the best dish, then you need to hit the pizza parlor on Park ave. If you are there because you know chef Andrew's past, and want to experience Italy, you are in the right place. In New York City, a lot of food is judged by their price and exocity of the menu items, that to me is just un-foody. I won't frequent A Voce because it is still a mid-town high-end food place that is beyond my everyday budget, but if a foody friend comes along, I will consider A Voce a pleasant meeting place for a drink and a healthy, hearty and refreshing meal.

2006.06