Bless fall Fridays.
Those liminal, temperate times, when the warren of West Village cobblestones is stroll-worthy and brick-cool, lit by the busy light of restaurant windows.
Like this one: the new delicious Italian restaurant Pagani, now open on Bleecker.
Housed in the former O. Pagani & Bros music store, Pagani was designed by Taavo Somer, the rustic-farian gent behind Freemans and Gemma, and features a menu by a Table and Babbo vet (view it in full here).
Request the fireplace table (the hostess will know what you mean) and tuck into a few of owner Massimo Lusardi’s favorite dishes and suggested wine pairings:
The Dish: Apple fennel salad with feta and pistachio
The Wine: “Our Ortrugo … Dry to the palate, effervescent.”
The Dish: Baked veal meatballs with ricotta, tomato sauce and parmigiano
The Wine: “A glass of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo … Not too big for the delicacy of the meatballs but still fairly robust.”
The Dish: Potato gnocchi with walnuts, gorgonzola and black truffle
The Drink: “Our lightest signature cocktail, the Nipper … Acid and floral notes provide a nice contrast to the richness of the gorgonzola.”
Enjoy your Friday.
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