Scoops du Jour: Fiamma

This week Adam Miller reviews Fiamma, a BR Guest restaurant that has recently hired new chef Fabio Trabocchi and has generated much buzz in the food world. Although I haven't had a chance to pay a visit yet, Fiamma certainly ranks near the top of my list.

Italian, French, Who cares? A Cornerstone Is Added To SoHo

by Adam Miller

I recently moved to SoHo, a foreign land for most people who grew up in Manhattan. Many people are well versed in the numbered grid system where the private schools, most notably on the Upper West Side and Upper East Side. One of the main reasons I moved downtown (from my previous apartment on East 63rd Street) was the growing number of great restaurants. Luckily for me, one of the best new Italian restaurants in the City resides 2 blocks from my new apartment.

Fiamma is located in a beautiful brownstone on Spring Street, just west of Sixth Avenue. It occupies three floors and was recently remodeled to reflect its new direction. This direction is headed by the brilliant Fabio Trabocchi, who most recently presided over Maestro, the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton outside Washington, D.C. Accompanying him at the “new” Fiammar (formerly known as Fiamma Osteria) is the sommelier, Ania Zawieja, who previously worked at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in the Four Season Hotel in New York.

Having read incredible reviews about Trabocchi and his restaurant in the Ritz, I put Fiamma at the top of my list. I went to the restaurant with my family, expecting a delicious, laid back meal – something comparable to our experiences at L’Impero or Alto (where the prior chef from Fiamma, Michael White, now works). Instead, we sat down to a 3 course prix fixe at $75 (not including dessert).

What ensued was a meal overflowing with mind-numbing taste. To start, I had what is simply known as “Il Carpaccio.” It is wagyu kobe beef served two ways: first, the raw kobe beef is wrapped around a root vegetable and topped with a poached quail egg; second, the kobe beef is chopped into a tartare and served with chopped mushrooms and sprinkled with parmesan. It may not be Italian; it could be French. Either way, none of us cared. Each bite exploded with flavor as my eyes began to bulge. No one in my family was prepared for such a delicious meal.

Following the appetizer was the pasta dish. I had an agnolotti of spiced lamb which was bundled with Moroccan spices and a clear Mediterranean influence. The moist lamb was well complemented by the kick from the spices and the perfectly cooked pasta. Other diners had the ravioli of duck and foie gras, which were nearly perfect.

At this point, many people would expect the quality to come down. More often than not, I have found that entrees are boring and do not live up to the excitement, flavor, or quality of the appetizers. However, Trabocchi did not disappoint. The veal, lamb, and turbot all impressed and stood on their own merit. By the time dessert came, I had fully gorged myself and could only stomach some sorbet, although it was perfectly icy and filled with fruit.

It is understandably difficult to spend so much money on Italian food, especially when there is a plethora of good Italian restaurants in New York. However, this stands above the rest, on the pedestal with Babbo, L’Impero, and Alto. The service is top-notch; the décor is very nice, but not stuffy and certainly not overly trendy (like the previous Fiamma). What am I trying to say? I like my neighborhood even more now.