WHY The mozzarella tasting plate, grilled octopus with potatoes, celery and lemon, orecchiette pasta with sausage and swiss chard, pan-roasted sea trout with Umbrian lentils-in fact, pretty much everything.

WHAT The frenzy that built around the opening of this joint venture between Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton may have subsided, but getting a table in this simply handsome dining room is still not easy. Happily, it’s well worth the effort, thanks to the terrific pastas, hearty Batali-style main courses and a lavish array of cheese-based nibbles made in front of the dozen people who managed to score seats at the mozzarella bar. The (pricey) wine list is a whirlwind tour of Italy, from Alto Adige to Sicilia.

WHO Batali and/or Silverton groupies, celebrities, and pretty much everyone else who can snag a reservation.

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