A Voce – NYC Restaurant Week Summer 2013

Denise de Castro

11 years ago

This summer’s NYC Restaurant Week runs from July 22 to August 16th. Of the 292 participating restaurants, we decided to try lunch at the Italian restaurant A Voce in the Flatiron District. On the menu was a selection of three Antipasti, three Secondi, and two desserts.

For starters, we had the salad and pancetta. The salad, Misticanza, was a refreshing mix of arugula, endive, basil, parsley, dill, and other herbs. Topped with ricotta and a light dressing, this paired well with a glass of crisp Alsace Riesling.

Misticanza – arugula, herbs, citron vinaigrette, ricotta salata

The pancetta was a wonderful starter. A thick slice of juicy pork belly garnished with figs, microgreens and chopped pistachios. The pork belly was very tender and melted in our mouths. The cauliflower puree added a nice touch to the dish.

Pancetta (pork belly, figs, cauliflower, pistachio)

For the main course, we had the Branzino which was cooked perfectly and laid atop a bed of grilled calamari, capers, and fregola, a type of pasta from Sardinia. The appearance, and taste, is similar to Israeli couscous. The dish was executed well and the flavors of each ingredient complimented each other, especially the tomato-based broth.

Branzino (mediterranean sea bass, fregola, grilled calamari, capers)

The chicken breast was perfectly seasoned and cooked. The porcini purée was amazing. Joking, yet serious, I told my dining partner that I wished the restaurant sold the sauce in a bottle so I could pair it with everything. The sauce is rich and creamy with hints of mushroom.

Pollo – rosemary and lemon marinated chicken, porcini puree, chanterelles, cippolini.

The desserts ended a wonderful lunch. It’s hard to pick which was the best because they were both so different, and delicious. For something refreshing, try the Limone, a lemon yogurt mousse with meyer lemon sorbet with cocoa nibs. It’s slightly tart, but perfect to have on a hot summer day.

Limone – yogurt mousse, meyer lemon, cocoa nibs

The Coppa was also excellent. It starts off with a layer of chocolate ganache, topped with coffee gelato, and a thick layer of milk foam. If you’re a coffee lover, I highly recommend it. It’s savory and not too heavy.

Coppa – cafe coffee gelato, chocolate ganache, milk foam

At the end of the meal, we were given complimentary Limoncello Marshmallows. These were light and packed with flavor. Would it hurt to have it with a shot of limoncello?

Limoncello Marshmallows

Overall, a great dining experience. The food was excellent, especially for the fixed price of $25 for restaurant week. Our lunch was a little over an hour long, making this a great spot for a power lunch.

A Voce also has a location in Columbus Circle.

A Voce
41 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010
Tel: (212) 545-8555

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