New York - October 08, 2001

Blue Grotto

Blue Grotto restaurant

It’s about time the Upper East Side gained some perspective— ? well, at least when it comes to local dining options.

Check out Blue Grotto, the latest from the owners of Tupelo Grill (and the sous-chef from Lupa). Named for the Grotta Azzurra sea-cave in Capri, the 3,300-square-foot space has an arched entrance, blue-tinted skylights, plush brown banquettes, and an adjoining cherrywood-topped semicircular bar.

And style actually has some substance here. The menu is “progressive” Mediterranean, offering small dishes like crispy dates wrapped in bacon, chopped salad with feta, and a gorgonzola-potato-and-truffle-oil pizza. Larger dishes include grilled tuna with raisin chutney and couscous, and a pan-roasted pork chop with white-bean-apple-and-onion compote.

Need an excuse for dessert? It’s free! For the next two weeks, DailyCandy subscribers who bring in a copy of this e-mail get a chocolate taster for two. Can you say free-licious…?