April 13, 2005

Alto Goes There

Alto Opens

You: master of the city’s restaurant scene. Keeper of Daniel’s unlisted reservation line. BF’s with the maitre d’ at Aquavit. Supplier of the secret ingredient in Zak Pelaccio’s consomme.

Let’s see what you’re really made of.

L’Impero chef (and NYC gastro-darling) Scott Conant opens Alto today. The elegant midtown prix fixe resto will serve the cuisine of Alto Adige, the far Alpine stretch of Italy where the preferred first language is still German.

Which means you can pretty much forget everything you thought you knew about Italian food, because all the summer villas in Tuscany won’t prepare you for the bold and inventive combinations Conant is making. Like a soup of fricasseed frog legs and New Zealand cockles. (Yeah, yeah, frogs). Goose liver carpaccio with green tomato mostarda. Hearty tagliatelle in a rich sauce of cockscombs and tripe. (Okay, we raised an eyebrow, too.) Roasted squab with lentils and speck.

No, not your average dinner fare. Yes, they also serve risotto and sea bass. But you might end up redefining your safe foods list.

So save your wincing and bring your courage. You’re one meal away from wanting seconds.

Pass the schupfnudeln, you know-it-all.

Alto, 520 Madison Avenue, at 53rd Street (212-308-1099).