May 12, 2008

Scarpe Diem

Scarpetta Opens

Those Italians are just so elegant. Never more so than when licking their plates clean.

They even have a term for the action of sopping up every last drop with a piece of bread. It’s “scarpetta,” and it means “little shoe.”

Since leaving L’Impero and Alto, chef Scott Conant has been busy designing a new Italian bistro that honors this oh-god-gimme-more tradition. His Scarpetta opens tomorrow in the MPD.

And we already know what we’re ordering when we get there. To start, fritto misto, burrata with marinated eggplant, and creamy polenta, which Conant swears will knock our scarpe off. For pastas, ricotta raviolini with squash blossoms and anchovy butter or cavatelli with kale, crispy pancetta, and chickpeas. We’ll try to save room for boneless braised veal shank with saffron-Parmigiano orzo.

The space is split into a buzzy patio, a cafe/bar, and a dining room. We’re guessing it’ll be hopping but relaxed, elegant but not fussy.

In other words, molto bene.

Scarpetta, 355 West 14th Street, at Ninth Avenue (212-691-0555).