A few hours, several courses, and a couple glasses of wine at Giano had my dining companion, Cara, and I undone of any stress or discontent. Leaving, we pushed open the door facing East 7th Street and received a blast of cold January rain and wind that didn’t exactly complement the way we were feeling.
Unlike that unhappy contrast, Giano juxtaposes contrasting ideas with enjoyable results. Upon entering the dining room, something might strike you as unusual-the sense causes you to take note of your surroundings. Is it contemporary or traditional, cozy or stark? It’s all of the above. Striking lights reminiscent of angel’s wings hover above a dining room furnished with simple chairs you might find in a country cottage. Exposed brick walls, showing age, line the perimeter of the up-to-date space.
Most Italian restaurants specialize in regional cuisines. But rather than serve dishes from the North, South, or Central regions of Italy, Giano presents Italian food in two ways: one side of the menu reflects on the country’s past culinary traditions; the other looks forward to current trends.
Even co-owner Paolo Rossi embodies the theme of varying past and present. A former construction engineer turned restaurateur, he’s an expressive and attentive host who treated us to a wonderful meal. First, he brought a plate of cheeses, nuts, and honey, accompanied by glasses of Pinotage-Wildkrans (South Africa, 2007). For this price, you won’t find quality cheeses in portions this large anywhere else in the city (trust me; I’ve looked) so order it only if you’re sharing with a few friends.
After priming our taste buds with cheeses from creamy and fluffy to grainy and sharp, we received well-presented appetizers. For Cara, a warm Isalate invernale of potatoes, green beans, beets, and Brie in a light olive oil dressing. This dish, Paolo told us, is “all about the textures:” soft starch next to creamy cheese and crisp vegetables. For me, he brought Crespelle de zucchine e taleggio. The rich, buttery, stuffed crepes are covered in a creamy sauce. It had the wonderful, brown flavor of slightly singed cheese and a tangy feel from the white wine in the sauce.
We noted that, on a normal day, we’d already consider ourselves full. But Paolo wasn’t having it. He served the dish I’d been most excited to order: little naked ravioli fillings made of spinach and ricotta and served in a butter and sage sauce. The finishing touch on Giano’s Gnudi are the crispy, fried sage leaves resting atop the dumpling-like orbs. They’re surprisingly sweet and contrast perfectly with the silken texture of the dish.
Some estimate that Italians have been making gnudi since the 1300s, placing that dish firmly on the traditional side of the menu. From the modern side, Cara and I also tasted the Tagliolini con bottarga e tartufo negro. Homemade, perfectly cooked, thin pasta with a springy texture is tossed in light cream sauce with cured fish roe and generous slices of earthy, dusky truffle.
To keep the company of our delicious Primi, we sipped Frappato-Fia Nobile (Sicily, 2007). It came highly recommended and tasted as decadent as its name. Neither sweet nor dry, it has a complexity that changed depending on which dish I was sampling.
If for nothing other than reporting purposes, we also tasted a number of desserts. While Crème brûlée isn’t a typical Italian dessert, Giano does it quite well. It combines deep vanilla and slightly spicy notes with a sleek, custardy texture. But if you’ve got any room left, perhaps you should try the Panna cotta. A layered dessert served in a tumbler, with dark chocolate ganache at the bottom, the cream is infused with finely diced mint leaves. Fresh mint is an entirely underutilized ingredient in desserts; it lent a crisp but mellow flavor to the treat.
If you plan to visit Giano-and I strongly recommend that you do-consider their Porchetta party, which takes place every first Tuesday of the month at 8:30 p.m. (reservations only). You’ll experience a traditional presentation of whole roasted pig by staff dressed as Roman Centurians.
Coincidentally in harmony with the Giano’s traditional and modern theme, the restaurant is popular with crowds of all ages. Cara and I indulged in a perfect girls’ night out, but there were plenty of couples and groups enjoying themselves as well. And while I was captivated by the food, don’t forget that Giano is also a wine bar. Its proprietors strive to maintain a wine list of strikingly dissimilar items (who could have guessed?) and are happy to help you find something you’ll love.
Giano
126 East 7th Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A
212-673-7200
www.gianonyc.com
Open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to midnight. They are also open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3:30 p.m.
