David Pasternak’s Esca Reopens

Posted on November 27, 2019 by Charlene Giannetti in Dining Around

Fish lovers rejoice! Esca has reopened, and with Chef David Pasternak steering the ship, diners can enjoy a menu that brings back some favorites with many new dishes.

Esca’s interior has been refreshed, with design work by partner Victor Rallo. Although the decor looks lighter, with white walls, little was done to reduce the sound. Because of its location, the restaurant is a popular stop before the theater. Arriving for our 7:30 reservation, we found every table and bar seat taken. The cacophony was overwhelming. Once the theatergoers departed, the noise level dropped and we could enjoy our conversation without having to shout. In the future, we will book after eight.

Under the previous owners, the Batali & Bastianich Group, Esca always stood out for the professionalism of its staff. That hasn’t changed. Everyone is helpful, courteous and efficient without seeming brusque. During the evening Pasternak made several visits to the dining room stopping at different tables to chat with guests. 

Smelts

After enjoying drinks at the bar, we were seated in the front room. We began our meal with latterini, crispy local rainbow smelts, rosemary and lemon jam. This dish was the only one that disappointed, the heavy breading overpowering the flavor of the fish. 

Malfalde

For a pasta, we opted for the malfalde, crinkle cut pasta with tuna Bolognese. One of our favorite dishes, this version, a various on the traditional ragu, was perfect. The pasta was tender and the sauce nearly as rich as one made from meat. 

Monkfish

For our entrees, we considered the branzino al sale, salt baked Mediterranean Sea bass for more than one person, a mainstay on the original Esca menu. But we were eager to try new dishes. We chose the pescatore, monkfish with peperonata, oil cured olives, and cous cous. Our second dish was orata Americana, grilled local porgy marinated in blood orange and Meyer lemon. In both cases, the fish was perfectly cooked, flaky and flavorful.

Dessert

Dessert was a tre formaggi cheesecake garnished with apple slices and sugared walnuts. The cheesecake was light and the additions added sweetness.

With our meal we enjoyed a white wine from Sicily, Murga Etna Bianco, which paired well with our seafood. This wine is influenced by Sicily’s micro-climate and the volcanic soils of the area surrounding Mt. Etna where the grapes are grown. The perfect accompaniment to a near perfect meal.

Esca
402 West 43rd Street
212-564-7272

About Charlene Giannetti (691 Articles)
Charlene Giannetti, editor of Woman Around Town, is the recipient of seven awards from the New York Press Club for articles that have appeared on the website. A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Charlene began her career working for a newspaper in Pennsylvania, then wrote for several publications in Washington covering environment and energy policy. In New York, she was an editor at Business Week magazine and her articles have appeared in many newspapers and magazines. She is the author of 13 non-fiction books, eight for parents of young adolescents written with Margaret Sagarese, including "The Roller-Coaster Years," "Cliques," and "Boy Crazy." She and Margaret have been keynote speakers at many events and have appeared on the Today Show, CBS Morning, FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and many others. Her last book, "The Plantations of Virginia," written with Jai Williams, was published by Globe Pequot Press in February, 2017. Her podcast, WAT-CAST, interviewing men and women making news, is available on Soundcloud and on iTunes. She is one of the producers for the film "Life After You," focusing on the opioid/heroin crisis that had its premiere at WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival, where it won two awards. The film is now available to view on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and other services. Charlene and her husband live in Manhattan.

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