Bocca

Duck breast with a chocolate-eggplant mash and pecorino crème brûlée

Wenyi Huang

Subtlety is not a hallmark of this striking addition to the Union Square dining scene. An oversize, coin-shaped replica of the famous Roman sculpture, La Bocca della Verità (“the mouth of truth”), greets visitors; a poster for Fellini’s Roma is splashed across a gold wall; and the eclectic Roman menu, listing items such as “beef tartare served over a licorice gelatin with black truffle and coffee potato chips,” is nothing if not brash. Although that tartare—a mound of too-cold beef seasoned with capers, truffle shavings and a sweet sliver of wobbly licorice—didn’t sit right with us, it was the only off-note in an otherwise stellar display of talent by chef Salvatore Corea (Spiga, Cacio e Pepe). We couldn’t decide what we enjoyed more, a simple yet satisfying salad of baby arugula anointed with crisp pear matchsticks, slices of pecorino and a sprightly balsamic vinaigrette, or the entrées, particularly the lithe sliced duck breast served with a citrusy veal-stock reduction, a heady mix of chocolate and eggplant (think baba ghanoush gone wild) and a lush turnip puree. The dessert also thrilled: Pecorino crème brûlée tempered the cheese’s heady flavor with cream, sugar, a hint of cloves and a sweet balsamic sorbet. Take a sip of wine from the midpriced, mostly Italian list with a bite—we enjoyed a fruity Barbera d’Alba ($48)—and allow yourself to be transported by the complex layers of flavor. Bocca can hit us over the head like this any time.—TONY