L’Artusi

Description
This bloated sequel to the popular dell’anima strives to deliver more than its precursor, while in fact delivering far less. The bland Ralph Lauren–inspired decor is almost as sorry as the cumbersome menu. Pricey small plates included a squid ink pasta tossed with chewy squid and a dull cherry-tomato sauce; a raw spin on vitello tonnato—uncooked veal topped with cubes of tuna—was just bland. There’s a homey quality to some of the dishes (buckwheat tagliatelle with brussels sprouts, fontina and sage was delicious), but in the end, L’Artusi’s most endearing quality is optimism in very tough times.