I overheard a doozy at the gym the other day, from a self-proclaimed and obviously disgruntled Chambers Kitchen fan. "I don't care what you say," he said. "I'll never step foot inside D'Amico Kitchen."
Hey, it's a free country. Yes, celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten no longer illuminates the Chambers Hotel, and yes, locals Richard and Larry D'Amico are now running the show, with the temerity to drop the Chambers name in favor of their own and stamp their familiar Italian imprint on the menu. Don't get me wrong, I was all over Chambers Kitchen. But it's history, and why not move on with one of the state's most recognizable food names?
The reinvented D'Amico Kitchen is an original. Well, sort of. Occasional traces of the now-defunct flagship D'Amico Cucina come peeking through -- the exceptional cracker-crust pizzas, the over-the-top lobster gnocchi -- and the overlap is probably not accidental, as the two properties share the same chef, John Occhiato. I'm hoping that Occhiato will get the recognition he deserves, in part because he's giving the restaurant the heart that it was missing during its Vongerichten years.
Sometimes I become obsessed with a dish, for no apparent reason. With D'Amico Kitchen, it's an endearingly cute little crock filled with ultra-creamy polenta and topped with mushrooms. So simple, so comforting, so delicious. I harbor similar feelings for a salad of trout, golden beets, apples and hazelnuts, a mesmerizing array of smoky, sweet, tart and crunchy. I also developed an instant affection for the combination of cool, ruby-tinted raw tuna against pale green avocado and bright orange melon, punctuated by a bright citrus sauce and sparkling salt crystals.
Although Occhiato's no longer cooking for the expense-account crowd, he's treating ingredients as if each were a big-bucks extravagance: curing tuna until it radiates luxury with every velvety bite, stirring gentle hints of saffron into crisp-shelled risotto balls filled with bits of succulent braised veal, injecting the heady scent of truffle so it accents but does not overpower a swoon-worthy risotto, turning cauliflower florets into can't-eat-just-one delights, and cooling spicy lamb meatballs with yogurt.
The pastas brim with big, bold flavors. Pasta cut in thin, delicate ribbons is dressed with thimble-sized lamb meatballs, pungent olives and flecks of fresh mint; it's hard to imagine a dish more satisfying on a cold January night. Ditto spaghetti that's tossed with tiny clams and zesty sausage, and a beautifully constructed Bolognese sauced liberally, clinging to pappardelle. Even when he's showing restraint, Occhiato's instincts are right on the money. Case in point: filling tender ravioli with ricotta and chèvre and finishing it with pings of tomato, basil and speck.
A farmhouse meal in the shadow of the IDS Tower? Yep, in the form of mellow roasted cipollini onions paired with juicy, flavorful chicken. Chewy dates add a second subtly sweet flavor note to deeply caramelized scallops. Charred and sliced hanger steak, cooked precisely to order, boasted a swaggering beefy bite. Then there's the outstanding meatball sandwich, the lighter-than-air veal meatballs dressed in red sauce and stuffed into sturdy ciabatta.
Two under-the-radar daytime deals: an unbeatable lunch special -- three items for $10 -- and free valet service during weekday breakfast and lunch. If they aren't enough incentive to lure even the most adamant members of the anti-D'Amico crowd, they're a lost cause.
