L'Artusi

[daisy17]

L'Artusi opened a few weeks ago (by the chef/owners of dell'anima) in the old Maremma space. The space hasn't been changed too much, most notably the expansion of the bar area and the large open kitchen. There is plenty of bar dining space, which I take as an inviting sign. The dining room was pretty full when we got there at 8 and stayed that way for a while. I've seen a lot of empty restaurants lately, but this isn't one of them.

I started with an amaro-based cocktail - I think it was Ramazzotti, Antica and sparkling wine. Very refreshing. The atmosphere is lively and loud, perhaps less neighborhoody and more destination than dell'anima, but welcoming nonetheless. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, and the food was excellent. Favorites among the apps I tried were the hamachi and the roasted cauliflower. The orecchiette with sausage and bitter greens was hearty and satisfying. Tasted some others (spaghetti and meatballs, pizzoccheri with sage, fontina and brussels sprouts) and they were delicious as well. They describe the menu as small plates intended for sharing, but I thought portions were generous, especially given the very reasonable prices (less than $20/dish).