Armani/Ristorante

[ulterior epicure]

From today's Zagat Buzz:

Frock star Giorgio Armani unveils his first U.S. restaurant, Armani/Ristorante, a modern Italian in his new Midtown flagship store that’s rather hidden away in an obscure, third-floor setting; featuring a seafood-heavy menu created by Tuscan chef Lorenzo Viani and a runway-ready, black-and-cream-colored design, it’s clearly intended for the luxury market, even if the high price tags aren’t exactly fashionable in the current economic climate.

717 Fifth Ave.; 212-207-1902

Cool staircase.

The restaurant's website is embedded in the main website for Armani's retail store on 5th Avenue. Turn off your sound if you you're not prepared to go clubbing yet.

[robert brown]

The best way to order at Lorenzo's in Forte dei Marmi is to ask Lorenzo or the maitre d'hotel what fish he has fresh that day, or to ask about some fish that you like and is in its peak season. The odds are that he'll have it. Then ask what preparation he suggests--grilled, roasted, boiled, whatever. Add a dish or two from the menu such as the sampling of raw fish or a pasta of some kind (unless he proposes a pasta not on the menu). Fill it in with smaller portions of whatever sounds good or order another plate of the one or two kinds of raw fish you just ate and liked the most, and just order as you go along. Try that here at the Armani place and see what happens.