Cuisine:

• Italian

Firenze Osteria Description:
Florence-born-and-raised chef Fabio Viviani, "Top Chef Season 5 Fan Favorite," started spending time in the kitchen at the age of five, peeled vegetables in a restaurant at twelve, and started cooking at fourteen. After improving his skills at a local culinary school, he had four restaurants in his native city by the age of 26. Along the way, he met Jacopo Falleni, his partner, and the duo have worked together in the US for many years. They opened Firenze Osteria, at what was the location of Barsac Brasserie with its former proprietor Lisa Long. Do like the numerous executives of the nearby studios: come for simple Italian dishes, cooked with passion and no pretention in a kitschy décor---not our favorite---served on beige linen table clothes (which are getting rare these days). You may start with fresh burrata on a grilled slice of bread topped with fried pancetta or the interesting grilled jumbo shrimps seasoned with a touch of Gorgonzola served on a Parmesan polenta. If you prefer a salad, try the poached pears in Chianti with crumbled blue cheese and caramelized walnuts. Viviani enhances his pasta with creativity and, as the rest of his cuisine, there is nothing fancy, just good and tasty home-style cooking. Some ravioli are filled with braised short ribs and accompanied with a cheese (Taleggio) sauce and a 25-year aged balsamic vinegar; while the spinach and ricotta are stripped from the pasta and served bare in a light brown butter and sage sauce with shaved Parmesan. A grilled branzino arrives at the table cooked as it should and flavored with slices of lemon, olive oil and thyme. Grilled thyme was also on top of the rack of lamb served on a bed of mushrooms with a rosemary-sage-mustard sauce. Chocoholics have to try the flourless chocolate cake which actually looks more like a tart. Since Falleni is a mixologist, there is a long list of signature cocktails. They also offer reasonably priced wines from Italy, France and California.


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