It’s not often that my wildest dreams come true, but today they have. Fromage fiend that I am, I’ve long hoped to be ushered into a restaurant and immediately given a large chunk of cheese. Well, Chef Michael Toscano, my new personal fairy godfather, just told me that’s exactly what will happen at his new restaurant Le Farfalle, which officially unlocks its doors at 5:30 p.m. tonight. According to Toscano, upon being seated each guest will be served a large piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
[slideshow-1]We stopped by this afternoon to get a look at what was once Vickery’s then Leaf. The space has been stripped down and spiffed up. Clean lines abound. The booths have been painted a Mediterranean Sea blue. Sophisticated modern art lines the walls. And in the center of the dining room rests the grand poobah of it all — a giant wheel of cheese from which staff will deliver each guest’s ration of delicious parm.
All of Toscano’s pastas are made in-house, and he let us get a taste of his agnolotti al sugo d’arrosto featuring roast chicken and oyster mushrooms bathed in a super-rich jus. Octopus carpaccio is also on tonight’s menu and is a surprisingly light dish served on a crusty sesame seed-topped bread.
As Toscano told us months back, the menu is designed to allow diners to create a meal as big or as light as they’d like without pinching their pockets too much. One can indulge with couscous served with swordfish and lobster or sit by themselves at the bar and have one lone meatball and a cocktail. Here’s a look at the place and the menu.
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