Moments after the guy at the bar opened his mouth, I feared my infatuation with Nico might shatter. Whatever happened next would have an irreversible effect on the meal to come. No amount of revelatory ragu or beatific branzino would be able to undo the potential damage.
Except . . . can rusticity survive in such close proximity to Prada and Hermès, on the ground floor of the Thompson Hotel? It’s a tenuous proposition. And the balancing act was tested on my second visit, as I sat at the bar waiting for my table.
“It’s chef’s favorite manufacturer of aprons,” he replied in a clipped tone.
If a restaurant group that prides itself on accessibility can’t kindly accommodate the likes of this guy, the whole premise fails.
Crisis averted.
The octopus and white bean fettunta was as expertly executed as a cold appetizer of Dungeness crab over fava bean puree with crudite and flatbread. The latter brought to mind an elevated riff on hummus. Both were appropriately rustic and refined—and both were good. But you can do even better.
1015 N. Rush 312-994-7100nicoosteria.com
