Chef-owner Mike Cordero’s Rat Pack-inspired, “old-school” Italian joint has a flair for the dramatic. A 70-pound wheel of imported Parmesan roams the dining room, helping servers whip up the restaurant’s signature pasta dish tableside. In another act of theater, the waitstaff artfully slide vodka sauce and cheese onto chicken parmigiana at the moment it’s served to ensure the cutlet’s crunchy breading stays extra crispy. Drama aside, the fundamentals are there, too. “We make everything from scratch,” Cordero says. “We start at 6 a.m. every day making pastas, bread and all the desserts. When we open our doors, we’re slammed.” –Adele Chapin
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