Ciano

With a culinary team originating from Bouley and Cru and the prime location of the space once inhabited by Beppe (RIP), Ciano was destined to be a five star dinner for me.  Once Adam Platt from New York Magazine added Ciano to his list of Where to Eat 2011, I secured a resi before it became like Locanda Verde and ended up on my you will never be able to get a reservation except for lunch on Tuesdays list.  The ambiance at Ciano was a far cry from the slightly barren Beppe and had been completely redone with a rustic polished look that boasted a fire place (love, love a good fireplace in NYC).  Better yet, the food was everything I imagined with delicious creative Italian dishes and a great selection of half-bottle wines.  It felt like a Bouley or a Cru meal, but was completely Ciano in its simplistic preparation and much more affordable pricing.  I had the rainbow beets with whipped robiola wild watercress, and aged Balsamic, and the pasta with fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, plum tomato, and ricotta.  Cheese heaven!  Unfortunately, this apoplectic cheese ball also had to hit the town afterward in her skinny jeans which was quite the tight rope act, but so worth it.