Campagna
New York
Buzz is a word that makes a restaurateur happy. The buzz level often
determines how many tables are full and, if it lasts long enough, can
help build a foundation for long-term success. Restaurateurs would
rather have people talking about their place than not. The more a
restaurant is discussed, the better the chance people will walk in and
give the chef a chance to strut his stuff.
New Yorkers are talking about Campagna, Mark Strausman's new
restaurant in the Gramercy Park area of New York City. Formerly the
home of Luxe, a short-lived outpost of continental cuisine, Strausman
has subtly changed the decor to echo the Italian countryside. A slight
patina of age darkens wood accents on the walls and the waist-high
paneling, and a creamy-tan color scheme provides a look and feeling
that Americans associate with Tuscany. Bristling at a New York
Times reviewer's suggestion that he isn't running an Italian
restaurant, Strausman says, "I am cooking Italian food in America. She
just didn't understand."
What is understandable is that after only six months, this
restaurant is already hitting some highs in the kitchen. The antipasti
table is composed of a gorgeous array of appetizers, each of which
could be a meal in itself. The dishes change frequently; on a recent
occasion, two gems included marinated button mushrooms, which had
caramelized, earthy flavors, and braised fennel. Another appetizer was
a bruschetta with chicken-liver pâté and white
beans. Standards are also available on the appetizer list; fried
calamari were noteworthy because of their combination with fried
parsley.
The pastas are made fresh daily. Among the top dishes are a spinach
and ricotta ravioli, a light combination of the slightly bitter
vegetable smoothed out by the cheese, and the tagliolini with fresh
basil and tomatoes. Lasagna alla Nonna, or grandma's lasagna,
bows to tradition; it is a classic recipe with layers of ricotta
cheese, tomatoes and meat. "It's a meal," says the waiter. A recent
risotto special was mushroom with green peas and lima beans, an
unlikely marriage of starchy beans with the pungent flavors of wild
mushrooms.
Entrées change daily. Some recent offerings included breast of
Guinea hen with sweet onions in an aged balsamic sauce, herb-grilled
squab, osso buco, and rabbit cooked in red wine and herbs served over
polenta. There are always excellent fish dishes on the menu including
caccuicco, a spicy seafood stew, a couscous prepared with steamed fish
and, frequently, a roast salmon served with braised fennel.
The wine list focuses on Italian wines with a strong representation of
American wines, too. Whites include a fine Sauvignon Blanc "Borro
della Sala Castello della Sala" from Antinori, $26, and a 1992 Jermann
Chardonnay, $72. American whites include Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay,
$36, and a 1991 Long Chardonnay Napa Valley, $60.
Red wines were headed by Angelo Gaja's Barolo Sperss, 1989, $130; 1990
Tignanello, $70; and a 1991 Sassicaia, $110. American reds include a
1987 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Martha's Vineyard,
$160; a 1982 Niebaum-Coppola Rubicon Napa Valley, $68; and a 1985
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, $80.
Unlike many restaurants today, Strausman also keeps a well-stocked
humidor in the restaurant. Cigar smoking is normally restricted to the
bar area, but late at night, he permits cigar smoking at the tables in
the smoking area. The humidor contains Macanudos, Partagas, Temple
Hall and Ramon Allones. "Cigars are in the mainstream now," says
Strausman, who is proud of his cigars. In short, this is a prototype
for cigar-friendly restaurants of the future. A good humidor. A place
to smoke. And a chef who understands the relationship between good
food and a fine smoke.
-- Gordon Mott
Campagna
24 East 21st Street
New York, New York
10010
Dinner: $55 per person with wine
Lunch: $29 per person
with wine
Cigar Aficionado RSS Feed