Da Ciro
229 Lexington Avenue (between 33rd and 34th)

Friday evening bookings in New York are always difficult -- nearly impossible if left to the last minute. However, after a few tries for Italian eateries in Midtown, I finally found one for me and a friend of mine -- Da Ciro. The website look quite good and the menu interesting, so I thought, why not?

After having a few drinks at the Estonia House (perhaps this reveals something about my identity?) I walked the 2 blocks to Da Ciro and found my friend waiting at the bar. He then proceeds to tell me they lost the reservation...ugh, not a good start. It took another 10+ minutes for us to be seated.

I was already in a foul mood before then, so I was hoping for a good experience. The service was pretty good despite the restaurant looking a little chaotic. We had an excellent server which made things better. The Sicilian wine was not bad too.

My starter was grilled octopus, which was not bad. I liked the simplicity of it and that made me happier. The main course was black linguine with seafood. This was a bit disappointing. The pasta didn't taste fresh and there was no "inkling" of ink at all. Too bad. It seemed way too standard. This does not compare to the fradiavolo I make in my own kitchen at all -- my own way to judge Italian places.

I ended the meal with espresso and a large scotch. I usually take grappa after an Italian meal, but this seemed so faux Italian, so I didn't bother. The drink was good. No dessert today, I'm putting on weight again...

Overall Da Ciro isn't bad at all, but not spectacular. In a town with so many "Italian" places, there's no reason to settle for anything but near-perfect. So this will likely be a pass in the future.

Food: B
Atmosphere: B
For Lone Diners: B+ (*)