Dani
333 Hudson Street (at Charlton)

It's a hike for me to go to the West Village, but I thought once again, why not? It's a Tuesday night, and I had little to do. I've heard interesting things about Dani, so I decided to trek down after making a reservation. I was surprised in many ways when I got there.

The converted warehouse design is quite funky and nice. I really like the old support columns juxtaposing the modern and stylish design. The use of space really impressed me, and I'm usually not one for the decor and fluff. But this was good. However, one thing was odd -- the restaurant was nearly empty. What the heck?

I sat down and had a glorious meal -- the only problem was the constant internal query: why is this restaurant empty? The starter was fritto misto -- a good way to test how good an Italian kitchen is (easy to mess up this simple frying gig). The flavours were excellent even without the accompanying sauce (it's always a testament of the chef's flavouring philosophy if the fritto misto is dependent on the sauce or is a good stand-alone). The plentiful supply of calamari, fish and shrimp made this a treat -- as was the chickpeas strewn within the dish. Excellent.

The main dish was a huge loin of pork...wow, this was big and filling. I felt like I was in Bavaria for a second (like at the fabulous Haxnbauer im Scholastikahaus). Not quite that big, but this slow-cooked marvel was tender, juicy and delicious. Pork is notoriously difficult to do well, and I applaud the chefs here for doing a great job. I somehow ate the whole thing!

I had some grappa and coffee but also chose a small dessert. The gelati/sorbet mix (dark chocolate and hazelnut for the former, pear for the latter) was a great complement. I was incredibly happy leaving the restaurant, however, still puzzled on why it's empty. What is going on? Such good food and nice place and it's empty????

I am totally puzzled...

Food: A-
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: A-