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Punchin Intl. & The Walman Report By Nancy Walman

April 29th, 2007 at 6:26 pm

Per Lei, Italian Restaurant, UES, Moderate, Very Good

in: restaurant reviews

Punch In is Proud to be the Recipient of the Prestigious 5 Star Web-Award For Distinguished Content

Per Lei

Location: 1347 Second Ave.

At 71^st Street

New York, NY 10021

Phone: Tel 212-439-9200

Fax 212-439-1853

Cuisine: Italian

Owner/Partners: Enrico Proietti

Executive Chef: Fabrizio DeTogni

Seating Capacity: Indoor Seating: 70

Outdoor Seating: 60

Hours of Operation: Lunch- Monday to Saturday 12:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Dinner- Monday to Saturday 5:00 pm - 12:00 pm

Dinner- Sunday 4:00 pm -10:30 am

Brunch- Sunday 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Price Range:

Appetizers: $13 to $18

Entrees: $ 21 to $ 31

Desserts: $ 8 to $ 11

Cocktails: $ 7 to $ 10

Wine: Red and white wines. Organic/Biodynamic/Traditional: 60 bottles

Price range: $35 - $185

Number of wines available by the glass: 10 - 14

Price range: $9 - $14

Credit Cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express

Reservations: Recommended

Website: www.perleinyc.com

tyle and Elegance Meet the Mediterranean Coast at Per Lei. Located in the heart of the Upper East Side. Restaurateur Enrico Proletti’s adds this latest venture to his beloved fixtures Bella Blu and Baraonda restaurants. This 130 seat (70 indoor seats and 60 indoor seats) Italian restaurant combines solid cuisine from Executive Chef Fabrizio De Togni, sexy ambiance and European décor. Candlelit tables and Italian artist Fabrizio Musa’s Warhol-esque portraits of beautiful women adorn the bright white walls giving Per Lei a breezy Mediterranean feel. Design elements such as cream crocodile banquettes, a sleek black bar, and the dazzling crystal chandelier imported from Austria adds a luxurious feel to the dining room. The wrap-around outdoor café complete with palm trees can accommodate up to sixty guests and is a perfect summer dining option. Per Lei attributes its culinary success to a commitment to the finest ingredients, premium service and elegant ambience. DeTogni, a native of Milan, showcases his experience from around the world, by blending his knowledge and education from stints at La Traditional in Sondalo, Italy, La Greppia in Milan, Paper Moon in Istanbul, and Elite Concept in Hong Kong. By bringing strong cultural heritage to the forefront of his menu, DeTogni gives diners the opportunity to be immersed in Italian culture. While featuring dishes that incorporate the regional flavors and textures of his favorite meals, DeTongi offers a seasonal menu of traditional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist such as Sautéed Airline Chicken served with Red Plum, sautéed baby bock choy and port sauce. Signature appetizers include a delicious eggplant “cake,” garnished with perfectly cut proscuitto and a sparkling, fresh salad. Carpaccio di Pesce Spada, swordfish carpaccio with fennel and orange salad with pink peppercorn is another option. DeTogni’s delectably satisfying homemade pastas, include his Cocoa flavored Papperdelle, served with slow roasted duck leg confit and black olives. It is absolutely delicious, as is Garganelli handrolled to perfection and combined with sautéed chicken, porcini mushrooms, and a mascarpone cheese sauce, or better yet, a beautifully made Bolognaise sauce.. Signature entrees include a pan-seared Branzino with lemon served over summer piperade, capers and basil, and Roasted Australian Lamb Chops crusted with pistachios served over Sicillian caponata. The rich dessert menu at Per Lei boasts creative interpretations of traditional Italian desserts such as a terrific version of Sfogliatina con Fragoie, Millefeuille pastry with strawberry, custard cream, and caramelized port sauce is also masterful. A versatile wine list incorporates family-owned vineyards from throughout Italy. Per Lei has also designed a list of over 15 martinis. Local favorites include the Strawberry Basil Martini, a mixture of vodka, Chambord, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, strawberry, basil, and black peppercorn. But most of all Per Lei is fun, with its casually elegant décor, friendly service and excellent food. Be on the lookout for the new summer menu. It promises to be memorable.

Side DishDining Al Fresco 2007:

New York City’s Top Tables

It’s no longer just a dream. Finally, the weather we’ve all been waiting for has arrived, time to start peeling off the layers, skipping with joy and jostling for the few coveted outdoor dining tables at restaurants in the city. Here’s where you can catch some long-awaited rays or gaze up at the midnight sky over delectable food and drinks. A Voce 41 Madison Avenue, NYC, 212-545-8555 www.avocerestaurant.comLaunching this May, the outdoor sidewalk café at A Voce, appropriately titled Al Fresco at A Voce, will evoke the sidewalk cafés of Italy…places of conviviality where people come to enjoy a meal, a scoop of gelato, an espresso, a cooling cocktail or a glass of wine, while indulging in the fresh air, taking in the scenery and basically just savoring life. The patio will bring 60 seats to the city’s much coveted outdoor dining real estate. Chef/Partner Andrew Carmellini will offer an abridged version of his lauded menu with an emphasis on antipasti, the cornerstone of outdoor dining in Italy in the summer. A separate bar and comfortable seating will allow guests to sip, linger, relax and flirt, as day becomes night. The bar will feature signature cocktails like the A Voce Negroni (given an Italian twist with the addition of Amaro) and a selection of icy-cold Scropinos, an Italian summertime libation combining sorbetti, vodka and prosecco. The outdoor dining patio’s design will echo A Voce’s indoor dining room with its juxtaposition of rustic and modern elements. Protected by a large awning, Herman Miller Caper Chairs in light blue will be paired with Terrazzo tables and surrounded by lemon trees, potted herbs and flowers. Al Fresco at A Voce…tutto bene!Cookshop 156 Tenth Avenue, NYC, 212-924-4440 www.cookshopny.comEnjoy the sunshine while dining on Cookshop’s Tenth Avenue sidewalk patio. At their Chelsea hotspot, owners Marc Meyer and Vicki Freeman offer refreshing cocktails – the Havana Sidecar with fresh citrus, rosemary, thyme and Martin Miller’s gin or an Italian Sea Breeze with fresh grapefruit and orange juice and Campari – and delicious dishes, including Chef Meyer’s beloved Grilled Grass-Fed Burger with twice-smoked bacon, Vermont cheddar, chipotle ketchup, mayonnaise and fries, Whole Fish – Atlantic porgy, sautéed spinach, shallot, chili and caper-oregano salsa, and Hudson Valley rabbit with creamy polenta and spring onion salsa. Finish by savoring a Strawberry Shortcake with Ronnybrook cream and gingered strawberry compote. Django 480 Lexington Avenue, NYC, 212-871-6600 www.djangorestaurant.comTake in New York’s Midtown street life from the elevated terrace at Django and welcome summer with Chef Andrew Karasz’s Mediterranean Riviera cuisine. Up to 70 people can enjoy lunch beneath the ivy-lined trellis as they relax and watch the city go by. During sultry summer nights, enjoy cocktails such as the fresh Cucumber or Pomegranate Martini, and dishes from Karasz’s seasonally inspired menu; highlights include as Blue Fin Tuna Cru and Spring-Pea Risotto with pecorino and mint. Landmarc [Tribeca] 179 W. Broadway, NYC, 212-343-3883 www.landmarc-restaurant.comWhen the weather is warm patrons can relax at one of 10 outdoor tables—2 of which are perched on the second floor balcony—and enjoy Landmarc’s French/Italian bistro cuisine for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Refreshing selections include Salmon Tartare with red onions, lemon confit and mustard; Landmarc’s Chopped Salad, a mix of celery, cucumber, hearts of palm, beets and balsamic vinegar; and Steamed Mussels topped with pesto and cherry tomatoes. If a spring meal in the sunshine is not quite enough to take the edge off, a bottle of wine chosen from Landmarc’s famously well-selected, well-priced list or an order of Landmarc’s Ice Cream Cones will certainly do the trick. NISH 405 E. 58th Street, NYC, 212-754-6272After 16 years as one of the top toques in New York City, Chef Wayne Nish has reinvented his New York mainstay March into NISH, a restaurant that showcases his knowledge and passion for fusion cuisine. Enjoy Slow-Roasted Wild Pacific Salmon with spicy miso glaze in fox noodle broth or savor handmade raw milk cheeses imported from France while seated on the outdoor terrace of the Upper East Side townhouse, escaping the city’s hustle and bustle. Spice Market 403 West 13th Street, NYC, 212-675-2322 www.jean-georges.comDuring the warmer months, Meatpacking District dining destination Spice Market opens its 26-seat sidewalk café. Though coveted outside seating is on first-come, first-serve basis, those who prefer to make reservations can take advantage of a beautiful, breezy interior: the restaurant opens its floor-to-ceiling doors in summer months as well. Perfect to beat the summer heat, Spice Market has recently introduced a number of house-made sodas in fantastic flavors such as passion fruit-chile, tamarind, cherry-yuzu, and lemon-jasmine tea. Other great ways to cool off include fresh ginger ale, iced matcha green tea, iced black tea-coconut infusion, and iced Vietnamese coffee. Light and flavorful dishes include Spicy Thai Fried Chicken Wings with mango and mint; Crispy Sesame Crab with sweet soy, pink grapefruit and ginger salad, and tender pork, chicken or beef satays.

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