Lukewarm on Lupa

I was taken to lunch at Lupa the other day. I never turn down an invitation to a Batali restaurant when someone else is footing the bill. I've been to Babbo once, in its first year, and I've had five meals at Otto (Batali for the masses, but always quite impressive), but I'd never been to Lupa before. I had a fine lunch, but it really was nothing memorable.

The antipasti were quite good. Two of us shared three items: broccoli rabe with pepperoncini, tongue (thinly sliced with a bit of a fruity sweetness), and sardines with fennel and saffron. The sardines also had pine nuts and raisins, so I'd say it's a take on the Venetian sarde in saor. I didn't taste any saffron.


My main course was the pork shoulder with rose petal glassato. I don't know why they use the word "glassato" in an otherwise English description, but it wasn't rocket science to figure out it means glaze. The meat was moist and soft, and I suspect it had been braised and oven-finished. I wasn't thrilled with the sweetness of the glassato.


One thing is certain about the pork shoulder: they really need to work on the visual presentation. I'm sure it doesn't have to look like a lump of shit on a plate.