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Focolare |
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Downtown :: Little Italy |
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Little Italy, the legendary strip of Mulberry Street lined with mom and pop Italian restaurants, finally has a newcomer worth visiting.
Focolare prides itself on authenticity, quality, and innovation, not just its Mulberry Street address. Executive chef and part owner Frank Lania grew up visiting his “nonna’s” apartment on nearby Mott Street, but spent his formative years learning about the culinary world in London, Paris, and Milan. After earning himself a name in Miami, Lania returned to the neighborhood to open Focolare. Named after the impressive stone fireplace at the rear of the space, Focolare looks more like SoHo than Little Italy without sacrificing a homey feeling. Since its opening in July, Lania has built a loyal clientele, attracting more neighborhood appreciators of fine food than tour-bus masses. Focolare is a place where diners can enjoy a cocktail or bottle of wine with dinner and linger the entire night, enjoying signature dishes such as capesante, pan-seared diver scallops over truffle mashed potatoes, or agnello della casa, a house-marinated rack of lamb. For bringing nuanced flavors like this to the neighborhood, Crain’s Magazine gave Focolare “a gold medal for raising the standard of dining in Little Italy.”
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