RW lunch #1 - A Voce

Restaurant Week is here!  Restaurant Week is here!  (imagine my saying that in a voice like Steve Martin's in The Jerk.  you know the scene I mean.)  One of my very favorite times of the year is upon us.  I was so happy to get the party started yesterday with lunch at A Voce.

I've told you before that I generally choose restaurants that are out of my price range on a normal day, but are finally affordable because of Restaurant Week, right?  This is again how I chose A Voce.  One of the restaurants in the Time Warner building, A Voce is a pricey venture, though I would totally be up for going back on a special occasion.  Just having lunch there yesterday was a special occasion because it was DELICIOUS!  Is it fair that I already have three nominees for best dish of 2016??

I started off my day yesterday with a big meeting at work, which was very interesting and challenging, and had a light breakfast attached.  That was grand, so I could start off my day with a little something something, but save room for my lunch.  I got to the restaurant a little early, so I could de-hat-head myself and be a little bit presentable in their dining room.

A Voce is a very airy space, with lots of glass and wood.  The dining room isn't huge, but it's a nice size.  I wasn't fortunate enough to get a seat over by the windows, but my seat was very pleasant.  For the most part.  I had the ungood fortune of sitting next to a couple who apparently thought that because I was at lunch by myself, I was in need of conversation.  They were very nice people, but I really didn't want to talk though my whole lunch.  That's one reason I go alone, to eat in happy silence and (generally) read a book that I don't have time to read during the day.  Oh well.  The food was so great that it almost makes me forget about the well-meaning but teensy bit annoying couple on my left.

The bread basket of focaccia with olive oil was very tasty.  I also, naughtily, ordered a glass of wine.  They have a special lower-priced glass of wine for RW, so I went ahead and got the nero d'avola.  It was delicious.  Very smooth, with just a hint of pepper in the background.  I think my very-charming server poured me a bit more than he should've, but I drank every drop. 

For my appetizer, I got the crudo alla puttanesca.  It was amazing!  Atlantic salmon crudo, with capers, tomato, and fresno pepper.  I was at first worried that the fresno pepper would be too spicy for me, but it was such a bite-sized piece, it worked really well with the fatty salmon.  I could've used a tad more acid, but that's a picky picky point.  It was a really yummy dish.

Originally, when I glanced at their menu, I was going to get the housemade pasta for my main course, but then I saw the words: pumpkin mostarda.  Um, hello!  I love pumpkin and I love mostarda!  So I had to get the maiale, aka roasted pork loin, with winter vegetables and pumpkin mostarda.  The vegetables were cauliflower, tiny mushrooms and cipollini onions.  The pork was so juicy and moist, it was lovely.  I don't know what the sauce was, but it was incredible.  Very deep and meaty.  I may have overhead my server tell another table there was anchovy in it.  That would make sense, that really deep, rich flavor could've had an anchovy base.  And the pumpkin mostarda?  Shut up.  Oh. My. God.  YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.  I told my server, if they had been selling that in the lobby, I would've bought it!  It was delicious!  The consistency was very light and airy, almost whipped, with a terrific flavor that had a ton of layers in it.  Everything was so so good. 

I almost got the peanut butter semifreddo for dessert, but I thought that might be too rich, so I got the coconut panna cotta, with passion fruit gelee and poached pineapple instead.  Oh so good.  Really light, with lots of textures (there was a cookie crumble on top, I think) and bright flavors.  Loved it.  I loved everything about A Voce - the service was very pleasant, the atmosphere was warm and the food was incredible.  What a great start to Restaurant Week for me - I can't wait to taste what's next!  :)