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This lively (okay, noisy) trattoria at the top of Russian Hill pairs dark wood wainscoting against simply napped tables and is popular with both trendies and foodies. Whatever your predilection, begin with the sliced beef carpaccio topped with capers, mustard and Parmesan and follow with mains like the succulent grilled pork loin enveloped in gorgonzola, pancetta and polenta. Washing it all down with a nice Italian wine is a very affordable option here so don’t hesitate.
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Chef Craig Stoll’s interpretation of Italian cuisine is a real revelation, which is why this spare and tightly-packed dining room is full night after night. Starters are stellar, so order the ribollita, a thick Tuscan soup, or the brandade, a confection of salt cod and mashed potatoes with a hint of garlic. The flatiron steak with fries is perfection while the buttermilk panna cotta is the ideal grace note. The young wait staff is knowledgeable yet never fawning. Book well in advance, especially for a weekend night.
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Possibly the best trattoria in the city’s Italian district, Ideale disarms with its modern take on traditional Italian dishes. Chef Maurizio Bruschi has thrown the pasta-and-red-sauce formula out the window and uses a lighter hand to create Northern Italian-like dishes such as homemade ricotta gnocchi with pork rib ragu and veal scaloppini stuffed with prosciutto and sage. The bright yellow walls are peppered with the wine 'cellar’ and diners always leave sated, especially if they end with the terrific panna cotta, quivering in a puddle of red berry bliss.
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Staffan Terje’s recipe for success at this Union Square hot spot popular with the shopping crowd is hearty Italian cooking with French country warmth. The minestra Genovese is a Ligurian vegetable soup and an excellent starter; equally pleasing is the orecchiette, 'little ears’ of pasta tossed with sausage and broccoli rabe and dusted with pecorino cheese. The deco- inspired room is pretty by day and seductive at night.
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