Spigolo

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This venue is closed.

Spigolo is a little gem, no larger than all those other vest-pocket trattorias nearby that must get their food from a communal kitchen under Third Avenue. So expect a perpetual crush at the door once word gets out that Heather and Scott Fratangelo are not only the town’s neatest new mom-and-pop restaurateurs but a sterling team in the kitchen, too. Hubby is responsible for the vibrant salmon tartare studded with bursts of capers, sun-dried tomatoes, and chili-flecked cucumbers. He’s also behind a simple cluster of shaved celery blossoms that with the addition of Gorgonzola, pecans, and a squirt of citrus vinaigrette becomes a memorable salad. The breading on his littleneck clams boasts the touch of luxuriant bagna cauda butter. Nearly ethereal gnocchi are atypically made with sheep’s-milk ricotta. The breast of veal stuffed with pancetta and served with butternut squash will make up for whatever you gave up for Lent. Heather, meanwhile, does the near impossible: She’s not only a lovely and disarming host, but during the day she creates pastries few Italian restaurants can match. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

Tuna tartare, $12; porcini gnocchi, $16; warm gingerbread pudding, $10