Where to Dine - New York City 2009 - page 78

Pao! PORTUGUESE New York has multiple restaurants of
almost every ethnicity, yet there is a scarcity of Portuguese eateries.
Of the few, this cozy charmer is the best. Pao!, which translates to
“bread,” keeps it simple, and the results are pure and authentic. Start
with caldo verde, Portuguese soup, made with kale, potatoes, and
smoky linguica (Portuguese sausage). The baked-octopus salad, ten-
der and soaked in a garlic/cilantro vinaigrette, rivals any I've had in
numerous Greek restaurants, while the cod cakes, another Por-
tuguese standard, are light and not too salty. The combination of
pork and seafood might seem odd, but it's common in Portugal;
Pao!'s pairing of pork and clams is an acquired taste—one I've
acquired. Salt cod is to Portugal what hamburgers are to the United
States, and I'll take Pao!'s hearty bacalhau a braz —salt cod with egg,
onion, and straw potatoes—over hamburger most any day. To com-
plement the food, stick with a delicious Portuguese wine, from
which there are many to choose. Desserts are egg-based and delicate;
the soft pound cake with lemon egg custard filling is heavenly.
322 Spring St. (at Greenwich St.). & 212/334-5464. Reservations recommended.
AE, DC, MC, V. Lunch $12-$14; dinner $17-$20. Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm; daily
6-11pm. Subway: C, E to Spring St.
INEXPENSIVE
Lombardi's Pizza is at 32 Spring St., between Mott and Mulberry
streets ( & 212/941-7994; see “Pizza, New York-Style,” p. 94).
Bread ITALIAN The bread at Bread comes from Balthazar
Bakery down the street, but it's what they do with it that makes this
eatery so special. For example, they take a rustic ciabatta loaf, slather
it with Sicilian sardines, Thai mayonnaise, tomato, and lettuce, and
then turn it over to their panini press. The result is a gooey conver-
gence of flavors that you will attempt to gobble down gracefully. It
will fall apart, but that's okay; someone will be along shortly with
more napkins. Besides the spectacular sardine sandwich, the Italian
tuna with mesclun greens and tomatoes in a lemon dressing, and the
fontina with grilled zucchini, eggplant, arugula, and tomato in a bal-
samic vinaigrette are also standouts. Really, there are no losers on the
bread side of Bread's menu, which also includes salads, pastas, and
“plates.”
20 Spring St. (btwn Mott and Elizabeth sts.). & 212/334-1015. Reservations not
accepted. Breads $7-$9.50; plates $6-$16. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Sun-Thurs
10:30am-midnight; Fri-Sat 10:30am-1am. Subway: 6 to Spring St.