LARCHMONT
IF Lusardi's, the venerable Italian restaurant at the center of this restaurant-rich village, were a Lamborghini, then the youthful Globe Bar and Grill, opened three years ago, would be the Vespa parked next door. With its sauté station and wood-burning pizza oven in full view, the Globe offers show and substance in an atmosphere that, while bordering on raucous, promises an enjoyable night out.
The wide-ranging, Italian-inflected menu is sometimes executed with more exuberance than finesse, but clichés are balanced by nice surprises, like an appetizer of smoky shrimp and cannellini beans infused with rosemary or an entree of roasted monkfish, spicy chorizo, bitter broccoli rabe and soothing lemon risotto. Not a single entree exceeded $28.
A charming collection of globes anchors the bold décor. On each of two visits, the congenial, hands-on manager, checked more than once to see that things were going well.
There were a few bumps. One night my waiter struggled to be understood, and to understand; I wondered why anyone would put a young man with a limited command of English in such a position. On the same night, we were rushed through dinner only to have dessert proceed at a glacial pace. And the room simply cannot absorb the noise generated on busy nights.
House-made focaccia comes warm from the wood oven. Salads, with the exception of a bland Caesar, stood out for freshness and subtlety. Bibb lettuce and grilled shrimp were dressed with tangerine sesame vinaigrette; mixed greens were scattered with ripe pears, Gorgonzola and toasted pine nuts; and silky duck confit mingled with endive, fresh oranges and candied walnuts.
Mussels fra diavolo — easy to get wrong — were delicious, as was velvety pumpkin soup (once it had cooled).
But bitter eggplant marred a tiered napoleon of tomato and mozzarella. Grilled octopus was cold, not warm as promised (although it was appealingly matched with arugula, red radishes and fingerling potatoes). Beef carpaccio and heavily peppered calamari were undistinguished.
Among the pastas, lobster ravioli in a tomato vodka sauce were overfirm but flavorful. All freshness and opportunity were lost in a dish of oil-saturated fettuccine tossed with artichokes, asparagus, peas and pecorino. A pizza from the brick oven was downright soggy at the center.
The best entrees I sampled were the rosemary-scented skewered shrimp, grilled baby artichokes and roasted potatoes with a tomato-anchovy vinaigrette; and the rich, crusty osso buco paired with a classic saffron risotto. Grilled filet mignon was kicked up a notch with a brisk chimichurri sauce. A balsamic glaze overpowered delicate roasted chicken; a grilled paillard, brushed with olive oil, was better. The only entree that failed utterly was a muddy-tasting branzino paired with cemented mashed potatoes.
The solid wine list has a global reach. The better Italian wines, many quite expensive, are on the young side. Offered as a special, the 1998 Giorgione Barbera d'Asti ($15 a glass) showed plenty of fruit. The 2003 Niebaum-Coppola merlot ($37) was a little tart, but I liked its notes of blueberry and chocolate. A dozen beers are available on tap.
Desserts were mostly dull. Stale lemon bundt cake was decorated with underripe strawberries, and a grainy crème brûlée was topped with syrupy, oversweet figs. Deep-fried zeppole dusted with powdered sugar and dipped in honey-sweetened mascarpone disappeared quickly, though. And stemmed glasses filled with smooth chocolate gelato and coconut and lemon sorbets tasted just right.
Globe Bar and Grill
1879 Palmer Avenue,
Larchmont
(914) 833-8600
GOOD
ATMOSPHERE There are really two restaurants in one: in the front, a trattoria and, in the rear, a lively bar scene (with a disco ball and giant video screens). Sidewalk dining. Attentive and well-intentioned service.
RECOMMENDED DISHES Pumpkin soup, salad with pears and Gorgonzola, bibb lettuce with grilled shrimp, duck confit salad, shrimp with cannellini beans, mussels fra diavolo, rosemary skewered shrimp, monkfish with chorizo, osso buco with saffron risotto, filet mignon with chimichurri, assorted gelatos and sorbets.
PRICES Appetizers and salads, $5 to $12. Pastas, $14 to $19. Entrees, $20 to $26.
HOURS Monday to Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.
RESERVATIONS Recommended.
CREDIT CARDS All major cards.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS Through the front door.
RATINGS Excellent. Very Good. Good. Satisfactory. Poor. Ratings reflect the reviewer's reaction primarily to food, with ambience and service taken into consideration. Menu listings and prices are subject to change.
Review published: March 19, 2006
