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After eating at Babbo, I figured I would try Esca. Huge disappoinment. The food was eh and the service was poor. The waiter was rude and not the slightest bit accommodating.

We walked in off the street on a busy Thursday night, with a theater curtain looming. We were immediately and graciously seated, and made the curtain with no sweat. The food was fabulous. The wahoo was world class. If I could always find fish this good, I would give up red meat.

The food very good overall. exceptions: the sardines that were oily and smelly as well as the sicilian zupa that did not meet my expectations. The broth was kind of light and gave you the feeling that was not fresh. I could not eat it. Service was good but not what you expect when you pay so much money. Last but not least the sommelier. The worst one I've ever seen in my 40 years of dining out. I am willing to try it again and give them another chance because I am a big fan of Mario.

First off, the good. Service was very good, in that it was timely and efficient. And, we liked the atmosphere... But, I thought the whole experience to be too fussy. I am used to fine dining (I love Jean George, and per se) but this place was pretentious just to be pretentious. "Sir, we recommend that you order either a hot or cold appetizer, a salad, a pasta to share and...." I know how to order off of a menu! The chef would like you to have this amuse of white bean and smoked eel (I kid you not) bruschetta. The food tasted oily and just so-so fresh. Much better places than this to drop a bundle.

I was supposed to meet a business contact here for lunch, but he never showed up. The restaurant was gracious about it - in New York this is rare, so I was relieved. I actually ate at a taco joint just up the street and had a delicious canolli at Pozzo Bakery on 9th Ave between 45 and 46th street afterwards.

The food is simply amazing. The menu changes every day, ensuring quite a catch. A day with calamari is sublime. The portions are generous and the wine list is for the conaisseur of Italian wines--and not outrageously priced. It is indeed expensive (for those who really want to indulge: the many course tasting menu with wines included comes to about $120 per person), but for very very fine food, it's what you'd expect! The service is impeccable (although personalities of waiters may vary), and you can actually have a relaxed conversation with friends without having to raise your voice. It has a California atmosphere in NY--tables are not too scrunched up together, understated decor. Not too excited about the "raw" part of the menu, but the truly Italian parts deliver what they promise: authentic Italian food like you rarely find outside of Italy, with the exception of restaurants like Lupa and Babbo....

We went Esca expecting to have a nice quiet dinner. That was the first mistake. First of all, we were finally seated over 45 minutes after our reservation and we arrived on time. Then, after we were seated on the veranda, someone began pouring water onto guests from the balcony above. Soon after, my date was burned by a cigarette that was thrown from the balcony as well. The staff was less than helpful in fixing this problem as it continued throughout dinner. If you dine at Esca, ask to be seated indoors and make sure to bring lots of cash.