Corsino

One good thing about the chain-ification of New York restaurants: you pretty much know what you’re getting into before you even walk in the door. The thing to know about new casual Italian spot Corsino, located in the old Frederick’s Downtown spot, is that it’s backed by Jason Denton of ‘ino, ‘inoteca, and ‘inoteca Liquori. Cue crostini, pasta, small plates, good cocktails and a lively scene.

The menu has its ups and downs, but if you have any favorites from the other ‘inos, chances are you can order them here. A crostino with cannellini puree and artichokes ($2.50 per crostino) was the best crostino we ordered that night, the creamy beans playing off the acidity of the artichoke. But the olive tapenade, middle, was overly salty – a problem that plagued several of Corsino’s dishes, and the shrimp and arugula crostino tasted like it had been made with tinned shrimp. With so much variety on the menu here, it’s easy to stumble. But a recent dinner at ‘inoteca Liquori makes me believe that the delicious ricotta and orange honey crostini and the solid mushroom and taleggio crostini would also be good bets at Corsino.

A special of asparagus and  fontina tossed with walnuts ($12) hit the spot, the light lemony dressing on the al dente asparagi balanced by the slightly stinky goodness of melted fontina.

The fritto del giorno, another rotating special based on what’s in the market, is also worth checking out. That day’s fried artichokes ($11) were gently braised or simmered before they were flash fried in an addictively light batter. This trick gives the diner the best of both worlds: artichokes that are crunchy without but soft within, not dried out from over frying. (My dining companion Jib Girl brought her Italian artichoke-cooking expertise to the table for this one.)

For a taste of Sicily, get the charred octopus with potatoes all’amatriciana ($12). Tender, thick octopus benefits from the spicy sauce, but here too the kitchen could lay off the salt. Too much seasoning obscures the good quality of the octopus itself.

When you order linguini with clam sauce, chances are you’re hoping for something just like Corsino’s. A bite of hot pepper adds panache to this Italian classic, and fragrant oregano rounds out the saline flavor of the clams.

They say the only place to be alone in New York City is in public, and that holds true at Corsino. Though the tables, painted with numbers in a stylish riff on restaurant seating chart, are packed close together, it’s so loud in here you couldn’t possibly hear what the table next to you is saying. As at the other ‘inos, the decor is simple but sophisticated, with bottles of Italian wine lining the dark wood paneled walls, though the diners on that Friday night in the West Village were chicer and blonder than the Credit Suisse banker crowd at ‘inoteca Liquori. The layout is almost exactly the same as at Frederick’s Downtown, with sidewalk seating in warm weather and a large bar area taking up much of the front room. Come here for great seasonal cocktails like the giardino ($12) and a good selection of wines by the glass.

There aren’t a lot of surprises or radical reinventions at Corsino, but it’s a good go-to spot for dinner with friends. The new restaurant is a lot like the other successful ‘inos dotting the city now – and if you like those, you’ll love Corsino.

Corsino
637 Hudson Street at Horatio Street
New York, NY
212-242-3093
corsinocantina.com

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