Profile

You wouldn't expect to find an absurdly good deal on deeply flavored Roman-style cuisine down the street from Time Square's TKTS discount tickets booth, but Scarlatto delivers. Crowded with out-of-towners for its pre-theater prix fixe, the restaurant empties out between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., allowing you to enjoy the peaceful, low-ceilinged room, the fireplace, and the blown-up prints of Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Like that film's Vespa-piloting protagonist, chef Roberto Passon—of restaurants Roberto Passon, Puttanesca, and formerly Le Zoccole—whisks you through a foreign land. True to the Latium region, Passon doesn't shy away from organ meats, as in his sautéed chicken liver in syrupy port wine with a tangy poached pear. Pastas are a steal, and the chef's clear preference for Venetian game is evident in one pasta sautéed with chunks of slow-braised venison, and stewed rabbit. Among classic preparations, ossobouco d'agnello is a crusty lamb shank stewed with rosemary. Even fish selections possess a taste of the hills, like monkfish wrapped in smoked prosciutto. While Passon might not convince serious local diners to hustle to Broadway for a meal, his strikingly flavored dishes show that he's dedicated to delivering an authentic Roman experience to more than just theatergoers. — Timothy Cooper

No need to rush for the pre-theater prix-fixe deal; the menu options are already inexpensive. For special occasions, there's a private party room on the restaurant's second level.

Prix-Fixe 
Two-course lunch available noon–4 p.m., $14.95; three-course pre-theater dinner served from 4 p.m.– 7 p.m., $29.95

Asparagi bianchi, $11; pappardelle con capriolo, $16; ossobuco d’agnello, $21