Profile

Tarot-card images of the Hanged Man and the Star—representing risky ventures and tenuous hope, respectively—hang over the bar at Boom. However, this wine bar-restaurant defies its own prognostications by having thrived for over a dozen years in a neighborhood that’s notoriously unforgiving of aging beauties. The venue has evolved gracefully from a destination for slinky singles into a warm but sophisticated space that can accommodate those now-married couples and their kids at dinnertime, yet still attract a fresh crop of angular Soho lovelies as the evening wears on. The Italian fare is satisfying, if not transcendent: the bruschetta with shrimp and avocado appetizer puts a tasty twist on tradition while the lobster ravioli in pink sauce sticks to tried-and-true. The wine list is extensive but not daunting, with a magnum section offering big-bucks bottles for flashy spenders. The restaurant's front wall opens on balmy days which can be particularly lovely during Boom's daily brunch hours. — Jessica Stockton