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The namesake toast kicks off the menu at this Lower East Side cubby of a restaurant, followed by a short list of panini and larger plates. The space that was once a fortune teller’s storefront now has an indoor terrace feel with folding green chairs on a white-tile floor. A white-wood-framed peninsula towards the back serves as an open kitchen for two cooks who make the bruschetta out of lightly toasted, doughy ciabatta bread, most slathered with creamy combinations like ricotta cheese and truffle oil or goat cheese and olive tapenade. Salads are also a highlight, like one with savory toasted pumpkin seeds, Gorgonzola, and sweet mango, which complements lemon-laced arugula. Mango reappears in the grilled-chicken sandwich, pressed with Asiago cheese and a spicy-hot cherry-pepper spread. Entrées are simple: rare seared tuna gets a light sprinkling of tomato, caper, and olives. A coral-colored wine shelf displays the mostly under-$30 Italian vintages on offer. — Ethan Wolff

Arugula salad, $8