Profile

There's life after Mario Batali, the original chef-partner of this vest-pocket trattoria, where crowds still flock for affordable, enticing Italian fare. Chef Lee McGrath shares his predecessor's fetish for chili pepper, which punctuates everything from lemony anchovies over a bed of faro to a refreshing, Greek-like cucumber-and-olive salad under a blanket of shaved ricotta salata. Pastas are generous and satisfying; quail and lamb taste char-grilled. Try to score a window table—it always feels like the most romantic spot in town. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

White bean ravioli, $13; marinated quail, $19