Lotsa matso: Pizelle with figs, dates, and oranges at Coco Pazzo.   (Photo: Cheryl Zibisky)

1. Coco Pazzo
Mark Strausman’s seven-course Italian-accented menu begins with Tuscan liver pâté and ends with a sweet matzo pizzelle. In between, there’s gefilte fish, risotto with peas, and Mom’s brisket; $90 per person, $25 for children under 13. (23 East 74th Street; 212-794-0205.)

2. Rosa Mexicano
Six spicy à la carte items, from chipotle-matzo-ball soup to veal chop with tsimmes chiles rellenos. (1063 First Avenue, at 58th Street, 212-753-7407; and 61 Columbus Avenue, at 62nd Street, 212-977-7700.)

3. Savoy
Peter Hoffman’s annual nonkosher Sephardic seder is always a sellout. No wonder, with dishes like Yemenite fish soup, Egyptian Cornish hen, and roasted endive with coconut-date chutney; $85. (70 Prince Street; 212-219-8570.)

4. SQC
If Julia Child were a Jewish bubbe, her menu would look something like Scott Campbell’s: truffled matzo balls in chicken consommé, chicken croquettes with truffled chicken-liver mousse, seven-hour-braised lamb shank, and chocolate-covered-matzo-and-marshmallow brûlée with chocolate-dipped gooseberries. (270 Columbus Avenue, near 72nd Street; 212-579-0100.)

5. Inside
We’d go for Anne Rosenzweig and Charleen Badman’s superb asparagus-and-onion matzo brei alone, but there’s also a haroseth tasting plate, salmon gefilte fish with fresh beets and horseradish, lemon roasted chicken with ginger-ale tsimmes, and braised veal breast with wild-leek kugel and rhubarb marmalade. (9 Jones Street; 212-229-9999.)

Related:

• Archive: “Top Five”
• Articles by Rob Patronite | Peter Rainer
• Table of Contents: Apr 5, 2004 issue of New York | Subscribe!