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Tucked away from Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District is the contemporary Italian restaurant A Voce Madison (41 Madison). Sister to A Voce Columbus (10 Columbus Circle) in the Upper West Side, the Michelin-starred powerhouses are at the forefront of New Yorks culinary scene owned by MARC Ltd (Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation).
A Voce Madison acts as a refuge with a pleasant and natural metropolitan aesthetic conceived by MARC that’s divided into two parts: a piazza boasting 109 seats with lemon trees and herbs and a 90-seat dining room and bar inside where a palette of subdued greens, browns and blues set the mood. Modern touches like horsehair upholstered banquets, leather-topped tables, and stainless steel high-gloss chocolate and vanilla lacquers tastefully contrast the organic elements found inside from the large bouquets of flowers to the delightful “Falling Twig” wood installation lit by red LED lights in the back.
The menu, now headed by Executive Chef Ben Lee (previously Osteria and Marea) as of last year, boasts a traditional Italian format of Antipasti (Freddi/Caldi), Primi and Secondi courses that pay homage to the essence of Italian cooking where fresh ingredients are crucial. A 3-course ($38) and an ‘Andare al Teatro ‘ ($49) prix-fixe menu are also provided. Dishes such as, Pesce crudo (raw fluke, preserved lemon, grape, pistachio and thyme, $16) Burratina (Pugliese burratina cheese, soffritto, pancetta, $16/$41 with Perigord truffle) are great ways to start the meal with pasta dishes like Pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta, swiss chard, bitto, sage, $22) and Gnocco alla Romana (red wine braised octopus, nduja, marjoram, $26) to share. Finish the meal on the lighter side with the Branzino (Mediterranean sea bass, grilled radicchio, root vegetables, dates, hazelnuts, $32) or on a decadent note with the Agnello (Colorado lamb shank, borlotti beans, apricot-pistachio gremolata, $36.) Be sure to also dabble in A Voce’s award-winning wine selection of over 650 varieties designed by Wine Director Olivier Flosse or try one of their signature cocktails like the Biscotti or Truffle Martinis!
A Voce Madison is open for lunch Monday-Friday from 11:45AM-2:30PM and dinner from 5:30PM-10:00PM (10:30PM on Fridays). A 3-course prix-fixe Mother’s Day brunch ($47) is available on Sunday May 11 from 11:45AM-4PM.
-Joseph Amella, Jr.
