‘ino

I recently went to the celebrated non-traditional Flatiron area Italian resto ‘ino (yes, the name is spelled in all lower-case letters). It’s a small intimate space (with only 60 seats) located at 31 East 20th Street. There’s low lighting and some of the friendliest service in town. It’s the more casual little brother or sister of the popular Bottino and features rotating eye-catching art on the walls.

You will be amazed at the great pacing of each course coming out, the “just right” portions and gorgeous plating. They have a huge regular crowd of foodies who bring in pals who quickly become people who have to come in several times per week. Chef/owner Jamie Kenyon keeps things simple by having about five choices in each food category and no specials—and in all honesty, some of the dishes seem to be tinged with British influences (especially the ever-present Scotch Eggs). Prices are reasonable, which is another feather in ‘ino’s cap.

I suggest starting out with the Artisanal Bread Basket although it will be hard to hold back on eating several items and getting full. (I am guilty of this around any freshly baked bread opportunity!) This might seem pricey at $12 but includes a variety of warm rustic bread plus house made ricotta and apricot honey emulsion that you will get addicted fast.

There are what I call “pre appetizers” listed as Picky Bits on ‘ino’s menu! This is where you will find the previously mentioned Scotch Eggs which are actually titled Duck, Duck Goose Eggs. These are indeed duck eggs that come with duck sausage and foie gras. You see more of the British influence with the Yorkshire Al Salmone which is actually subtitled as Salmon Tartare with Stilton Blue Cheese and Lemon Walnut Vinaigrette.

Next on the menu is the Starters list which includes Crispy Mozzarella with Prosciutto, Pesto and Spicy Fig Mostarda—this is not your typical pile of mozz sticks by any means. The crispy mozzarella is in disc shapes then topped with the pesto and spicy fig concoction, then topped with a tender slice of prosciutto. You honestly can be totally full on some of ‘ino’s artisanal bread and a serving of the Crispy Mozzarella, so pace yourself. Another fried favorite is the Calamari Fritti with citrus butter and pickled onion. The food here is hearty but if you want to stay light in the appetizer/starter category, try the Spring Market Salad made with spring lettuce, honey vinaigrette, asparagus, spring radish, goat cheese and smoked almonds.

Next on the menu is the Starters list which includes Crispy Mozzarella with Prosciutto, Pesto and Spicy Fig Mostarda—this is not your typical pile of mozz sticks by any means. The crispy mozzarella is in disc shapes then topped with the pesto and spicy fig concoction, then topped with a tender slice of prosciutto. You honestly can be totally full on some of ‘ino’s artisanal bread and a serving of the Crispy Mozzarella, so pace yourself. Another fried favorite is the Calamari Fritti with citrus butter and pickled onion. The food here is hearty but if you want to stay light in the appetizer/starter category, try the Spring Market Salad made with spring lettuce, honey vinaigrette, asparagus, spring radish, goat cheese and smoked almonds.

Pastas are truly the star of the ‘ino menu and you can’t walk past a table without seeing a plate of pasta in front of each diner! These are individual portions not really big enough for sharing but you might find a table of diners sharing all the pastas available for the night--with plates placed in the center of their tables. I had to go for the simple and legendary Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe made with Grana Padano, Pecorino, cracked pepper and olive oil and it did not disappoint! I was in pasta heaven! (Who could resist homemade pasta with a lightly stretchy cheesy sauce?) There is another standout that is uniquely prepared—that’s the Gnocchi topped with lamb ragu, goat cheese and ricotta mixed, plus fresh lavender. Seafood lovers line up for the Mafaldine; this wondrous concoction features octopus, tomato, chili, capers and bone marrow breadcrumbs.  

The Meat, Fish & Fowl category features something for everyone—the Pan Roasted Branzino Filet comes with roasted cauliflower, carrots, spinach and Bombetta and it’s the go-to entrée for healthy people. It’s hard to create healthy fare with a lot of flavor profiles but ‘ino does it with flying colors here! The Heritage Chicken Breast Diavolo is another truly unique item--it features honey chili glaze, favas, artichoke and Romanesco. Beef lovers must check out the very uniformly sliced Porcino Rub NY Strip served with arugula, Parmesan and balsamic, and the famous ‘ino Burger topped with Cotswold cheese on a Ciabatta roll. It’s sided with cream spinach, bone marrow cipollini agridolce and crispy russet potatoes. I fell in love with the NY Strip and its unique salty, crispy edges. 

Speaking of sides, there are two choices each night—the aforementioned Crispy Russet Potatoes and Cime Di Rapa (sauteed broccoli rabe done simply with olive oil and garlic).

There are three desserts available at ‘ino and they do get changed now and again, just like the sides. I partook of the Vanilla Panna Cotta which is topped with prosecco raspberry coulis and fresh berries. This looks like a Mondrian painting and has remarkable creaminess. I fell in love with the fact that it was not too sweet (Panna Cotta can often be overly sweet)!  

Other great items in the Sweets category are Pugliese Bread Pudding made with hazelnut gianduja and sided with salted caramel gelato, Sticky Toffee Pudding made with dates and sided with butternut squash gelato, and an assortment of homemade gelato and sorbet.  

You will leave ‘ino very full and happy—and your mind will be blown by the freshness of the ingredients and ultra-creative recipes! I consider ‘ino to be an “impress your date” place and there will definitely be a second date if this is the site of a first date! There is also a lovely choice of wine, signature cocktails and mocktails. Since I was being a teetotaler the night that I dined at ‘ino, I downed a couple of the Passion Fruit, Ginger and Club Soda mocktails, which were ultra refreshing.  

You will also love that that ‘ino is only a four-minute walk from the 6 train stop at 23rd and Park Avenue South. I guarantee that once you try ‘ino, it will become an instant favorite!  

For more information on ‘ino, visit inonyc.com