Arthur Bovino — May 04, 2010

Get the Soup

When a restaurant is so nearby in your neighborhood, you sometimes forget it’s there. So it is in the Flatiron with chef Alain Allegretti’s restaurant. There’s little to prepare you for the white tablecloth propriety that greets you immediately upon stepping inside, but for the formality of Allegretti, you’re reminded that there are a few French bites that can quickly make you feel quite cozy. Among several dishes sampled during a recent invitation, this winning trio did exactly that.

For a small taste with a glass of wine, there’s the Panko Crusted Frogs Legs. They are the closest thing Allegretti has to a bar snack— three crispy spheres the size of small plums, filled with juicy meat.

For those who like tripe, this version á la Niçoise is like tripe as dip for the pleasant, olive oil soaked bread that accompanies it. Hearty, with the right amount of acid, it’s tripe offering the service of texture.

One thing that several critics agreed about a few years ago was that the fish soup was excellent. That’s still the case. Light Mediterranean flavors brood earnestly in the bowl. Just dip in the garlic crouton, Gruyère, and rouille.

Close your eyes. Think of the most wonderful rendition you’ve had. That bowl in the open air restaurant in a former prison off the coast of French Guiana overlooking the Île du Diable. Take yourself back to that table. Inhale the aroma. Relive the expectation, and the ensuing surprise of the soup surpassing it. That’s Alain Allegretti’s Provençale Fish Soup. And for $12.00.