New York’s Bocca Restaurant & Bar is refueling fall fashion shoppers with its Shoppers’ Lunch special, featuring three courses of its Roman-inspired Italian cuisine for $17.
Executive chef James Corona, formerly of Pó and San Domenico, has created a panino of slow roasted pork shoulder and sautéed escarole on sourdough, which can be paired with a choice of soup or salad. Other dishes include pastas like Maccheroni con le sarde with Sicilian sardines, pine nuts, raisins, and a smattering of toasted breadcrumbs, and mains like tomato braised tilapia with capers, black olives, and potatoes (these dishes can also be ordered a la carte for $9 each). Conclude the meal with a chef’s special dessert.
Bocca is located at 39 E. 19th St., between Park Ave. S. and Broadway, and serves lunch Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m.
At Bocca, the team behind Cacio e Pepe have done everything to make sure diners are comfortable. Guests are greeted by the ebullient host Nicolo Di Stefano (Il Buco and Quinto Quatro).
In addition to work here and abroad at Po and San Domenico, Corona also staged at El Bulli in 2006. As executive chef at Doris and Ed’s, he won numerous awards and accolades, including Gourmet magazine’s “Top American Tables.” In 2001, at Sogno Ristorante in Red Bank, N.J., he received a three-star review from The New York Times. With the new chef comes fresh pastas made in house, gluten-free alternatives, and modern Italian dishes such as salmone con fregola e yogurt – pan seared salmon with primavera fregola (Italian couscous).
