ESCA– Italian for “bait,” the stuff of temptation and enticement– is a southern Italian trattoria devoted to celebrating the fruits of the sea. Created by James Beard award-winning chef Dave Pasternack and Joe Bastianich in 2000, ESCA is revered for its less-is-more approach to cooking. Its elegant simplicity. In his 3-star New York Times canonization of ESCA as the ultimate Italian seafood destination, Frank Bruni coined Dave “an honest-to-God fisherman, in love with the ocean, and ESCA is his ongoing ode to it.” Dave’s distinctive crudo dishes are emblematic of ESCA’s menu. The freshest, most pristine fish is carefully chosen, expertly sliced, and dressed with one of at least a dozen different extra virgin olive oils from all over the Italian peninsula and sprinkled with any one of ten different sea salts, depending on the flavor of each specific piscatorial divinity. ESCA’s intimate and elegant dining room is superb for any occasion and the outdoor patio offers a lovely, quiet experience amidst the hustle and bustle of New York City’s theatre district.
Esca New York address and phone