Esca

Bloody wonderful.

Those aren't quite the words my waiter used in recommending the shrimp mezzaluna ravioli, with blood orange sauce and capers. Though the kitchen is inventive and even playful (the restaurant's name is Italian for "bait"), Esca exhibits great respect for its ingredients, and for its customers. I'm glad I followed my waiter's lead, even if this entrée amounted only to two-and-a-half moons.

Also shown below (all from the $24.07 Restaurant Week prix fixe lunch): a white bean amuse-bouche; gaeta olives; exquisitely fresh hamachi crudo with gaeta olive aioli; and vanilla panna cotta with blood orange, grapefruit, tangerine, sugared pine nuts, and honey.

Esca
402 West 43rd St. (Ninth-Tenth Aves.)
212-564-7272
www.esca-nyc.com