NYCReview
The original Perla, on Minetta Lane, was one of our all-time favorite restaurants (before it moved to a spot on West 4th Street, and was later replaced by Fairfax). So it’s fair to say we’ve been pretty excited to try Da Toscano - the new Italian restaurant in that same space, owned and operated by the chef from Perla. Our expectations were were high, and so far, they haven’t been met. On multiple visits, most tables seemed to be waiting on their food to come out of the kitchen, and some of ours never arrived at all. We did, however, try octopus carpaccio that’s served with overwhelmingly garlicky garlic bread, and agnolotti stuffed with grainy lamb neck and off-puttingly sweet jus. The space is still very nice, and the bar would be a fine place to meet someone for a drink if not for the fact that most glasses of wine here cost more than those bottles do at a wine shop.