Scarpetta is a trendy italian restaurant located in the heart of the meatpacking district. I really like the food here. It is good quality with a focus on aesthetics. It is on the same level of L'artusi in that they don't serve traditional italian food. They serve a more creative and modern style of italian.

My favorite dishes include the creamy polenta, spaghetti (simple but surprisingly difficult dish to perfect), short rib and bone marrow agnolotti, duck and foie gras ravioli (I recommend sharing this dish as it can be a bit heavy), and coconut panna cotta.

The creamy polenta is very excellent. I have to get it every time I go to Scarpetta. I can't handle heavy cream, but they do a nice job on this dish by lightening it up with mushrooms. It's slightly sweet and savory at the same time. It almost tastes like a savory creamy pudding? I can't even describe it, it's just good. The truffle oil is also a nice touch.

Scarpetta is more of an elegant dress up for dinner spot whereas L'Artusi is sort of the chic west village hipster. Both serve excellent italian food. I can't say either is better but both hold its uniqueness. They both offer very different dishes and atmosphere, but both are fantastic, it just depends on the occasion.

Price

I would expect to pay about $60-80 per person for a nice complete meal.

Reservation

I definitely recommend reservations ahead of time. Minimum one to two weeks if you can be flexible. But if you want an exact time and date then perhaps a few weeks in advance.