Circolo
45 Bond St., 212-375-0323, NoHo, Manhattan
A restaurant that offers a sybaritic Tulum via Tuscan sensibility arrived in NoHo earlier this year. The Italian team from Mexico's Posada Margherita, a chic resort and restaurant in Tulum favored by New Yorkers, is now exercising their considerable charms on Bond Street. The modern, minimalist decor manages to be romantic, with lots of candles and shoulder-to-shoulder seating at custom-made blond wood tables. Tuscan chef Fabio Scovaventi prepares straightforward, unfussy cuisine; highlights include grilled octopus with pistachios and tomato confit, handmade pasta with goat cheese, eggplant puree and red swiss chard and a scrumptious raspberry tart. The copper-topped bar is a happening scene all its own, with people swilling wine and snacking on antipasti.