La Masseria   

235 W 48th St
New York, NY 10036
212-582-2111
www.lamasserianyc.com

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In terms of Southern Italian food, Sicily and Calabria generally seem to get more notoriety in America, perhaps because most TV and movie gangster families are from there. That's why this authentic and upscale restaurant dedicated to Puglia -- the region stretching from the heel of the boot northward -- is so unique in the city. Contrasting the glitz and glam of its theater district neighborhood, the 105-seat interior is designed as an old rustic farmhouse, replete with archways, wrought iron, beams, pillars and big tables. Known for its simple and fertile cuisine, Puglia inspires the large menu, which is harvested with regional specialties like orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta) with rich vegetable sauces, like broccoli rabe, artichoke and olives, and eggplant and mozzarella. Other raved-about highlights include cuttlefish, oven-roasted rabbit and Quanta Il Mare Ha Dato, a fish specialty translated as "What the Sea Gave."