Lo Scalco is a creation of a talented husband and wife team – Mauro Mafrici is the chef and Kimberly (his wife) is an architect who designed the place. Both are uniquely gifted people as the food is of the multiple star variety, and the restaurant itself is knocked-out gorgeous. Of course, the food and the ambiance are always critical factors in the ultimate success of any restaurant, and Lo Scalco is well on its way to capturing a lofty position in the hierarchy of the best restaurants in New York City.
Chef Mafrici hails from the small and isolated province of Trieste in Italy, and was immediately exposed to the culinary world as his parents owned and operated their own restaurant for some 45 years. At age 14 he worked as a butcher and bakers assistant and soon thereafter studied traditional Italian cooking techniques at a government-run hotel school. Upon graduation, he worked in kitchens all over Europe including four years at the legendary San Domenico in Imola, Italy. He also trained under the great chef, Roger Verge at the Michelin three-star Moulins de Mougins outside of Cannes in France. He came to New York in 1994 as executive chef at the prestigious Felida Restaurant owned by the renound Lidia Bastianich.
In the spring of 2005, he opened the beautiful Lo Scalco in Tribeca with his wife and partner, the aforementioned Kimberly Anguil Mafrici. Housed in a converted pre-war cast-iron building, Kimberly’s stunning design includes high loft-like ceilings featuring white arches and beams, and modern sconces and classic chandeliers. The bar and the 60-seat dining room are on the main level and the downstairs includes the wine cellar and a private dining room. The entire presentation is modern with a 15th Century look at the same time. Chef Mauro’s contemporary Italian food is presented with an innovative emphasis on ingredients as opposed to individual courses. Under each category (eight different ingredient groups), he offers three dishes featuring a specific ingredient - an appetizer, a pasta dish, and a main course. Ingredients include such items as asparagus, veal, duck, and shrimp. One can order on a mix-and-match basis so there are many combinations and choices available that make each meal even more interesting. There is a four, five and six course tasting menu available and the selections change often as the chef takes advantage of seasonal ingredients. The good chef and his lady have created something special, and this is one of those places that appears to have it all.
Lo Scalco, 313 Church Street, 212-343-2900
