SPQR - Chef Michael Accarrino's Modern Italian on Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights

[TrelayneNYC]

We went to SPQR for dinner last night.

It reminds me of a revamped Babbo, right down to the rock-and-roll blasting from the speakers.

Sweet corn and quinoa "frittella", smoked trout, roe and red onion crema fresca.

I wanted to like SPQR especially since I'd heard so much about it. Style is "nuevo Italiano" and left much to be desired. Also not every day you're served a dish with a sauce that reminds you of Pepto-Bismol.

The "frittella" was fine and the goo inoffensive.

Sicilian artichoke, romano bean and kohlrabi salad, smoked wagyu beef, pecorino.

Take away three ingredients on that plate and you've got a great salad. BTW the artichokes tasted like they were canned.

Wild rice stuffed quail, creamed greens, heirloom apple.

Their secondi were a bit more imaginative. The quail was perfectly cooked and the greens in keeping with the season. There was some sort of demi-glace-based sauce poured over the quail.

Again, too many elements on the plate. Tasty though, for what it's worth....B liked it.

Squid ink spaghetti, red wine braised octopus and mussel "puttanesca", black olive crumb.

They redeemed themselves somewhat with the pasta. I suppose if I were to return here, I'd start with their primi instead.

Chestnut clafoutis, black truffle gelato, honey ($22). Served with a glass of passito moscato from Cosenza, Calabria ($15).

This dessert was the best thing I ate all night, and that says something. Very flavorful and everything complemented each other.

Meyer lemon goat yogurt, lime honey, grapefruit sorbetto.

Was pretty good.

Would I return? Maybe, if I didn't have any other options. You can do better in San Francisco.

 

SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street (Wilmot Street)
Pacific Heights