Though it's steps from Gramercy Park, an area already brimming with dining choices, Carlotto is a chic and elegant newcomer worthy of attention. It has just the right mix of Southern Italian-American cuisine and impeccable hospitality, where warmly lit interiors and exposed brick walls exude an urban trattoria ambience. The bustling open kitchen in back provides plenty of entertainment. Begin with the beef carpaccio, with tissue-thin slices of beef tenderloin topped with slightly smoky aioli, Burgundy truffle and pecorino. Then, risotto tucked with meaty Alaskan king crab and sweet corn is textbook perfect. Finally, their selection of amari, including vintage varieties, is beyond comprehensive and is a worthy splash in your affogato.