Does Italian Get the Boot by Bruni?
Alto chef Conant seethes over two-star review.
Does New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni have something against Italian food? The former Rome bureau chief opened his review of Della Rovere (one star) with the line “New York needs another Italian restaurant like Seattle needs rain.” Babbo aside, he has never given more than two stars to any Italian eatery. Just ask the owners of the new restaurant Alto, who got two, which, according to industry snitches, made chef Scott Conant (L’Impero) go ballistic in the kitchen. “He began hurling things,’’ says one source. “I was upset and I’m still upset,” says Conant, who denies that he threw a tantrum. “I control my emotions. I’m on a spiritual path.” However, “when Frank Bruni is gone, I’m sure this restaurant is still here.” Bruni says he doesn’t have prejudices. “I don’t intentionally or consciously go tougher on Italian restaurants.” And he notes that even if he doles out a lot of one-stars to Italian joints, “I think one star is my most frequently given rating, regardless of ethnic orientation.”