Taranta (CLOSED)

In the hands of a lesser chef-owner, Taranta might have been a mere novelty. Under José Duarte - a visionary in the kitchen and a charmer in the dining room - this southern Italian-Peruvian joint is one of the most consistently exciting (yet warm and relaxing) eateries around. The cross-cultural fusion not only yields the piquant likes of yuca gnocchi with lamb ragù and pork chops with sugar cane and rocoto pepper glaze, but also determines the scope of the wine list, extending from Sicily, Campania and Apulia to Argentina and Chile.