Scarpetta

Among plates like black taglionlini with uni and crab or duck and foie gras ravioli in marsala reduction is the least exciting dish on Scott Conant’s menu: spaghetti with tomato and basil. It’s also one of the best. Chefs can often be judged by how well they cook the simplest items, and this peerless plate of pasta is a stunner: thick spaghetti coated in an uncluttered sauce that manages to be bright yet rich at the same time (spoiler alert: butter). Whether you order it or not, trust that it’s there, standing as an assurance that you’re in good hands.