Another brainchild of celebrity chef, Mario Batali and his partners, Lupa is described on its business card as an Osteria Romana. Focused on the food of Rome, this restaurant tries to emulate the bustling and casual osterie of Italy.
On my first visit there, I tried to make a reservation for 4 but without success. I was told that there is a large area at the front of the restaurant with tables by the bar. Those would be available on a first come first served basis. I arrived at around 6pm to a somewhat quiet restaurant and was greeted by the charming host. Sitting by the bar while waiting for my friends, I noticed that the tables were already half-filled and people were starting to flow in at a fast pace. Luckily, my friends were punctual (they are not from New York!) and we landed the table by the window.
The menu is in Italian, with a dictionary listing at the back. The waiter was somewhat condescending and proceeded to educate us on how a meal at Lupa should be enjoyed. (We listened and tried to digest the wealth of information.) Basically, one should order a selection of starters (antipasti) which could be compiled from orders of grilled eggplants, selections of cured meats, and other specialties. We opted for the meat platter, which came on a huge wooden board. On it were proscuitto, brasaola, differents kinds of salami and cured pork meat. All were excellent.
Entrees were simpler. Grilled fish, stewed oxtail, roasted chicken, with the Italian way of ordering the contorni (side dishes, mostly vegetables, which come separately.)
I don't even remember much of the desserts there, as to begin with, I am not a big fan of Italian dolci. I do remember the caffe semifreddo, a kind of pudding made with coffee and cream and was good.
As the evening wore on, we found many eyes glued to our table as more people flowed in. By the end of the meal, the bar was packed and potential diners flowed outside onto the sidewalk. Credit cards are accepted, and yes, come early or late if you want to avoid the wait.