Florian

The newest restaurant to grace 225 Park Avenue South has finally moved in- Florian.  This cafe, trattoria and bar is part of the Fireman Hospitality Group who own Fiorello, Brooklyn Diner and Redye Grill.  The space has been completely redone into a sleek, shiny restaurant with an antipasti bar, homemade pastas and an enormous statue of a woman called "Miss Hospitality" behind the bar.  

The menu has something for just about anyone from a creamy Eggplant Parmigiana to a hefty Osso Buco. I went straight for the cheese; Burrata with roasted carrots, green onion and peas.

There's little in life more glorious than a fresh mound of burrata but the roasted carrots and green onions added a sweet,smoky flavor that I actually found myself enjoying much more than my usual burrata/prosciutto di parma pairing.

Thin crust pizzas continue to be the rage across the city. The texture here is more like a baked tortilla than a cracker with rich parmigiana cheese melted on top, ribbons of prosciutto cotto and small dollops of ricotta cheese.

I was too full to sample the rest of the menu but I will definitely be back.  Florian has a three course prix fix lunch that looks fantastic  and an entire page devoted to vegetarian options.  This is a welcome new spot for the neighborhood.

Florian
225 Park Avenue South @19th Street
New York, NY 10003