Spigolo

One of our favorite neighborhood restaurants on the Upper East Side is Spigolo, on the corner of E. 81st and Second Avenue. The menu offers four courses and never fails to disappoint; we've never had a bad meal there since it opened in 2005. Getting a reservation is not always easy, but twice we have called on Saturday morning and were accomodated for a 6pm slot.
There are daily specials, and a wonderful menu that draws Italian and Mediterranean influences. Last night we had fettucini with wild boar ragu and a prosciutto Atlantic cod. The wine list is reasoanble, and great surprise was a $32 Taymante Malbec - served slightly chilled (perfect) and very, very smooth - which confirmed my current thinking that Malbec is the go-to wine for dining out. Versatile, affordable, and dependable.