It's a huge chunk of beautifully spoon-soft and sweetly savory lamb, with generous amounts of grilled eggplant, carrots, and a few smoked Roma tomatoes, to give subtle and deep flavor. This shows a chef several steps ahead of all but the most dedicated home cook. The braised greens are similarly tender, flavored by the expert red-wine sauce based on homemade veal broth. The potato flan, baked in a water bath, has the creamy-crisp consistency of Yorkshire pudding and is a marvelous medium to soak up the sauce. Not every experiment works, however.
Reds are more uneven.
Soon there will be cookies from Montilio's, our waiter told us, and a plate of them with coffee will probably be the safest choice if you wish to linger.