Rao's, of course, has long been the city's most over-romanticized eatery, the haunt of celebrities drawn by its slyly cultivated mystique. Baldoria belongs to the surreal. The bar scene seems modeled on Scores. The crowd's a strange mix of foodies and freaks, like the cast of a public-access cable show yet to be invented. Inside are many men who look like Joe Pesci.
Women sport enough bleached-blond hair to drain world peroxide reserves.
Mario Batali, playing hookey from Esca, wanders up and down the stairs looking bemused. Frankie Jr. glad-hands everyone when he's not busy with rampant service breakdowns. Baldoria occupies two attractive levels under coffered ceilings. Downstairs has tiled floor and leather-padded booths. And that's with his left hand.