Doppio Senso

If we said "Spicy Chocolatino cocktails on the Upper East Side?" you might say "Thank you, but I've tasted quite enough from the TGI Friday's menu." But this is something quite wholly different: Zany cocktail specialist Christina Bini, formerly of Il Matto and White & Church in Tribeca, is behind the bar at Doppio Senso, which means said chocolate cocktail is an after dinner drink made with pepper-infused rum, chocolate, Baileys, and Grand Marnier--served in a martini glass, obviously. Cocktails aren't the only thing going for Doppio Senso. The menu is modern Italian, with dishes like branzino crudo; meatballs with goat cheese flan, tomato sauce, and aged Montasio cheese; pappardelle with a veal and rosemary white bolognese sauce; and grilled sirloin steak with bagnacauda sauce (sort of like fondue). All of this is going down in an elegant brick room with leather banquettes for sitting, contemporary art for admiring, and a walk-in wine cellar for suitable wine-storing. 

See more: Yorkville restaurants, Upper East Side restaurants, Italian restaurants