Osteria Morini, with Hong

I'm not sure we really needed another fancy-ish lunch place on our list, but Michael White's Morini is a pretty welcome addition to the 'hood. Perfectly cooked pastas with hearty, yet not heavy, sauces on charming country chinaware and a completely revamped space, it's almost impossible to recall what used to be here. And that's a really, really good thing. I think Morini is going to do just fine - dinners are packed, lunches busy enough and the breakfasts sound too die for.
Osteria Morini, 218 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012 (below Spring)