Emilio’s Ballato

Houston Street can feel like a no-man’s land, and this solid (if unspectacular) restaurant would likely benefit from a change of address. At its current location, formal waiters peddle tender fried calamari and creamy mozzarella with roasted red peppers to hardly a peep of fanfare. Middle-aged, Sinatra-loving regulars dine on well-balanced veal saltimbocca and skillfully blended fettuccine or rigatoni bolognese. In a private dining room, the owner hosts buddies like Denzel Washington, Lenny Kravitz and Russell Crowe.