Wick and Pour, a candle-making experience on Mott Street, was our first stop at the birthday celebration. We selected the vessel and wax color, chose an aroma blend, and then made our candle garnished—in the wax—with dried flowers. That candle experience took about 2 hours, with downtime to chat.

From there, we walked north, proudly carrying out finished candles, to Il Buco, the first in the Il Buco family. On NoHo’s cobblestoned Bond Street, the restaurant opened in 1994 as an antique store and transformed into a restaurant serving a seasonally inspired Italian-Mediterranean menu that changes daily.

We sipped our Pegaso Zeta Viñas Viejas Garnacha ($17), seated in the back room near the open kitchen, where we had no trouble hearing each other. We shared their Tuscan black kale Caesar ($19) and crispy Portuguese anchovies ($18) while nibbling their hearty breads ($9).

Don’t miss the tender and succulent Hawaiian king prawns ($24 for 3 or 4).

We also shared their lasagnette ($30) made from housemade pasta, lamb sausage and heirloom peppers topped with grated pecorino di fossa and the Fossil Farms heritage pork chop, crispy new potatoes, artichokes, cipollinis and a cranberry mostarda.

We ended with a  decadent chocolate dessert for the birthday girl, which was gratis!

Il Buco
NoHo
47 Bond Street
New York, NY 10012
+1 212-533-1932
ilbuco.com/

 

Wick and Pour
167 Mott St
New York, NY 10013
(347) 679-6389
wickandpour.com