The Asian-Italian Sesamo in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC

Sesamo, a relatively new Italian restaurant with an Asian accent in Hell’s Kitchen, should be on your radar. Their publicist invited me to sample their tasty, unusual fare. The food is worth schlepping west to try, and the atmosphere is inviting.

My dining partner tried their Boba Mocktail ($10) made with black tea, boba pearls, Yakult milk [a Japanese sweetened probiotic fermented milk beverage], lime and simple syrup. Boba pearls are made from cassava (tapioca) starch associated with bubble tea.

I tried their upscale Eldest Child of Divorce ($30) with a smoky taste from the Añejo Mezcal, 16-year Islay Scotch that makes it a bit “spicier,” bitters, agave and an “Alimony” tincture served in a snifter. While sipping our drinks, a dear friend walked in. She was meeting another friend for dinner. So small-town New York City!

As we perused the menu, we noticed the glossary on the reverse side of the dinner menu. Check it out if you’re unfamiliar with some Asian ingredients.

Their stuffed acorn squash ($19) filled with ricotta, Swiss chard, kale, collards and chili paste is worth the trip. So is the roasted broccoli ($16) swimming in peanut sauce, sprinkled with scallions.

Our fabulous waitress Melanie mentioned we shouldn’t miss the rye, round Anadama bread sprinkled with sea salt and served with house-made, cultured honey butter with smoked sea salt ($8). Irresistible, served with more than enough butter for an entire loaf!

We both could have been satiated with those dishes, yet we wanted to try more of the menu, we indulged in two pasta offerings. The hearty duck leg (La Belle Farm, upstate NY) ragu flavored with garam masala and fresh mint ($26) with rosemary pappardelle and their four large ricotta with porcini & oyster mushroom tortelloni ($28) swimming in a white cream sauce with tatsoi, a cross between broccoli and bok choy.

For our “large plate” of the evening, we shared the curry-crusted bone-in salmon steak ($36), seared and served on a bed of Asian black rice and a pool of miso coconut curry sauce.

And then, we managed also to have room to sample two desserts: The rich chocolate ganache tart ($13) with a roasted orange and the black tea creme brûlée ($13) with a caramelized walnut yuzu brittle.