Though there’s no shortage of Italian restaurants on the Upper West Side, a new pasta palace has arrived. Bad Roman — the latest offering from the acclaimed Quality Branded restaurant group — replaces Landmarc, a longtime bistro on the third floor of the Shops at Columbus Circle which shuttered back in 2019.
The Quality Branded team is known for dynamic dining experiences, including the West Village’s Don Angie (which has a Michelin star, a highly-Instagrammable lasagne and an impossible reservations policy) and the Quality empire (Quality Eats, Quality Italian, Quality Meats, Quality Bistro… you name it).
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Quality Branded also took over operations at Midtown’s iconic Smith & Wollensky steakhouse, so it’s safe to say they’re plugged into New York City’s bustling gastronomy scene. The new jewel in their culinary crown seeks to appeal to any diner — it’s far from your nonna’s idea of Italian food.
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According to Eater, Michael Stillman (Quality Branded’s founder) seeks to serve “inauthentic twists on authentic dishes” amidst a lavish backdrop, designed by GRT Architects. The 250-seat dining room is decked out with neon lights, orange banquettes, a fountain by the restrooms and a series of inexplicable greyhound sculptures. Their Instagram bio promises it’s a “playful, maximalist” place — and they weren’t lying.
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But let’s get back to the food, shall we? The menu spans a variety of categories, offering table-friendly bites like roasted garlic babka and pepperoni cups and ranch. There’s your standard Italian salad fare, a traditional raw bar, luxe appetizers like beef carpaccio and truffle chips and seven pasta dishes — ranging in price from $24 for a kale mafaldine to $49 for Osetra caviar gnocchi.
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The main dishes are relatively classic for a high-end Italian restaurant — think chicken al limone, veal milanese and assorted seafood staples. If you feel like splashing out, you can split a two-pound lobster on top of spicy pasta for $95.
READ MORE: Checking Out an Unusual New Eatery
In the chops department, things get interesting — you can top your $47 filet mignon with a $6 raviolo stuffed with cacio e pepe. Clearly, decadence is the name of the game. The cocktail menu is filled with fresh updates to tried-and-true tipples, like a martini spiced up with pepperoncini. The official dessert menu isn’t online yet, but multiple TikTokers who attended preview dinners are raving about its “tiramisu ice cream cake.”
Bad Roman is open seven days a week from 5 to 11 p.m. — and no surprise here: OpenTable reservations are already starting to fill up. Learn more at www.badromannyc.com.
“All You Need to Know About Columbus Circle’s New Quality Branded Mega-Restaurant.”
“Quality” is a noun, not an adjective meaning good.
Businesses that use names like “Quality Printers” aren’t paying attention.
PS: This looks like sponsored content.
“Quality Branded” is the name of the restaurant group that the article is about.
S:
That response says you didn’t read my comment.
“Businesses that use….” is not in reference to the headline.