Food & Drink
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The Emilia-Romagna region of Italy is so famous for its food exports that its recipes can get short shrift. Via Emilia does a handsome job with the cuisine’s most famous ambassadors — Bolognese meat sauce and fresh-made stuffed pastas — but less recognizable specialties like interesting breads and vegetable preparations are great fun. Pastas, which occupy the largest and tastiest section of the menu, are instantly recognizable as freshly made. And a big slab of lasagna ($16) demonstrates the power of the cuisine even more effectively. This isn’t the tall, tomato- and cheese-engorged southern Italian casserole; it’s a more graceful northern creation, a low, rich stack of chewy pasta sheets layered with chunky, pork-enriched ragu and creamy, Parmigiano-laced bechamel. Via Emilia, Friday and Saturday, 5–11:30 p.m., 47 E. 21st St., between Park Avenue South and Broadway, 212-505-3072, cash only.