This week I mentioned the wonderful cheese goodness I had last week during my lunch at Il Punto, an Italian restaurant on 9th Ave in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. Il Punto serves classic Italian dishes from the regions of Florence, Naples, Milan, Rome, Puglia, and beyond. It is a great place to get a solid and flavorful meal, prepared with care and attention, and beautifully presented. I found it to be a calm, soothing spot for a leisurely lunch with a new friend.
After our appetizers of caprese salad and burrata with figs and prosciutto, we were presented with a dish called Timballo. As one of Il Punto’s signature dishes, it was reminiscent of a round lasagna and was obviously al forno (from the oven) – it was baked and had a pleasant crust on it. Within there were wide sheets of pasta layered with béchamel, surrounded by a beautiful meat ragu reminiscent of a bolognese sauce. It was rich, savory, and smooth, and I loved it. I would absolutely order this again.
My dining companion and I split this dish, but it could easily be split between four people, or eaten by one for a satisfying lunch or light dinner.