Pappardelle Pete Praises Missy Robbins' Return to Pasta at Lilia

Pete Wells is thrilled to find that two years after leaving the A Voce restaurants, Missy Robbins has returned to pasta. At Lilia, the Times critic loves everything he tries. Here's Wells on one of his favorites:

Slip a fork into the pappardelle with veal Bolognese. Shiny with just enough herb-flecked sauce that one noodle peels away from the rest as you lift, they are rolled so thin that they’re almost weightless. Taste them, and you notice their delicacy along with the naked simplicity of the chopped veal gently cooked into tenderness with dark and meaty dried porcini. There is no milk in this Bolognese and no tomatoes apart from some juice, but nothing is missing.

The critic is also impressed with the kitchen's execution of fish and vegetables:

Under little fish, my favorite turned out to be sardines given a semisweet and citrusy cure, then laid over grilled crostini spread with soft butter. Sardines and butter are a great combination, and here they got along even better than usual.

Ultimately, Wells has nothing negative to say about the Williamsburg restaurant: "The intent of every dish seems to be making you glad you’re there." Three stars.