"COVID-19 update: Temporarily closed. Esca (the name means "bait" in Italian) is Mario Batali and Dave Pasternack's take on classic Italian seafood; the menu is full of inventive and unusual crudos and amazing shrimp and shellfish pasta dishes. Smack in the middle of the theatre district, it’s an excellent choice before a show; there are plenty of light fish entrees that won't send you to sleep before intermission. "