Moto Cucina + Enoteca: This Week's Dining Review

In this week's

in the Scene, Steve Cavendish checks out

, the latest link in Chris Hyndman's restaurant empire, located on the block of McGavock nicknamed M Street, which is also the name of the

:

Drive down that block of McGavock Street in the Gulch on a typical night, and the entire street is blocked off, with lane dividers and valets everywhere. You're stepping into Hyndman World, an upscale collection of restaurants and nightlife. His newest piece, Moto, fashions itself as a wine bar, or enoteca, and the long, sleek bar that anchors the front of the restaurant is beautiful. From the high ceiling to the lighting to the fire feature in the main dining room, the entire restaurant has great visual appeal, something Hyndman's places are known for. High stools at the bar, well-stuffed chairs at tables, and spacious high booths give the space a comfort level to match the eye candy — it's a nice place to spend a few minutes or several hours.

But style only gets you so far. If Moto is going to be a true success, the food has to live up to the decor. And on that basis alone, the enoteca is a winner.

Yep, Cavendish is full of praise for talented chef Andy Hayes' take on Italian food, particularly the pasta:

Black Spaghetti ($21) comes over fiery chilies and bits of lobster. The dish is visually a showstopper, with the dark squid-ink noodles swirled in a mound over the tomato-based sauce, and it tastes spectular. I loved the blueberry lasagna ($19), too, with almost paper-like planks of pasta separating similarly thin layers of mushroom puree and bits of ricotta. The blueberry and balsamic reduction is a searing contrast to the earthiness of the mushrooms — a little goes a long way — but wow, was it interesting. You really have to appreciate such a thoughtful approach to a vegetarian dish on a meat-driven menu.

Read the full review

. Anybody been to Moto — or hoping to go? Chime in below in the comments.