Tre

Kathleen Squires

Citysearch

The Scene
Everyone knows that adage about judging a book by its cover, but the same could be said about judging an Italian restaurant by its dining room. Though this restaurant's decor--white-washed brick, Edison bulbs and aluminum chairs--reads like a retreaded Lower East Side plot, don't be fooled into thinking that the menu has nothing new to offer.

The Food
The kitchen stands out from a tired genre by marrying old-world flavors with forward-thinking twists. A buxom ball of buffalo mozzarella is draped with a slim sardine and speared with an eye-dropper of nutty olive oil. Crispy, light rice balls harbor a touch of mint among their pecorino-graced grains, and succulent lamb meatballs trendily embellish crostini. Even fusion-leaning dishes, like a blue corn tortilla topped with grilled octopus, feel right at home. Bound for the bestseller list: Terrific pantacce, shreds of pasta tossed with sausage, grape tomato and caciotta cheese, and a lovely ricotta and creme fraiche cheesecake.

Hits: A menu that appeals to both traditional and unconventional eaters, kicked off with a bread basket accompanied by creamy ricotta puree.

Misses: The bland decor may scare off diners with an aversion to circa-1990 design trends.

(Photo by Gregor Halenda)