Escopazzo

Salads ($10- $12) are composed of only the freshest, organic greens and vegetables. Baby mixed greens with grape tomatoes, or a heartier combination like arugula with smoked pork, walnuts, apple, and blueberries are offered, as well as, roasted beets and potatoes, with a truffle sheep's milk cheese.

Pastas ($18 - $23), made fresh daily, another element that sets Escopazzo apart, inlcude porcini flour tagliolini with Sambuca braised fennel, dried orange, sea-scallops and shrimp, along with smooth pumpkin and amaretto filled ravioli, accented with a fine vegetable brunoise and truffle cream sauce. Squid ink pasta with a ragout of shellfish is served in an eye-catching, crispy pasta basket.

Meat ($28 - $30), and fish ($27 - $28) selections include Smithfield pork tenderloin filled with smoked mozzarella in a Madiera, sage, and amarene cherry sauce. Filet mignon, farm-raised Artic Char, a salmon-like fresh-water fish, is served with lemon, truffle zabaglione and asparagus steamed al dente. A speck ham and thyme sauce accents Mediterranean sea bass with crispy oyster mushrooms, and steamed purple potatoes.

In Raw soup ($9), made from the freshest, seasonal, organic vegetables, is made by pureeing the produce and adding warm water, then seasoning with roasted garlic and other flavors. Raw vegetable salad is also available.

Desserts ($6 - $8.50) Valhora chocolate cake are constant menu items. Two to three daily specials are offered as well.

Several wines and champagnes ($29 - $650) make up an impressive list showcasing wines solely from Italy. Pino, an accredited Sommelier, enjoys visiting tables and suggesting wines to his guests. On August 15, 2003 along with the new menu, he released old vintages from his personal collection that include the Brunello Di Montalcino, San Felice "Vigna Del Quercione" 1990 ($650) and the Valpolicella, Dal Forno Romano, Superiore 1995 ($150), vintages that are hard to find these days. Quality wines that are easier on the wallet, are highlighted in the new wine list for those looking for good value.

The interior of the restaurant is softly lit and polished with Italian-inspired décor, made more charming with the addition of a wooden beam suspended from the ceiling in the front dining area, décorated with lush, green plants. Giancarla, hand painted a mural including regions of Sicily, Florence, Venice, and Rome. Replacing the original wooden floor are rustic, Italian tiles, with beautiful geometric stone inlays, leading to the black-marble espresso bar.

Set in an Italian courtyard garden, the back dining room features a stone water fountain, and faux windows. The impressive cellar, the focal point of the room, displays 170 cases of wine, visible through glass doors, framed by rustic-looking metal. Another marble bar, with stools, rounds out the back area, making it ideal for private parties.