Editorial Datebook Review: Lucca

In all but the best of hands, I'm usually disappointed with American restaurants that serve Tuscan-inspired food. Too often, under the guise of tapping into the rustic appeal of that cuisine, restaurateurs serve food that's simple to a fault. Happily, Tuscan-inspired Lucca doesn't make this mistake. At its very best, the food is interesting without being fussy, grounded without being boring.

The scene: The long, narrow space, with its exposed brick walls and open kitchen, brings that edgy what's-old-is-new appeal. More important is the where-it's-at vibe. What Centro was to 2002-03, Lucca is to 2006-07 - the downtown head-turning hot spot that attracts a stylish urban crowd.

Menu: At dinner, find a very limited menu - five starters and six main courses. Weeknights, patrons can order a la carte - entrees cost $17 and $18 - while on weekends, the prix-fixe menu is in place - $28 for starter, main course and cheese. The menu changes often, but expect northern Italian-influenced food, starring the likes of gnocchi, risotto and polenta.

Try this: Some diners believe gnocchi should be hard and chewy, but those people are wrong! Get a taste of the ones here for the feather-light, soft side of the classic Italian potato dumplings, and there will be no turning back.

I generally avoid quail - too many toothpick-like bones - but the version here made me reconsider the bird. Plump flesh, crackly skin and full-flavored without being gamy, it was served in a soft cradle of polenta with a rich port-infused reduction.

Across the table from this deeply flavored beauty was a bright dish of tilapia atop emerald-green escarole, all made extra lively with lemon, champagne vinegar and capers.

Gripes: Look, in exchange for a tiny menu, diners have rights. That is, if a place is only going to offer six entrees, all of them had better be dynamite, and it had better not run out of any of them. More than once I've heard a complaint about this. One cold night, hot food was served on a cold plate - an irritating move for such an experienced kitchen.

Sadly, since Lucca's pastry chef has left, the desserts sounded ordinary. One night there was bread pudding, cheesecake and some sort of chocolate thingies. Another night, the selections were more interesting, but the hard, poached pear did little to raise my esteem.

Also, watch those sight lines. Lucca's owners have taken the trouble to make a beautiful restaurant, but what was I looking at? Ladders and some defunct supplies stacked haphazardly in a back corner. A small detail, perhaps, but this kind of gaffe tells me that while there's much to love here, not everything is yet in place.

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