Selected Contents
Links
Grissini
(207) 967-2211
27 Western Avenue, Lower Village
www.restaurantgrissini.com
Hospitality—From an Italian greeting at the door to the quick, silent attention throughout the meal, service here is excellent
Open for dinner daily from 5:30–9, Saturday until 9:30
Entrées $19 to $31
Handicapped accessible, reservations recommended
Northern Italian dishes on a generous scale that are sometimes too complicated
Owned by the same company that owns Stripers, and the White Barn Inn, this high-ceilinged restaurant with a huge stone fireplace opened in 1996, serving simple pizzas and grilled fish and pasta from away. The linguine con vongole, with minced clams, capers, and garlic, and garnished with whole clams, brings the sea along with the pasta. Carpaccio, thin-sliced raw beef served with arugula, Parmesan, and a truffle vinaigrette, is a classic dish, as is the caprese, fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, with oil and balsamic vinegar and a piece of flatbread.
Pizza Margarita, with tomato sauce and mozzarella, could keep the rest of the meal simple; an entrée such as Tonno, grilled tuna with fresh corn, sun-dried tomato, and chorizo salsa on arugula rev up the flavors. On one visit, an entrée of scallops in puttanesca sauce sat on too sweet puff pastry under frisée. But a seafood risotto with tender Maine shrimp showed fine restraint and admirable skill. Wines from Italy, like a Borgogno Barolo, are of course featured, but several from California vineyards, including Distant Bay Pinot Noir from Monterey County, can also be ordered.