THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Ristorante Grissini

THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Ristorante Grissini Restaurant Review:

Despite an ill-fated expansion to another location (since aborted), Grissini has only improved over the years; it now ranks among the best of the city's Italian eateries. This might seem to be damning with faint praise; but, in context, the cozze al vino bianco only shine the brighter---despite a dearth of the sauce their plated presentation might command. Pasta, whether as a preliminary to bigger plates or an entrée in its own right, can also turn heads and palates. The rigatoni emiliana, combined with slivers of ham, bright green peas, mushrooms and a cream- and brandy-enhanced tomato sauce, is a revelation in a city never weaned away from bolognese. Perhaps conversations in Italian at adjoining tables might have influenced our opinion of a remarkably sophisticated pollo alla pizzaiola one evening, but we think not; what's not to like about cream-laced tomatoes, capers, mushrooms, real (not canned Californian) black olives and wine over a perfect chicken breast? Straccetti alla Toscana eschews cream but plies a thin steak with rosemary, garlic, pepper flakes and olive oil. Panna cotta with mangoes and strawberries makes for a discreet dessert---assuming the altogether unctuous tiramisu hasn't seduced. The wine list, though it has some ultra-expensive super Italians, needs more depth if Grissini is going to grab laurels away from the current capos---one of which is a mere pizza throw away. But the intent is clearly there.