Terroni

Margherita Pizza

San Marzano tomato base, fior di latte, fresh basil — the benchmark by which everything else should be judged, with a properly blistered cornicione from the wood-fired oven

Arancini

Crispy fried risotto balls with a molten center — a reliable opener that sets the tone for the Southern Italian kitchen

Tiramisu

Classic preparation — savoiardi soaked in espresso, mascarpone cream, dusted cocoa — executed without shortcuts and one of the better versions in the city

Pasta al Pomodoro

House-made pasta in a simple tomato sauce — the kind of dish that exposes quality of ingredients and technique without anywhere to hide

Bruschetta al Pomodoro

Grilled bread rubbed with garlic and piled with ripe tomato — unpretentious and properly done as a table starter

Italian Wine by the Glass

The wine program skews Southern Italian — Primitivo, Nero d'Avola, Falanghina — and holds up better than most casual Italian spots in the city