Among the major contenders on Federal Hill, Eclectic Grille established itself as a heavy hitter a while ago. Like some other neighborhood mainstays, it started small and expanded four years later into larger quarters after word got around that diners were in good hands. Executive chef Joseph Rocchio, who owns the place with his brother, Anthony, and sister-in-law Karen, moved the restaurant up Atwells Avenue in 1998. Now there's a lot in back for the obligatory valet parking, and plenty of elbowroom inside for the expansive conversational gestures that first-rate meals inspire.

Whether it's from a dearth of spiritual opportunities or Eclectic Grille's rep, enough diners are seeking inspiration Friday and Saturday evenings that the place doesn't take reservations on those nights. Told that the place starts filling up as soon as 6:30 p.m., we got there at 5:45 and still had to wait for a table for four. Smoking is restricted to the bar, but there's no separation for the nearby front room tables, so sensitive types might want to request the main dining room.

Entering is like stepping from a fern bar into the Serengeti. Adventure is in the air. The dominating wall has a free-form bas-relief that suggests the contours of Africa. Wood sculptures of giraffes, camels, and a cheetah top a wall-length banquette covered with a dark fabric that extends the wild animal theme. (If this doesn't subliminally trigger a ferocious appetite before you reach your seat, their decorator has failed.) The stucco walls echo the sand color of the supple vinyl tablecloths. Across the room, above a glass-block partition, is an active kitchen -- if the decor and muted next-table conversations aren't entertaining enough, wait for the flames to leap up.

Although our Nehru-jacketed server said the wait would be long this evening, our appetizers arrived as soon as I'd gotten around, after a bit of chatting, to break off a slice of the Italian bread. Just as well. It was nondescript, apart from being too dry. I'd considered trying the house soup of the day, wild mushroom, but since a friend had declared their clam chowder the best he'd ever had, I figured it would pass.

Instead, I suggested a couple of appetizers that are virtual signatures here: fried ravioli and calamari (each $10.95). We were glad I did. The first were like two huge fried wontons. Chicken and snow peas mainly, under a quasi-Asian sauce that was mostly balsamic vinegar, with some soy sauce and redolent of sesame oil. Across from me was Peipei, originally from China, where there are countless variations on this invention. She smiled and pronounced it "Excellent."

The fried calamari was another clever fusion, its sauce being not marinara but a thinned crème fraîche sprinkled with celery seeds. Clever, but under-committed to surprising us. Johnnie said she enjoyed it "for a change," but I kept thinking of how the subtle sauce on the notoriously bland mollusk might have quietly come alive -- lemon, diced fennel?

My carnivore pal Jerry was drawn to the osso buco ($26.95). A special lamb version was available during our visit, in addition to the menu's usual veal shank variety in a Shiraz reduction. (It's slow-roasted to order for a full half-hour, so order promptly.) He opted for paella ($24.95), a dish he loved so much he'd had it in Spain every day for a week. The Eclectic Grille's version could have had more flavor separation for him, but I enjoyed my sample, the rice rich with shellfish stock.

My counterpart's baked rigatoni ($18.95) was luscious in its tomato cream sauce under lots of cheese and full of portobello slices and asparagus, among other items. I liked the menu's suggestion that you ask for it crispy -- the way that I love it. Our other pasta was a special, tri-color penne that included pancetta and oven-roasted tomatoes, for resilient texture and intense flavor. Although delicious, it was unreasonably priced at $25.95 and wouldn't have survived on the regular menu, only as an announced special that attracts few inquiries about the cost.

I was pleased with my grilled pork tenderloin ($22.95). Served with ratatouille and red bliss mashed, the meat was under a brandied cream sauce that had the sweet pizzazz we would have enjoyed with the calamari. Slices of tart Granny Smith apple were a welcome accompanying touch.

Don't pass up the kitchen-made desserts ($6.95). The crème brûlée was light-crusted and generously deep. The pistachio pound cake came aside matching-flavor ice cream and a sprinkling of the nuts. Ah, sweet excess. Thank goodness, Eclectic Grille knows how to overdo it.

Bill Rodriguez can be reached at billrod@reporters.net.

Issue Date: March 15 - 21, 2002