Narragansett’s Amalfi restaurant may not have a view of steep cliffs plunging to the sea, as does the original Amalfi, in Italy. But it does offer a fabulous overlook on the long line of breakers rolling onto the crescent of sand known as Narragansett Town Beach. At this time of year, you’re apt to get a sunset during dinner, which makes for a lovely setting, throwing soft pinks and purples into the clouds over Jamestown and Newport.

To take full advantage of this, Amalfi has wraparound windows on the dining room and a wraparound deck just beyond that. Though it was still a bit breezy for the deck during our recent evening visit, that breeze will be mighty welcome come July. We settled for window seats inside, where the white-linened tables and cushioned chairs allow ample elbowroom while also solving the perennial question of where the bread basket should go once the entrees arrive.

And great bread it was, a dense white loaf brought with a delicious chunky tapenade and olive oil. It made for a nice beginning while we contemplated the menu. Our chipper waiter, Jeff, complicated our choices still further by describing a seared tuna special and pointing out some house favorites, such as pork osso bucco ("so tender you can eat it with a spoon"), and grilled steak with the bone left in ("as flavorful as prime rib"). He explained that they can’t always get this particular cut, but offer it as often as possible.

Bill’s ears and appetite perked up at the mention of a lemon-caper sauce with the tuna, and I knew where he was headed. I stuck with my first inclination, the eggplant Milanese, and then moved back to look at the appetizers. The eggplant rollatini would be too similar to my entrée, so I picked the mussels Provençal ($7.75), and Bill chose the soup of the day, a saffron lobster bisque ($6.25).

The saffron gave the soup a distinctive golden color, but it didn’t overwhelm the delicate lobster taste. It was buttery, creamy, and quite yummy. As were the mussels and their broth, flavored with fresh fennel, leeks, tomatoes, and garlic. What’s not to like about that? More than a dozen mussels, along with the soup, threatened to fill us up before we tackled the main attractions.

And what wonderful performances they were. Two wedges of rare tuna were tipped against a mound of ginger risotto and buttered spinach, with four giant sea scallops perched in front ($22.50). Everything tasted bright and dazzling, from the bits of ginger in the arborio rice and the edge of seared brown on the scallops, to the spring green of the spinach and the dense freshness of the tuna.

In contrast, my eggplant Milanese ($17.95) was much more down to earth, a hefty peasant dish that, though quite delicious in all its parts, was the yang to Bill’s yin dish. Breaded and sautéed eggplant slices had been stacked with fresh spinach leaves, roasted tomatoes and ricotta, and topped by mozzarella. Next to this creation on the plate was a heap of fresh black pepper tagiatelle, tossed with tomato sauce. Very satisfying indeed.

But a reviewer’s work is never done until dessert — sigh. In this case, our options included homemade espresso-chocolate chunk gelato, warm apple crostada, tiramisu, flan, crème brûlée, and turtle cheesecake. Bill’s nutty about anything "turtley," so we went for the cheesecake. It was an individual round on a chocolate-cookie crust, with a bit of caramel sauce and chocolate chips on top. Surrounded by fresh berries, whipped cream, and a raspberry sauce, the dessert was a fitting end to a great meal.

Chef/owner Ken Young brought on Gene Allsworth (formerly of Trieste) as the chef de cuisine three months ago, and his touch is evident in the careful cooking of each dish and the imaginative pairings of vegetables and starches with the entrées (the ginger risotto with the tuna, for example). Amalfi boasts Mediterranean influences, not just Italian, so that Spain, southern France, and Greece join forces with Sicily, southern Italy, and even Tunisia and Israel (two different styles of couscous). This kind of fusion cooking is in good hands at Amalfi and doesn’t come across as pretentious.

Amalfi has 15 wines by the glass, plus a wide selection from California, Washington state, France, and Italy. There is a bar/lounge separate from the main dining room, as well as two other small dining rooms, one of which was used for a business meeting that evening. The wall-sized aquarium between the bar and the dining room is a nod to the restaurant’s ocean surroundings and sets a dreamy mood. Classic Sinatra on the CD player was another nice touch, but the volume was way too high before a customer requested that it be lowered.

Amalfi’s staff rises to the occasion with all customers. During our visit, they went out of their way to help a family with a rambunctious toddler, pamper a young anniversary couple, and find answers to our many questions. They are also cool under pressure when the outside deck fills up. The deck can give the most Mediterranean feel of all: ah, the Riviera, ah, Amalfi.