Café Nuovo may be located inland rather than perched above an ocean vista, but it does have bragging rights to one of the best water views in the region.

It took a while, but we finally made it back to the restaurant. That was a challenge for our friends from northern Massachusetts, because a traffic accident tie-up got them to the table more than an hour late. Our tardiness was because for several summers we’d unsuccessfully tried to coordinate schedules and meet them on a WaterFire night for an al fresco view.

We all agreed that Café Nuovo was worth the wait, even though the flicker of brazier flames was not decorating the background. The scenes on our plates were nearly as captivating, and delicious to boot.

The restaurant opened in 1993 on the ground floor of the Citizens Bank Building, the reddish stone tower with the motherly rounded architecture. Located where the Woonasquatucket and Moshassuck rivers fork at Steeple Street, it’s still a perfect location, when the pyrotechnics aren’t on hand, for watching couples stroll and gondolas glide along our Seine.

Inside, Café Nuovo is as chic as its name claims. The restaurant’s colorful, if corporate, abstract paintings are echoed in the muted tones and geometric shapes on the fabric of tall-backed mahogany chairs. The upscale but informal restaurant was established by the four owners of Capriccio, a Providence institution known for tuxedoed elegance. Arriving at six, we claimed a window table overlooking the river and figured we’d sample some starters while waiting for our traffic-vexed friends.

The wine list goes on for pages, but the offerings by the glass were limited enough for our gracious server, Stephen, to commit to memory. He was also pleasantly accommodating when the outdoor tables beckoned and we asked to move there.

Oh yes, the food. Our appetites were sparked nicely by a bowl of mixed olives in a pool of olive oil accompanying Italian bread and focaccia. Appetizers not on every menu include tuna tartare ($13.50) with wasabi oil, and gorgonzola-crusted portobello fries ($7.50) with roasted red pepper ketchup. But we chose a Usual Suspect to check out the variation. Nuovo’s innovation with calamari ($10.50) includes combining it with batter-fried popcorn shrimp and having a hot cherry pepper relish as well as tartar sauce. OK.

Exceptional were the oysters ($10.25), a half dozen on the half-shell, served chilled or warm, as we had them. Each was in a little pool of citrus beurre blanc and went down like butter — delicious. Both soups on the menu ($5.50) were not fancy, but nailed the flavor opportunities. The cremini mushroom soup was a simple, earthy purée, and the chicken soup had a velvety lemon tang, with spinach and chickpeas lending a Mediterranean touch. The signature chopped salad ($7.25) was an enjoyable medley that included asparagus, sugar snap peas, and little chunks of feta.

Turning to your main course, from the grill you can choose from among seven steak, chop, and fish offerings ($22.95-$33.95). They come with choices from among a dozen sides that include polenta and pasta.

Pastas on the eclectic menu include shrimp pad Thai ($23.50) and an exotically described "spaghettini with lobster ‘Cinderella,’ " finished with a cream sauce containing foie gras butter and truffle oil. Johnnie considered the three risottos, choosing the one with Statler chicken. The creamy vegetable-and-cheese-filled rice was topped with a breast of roasted organic chicken that was approvingly pronounced "like Chinese chicken," which is to say especially flavorful, by one of our friends, Peipei, who finally had arrived.

The ginger-crusted salmon ($22.95) from Alaska was also moist and flavorful, accompanied by a sweet onion confit, stir-fried mixed vegetables and white rice promoted to "rice dumplings" in the menu description. I also went Far Eastern, choosing shrimp tempura and beef negimyaki ($24.95). Three jumbo shrimp came with batter-fried butternut squash, though less bland vegetables would have come through better. Exceptional was the vegetable roll wrapped with beef, a sort of carnivore’s sushi. A small pile of spicy-hot marinated cucumber slices were supposed to be Korean kimchi, but had none of the fermented zip of the traditional cabbage preparation.

In Café Nuovo’s early days, it was known for its architectural desserts, which towered like skyscrapers, in the style of the time. These days, most of the inventions of pastry chef Laurie A. Nadeau are more down to earth, but still visually impressive and fun. For example, the pot o’ mousse comes in an actual handled, lidded pot made of chocolate. We had a special that day, a Charlotte: sponge cake with a creamy strawberry filling, topped by an array of fresh berries, attractively presented with a shark fin tuile. Desserts are $9.

A good time was had by all, especially by our weary travelers. WaterFire nights are wonderful, but sometimes it’s satisfying to simply gather friends at a special restaurant and make your own warmth.

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