DAVIO'S,

To survive in a city like Providence, where innovative chefs and Johnson & Wales grads have set high standards and raised expectations, a newcomer such as Davio's must pay close attention to delivering what it promises on the menu and to making its service consistently excellent. My own expectations for Davio's were primed by a delicious spread they'd prepared for an opening-night party I'd attended at Trinity Repertory Company. That night, their "award-winning penne" ($12.95 on the menu) was such a hit that no one could resist going back for seconds and even thirds. Tossed with smoked chicken chunks and sun-dried tomatoes in an alfredo-style sauce rich with toasted walnuts, the dish was at once homey and elegant. Eager to try another pasta from the menu during our visit to the restaurant, I ordered the sweet potato ravioli with sage brown butter sauce, asparagus, and white truffle oil ($13.95). The fresh sage in melted butter was a nice complement to the sweet potato filling, but the white truffle oil could not have been more than a whisper. Across the table, my husband complained that while his roasted duck ($18.95) was moist, its honey chipotle glaze was barely discernable. And his potato/eggplant tart was lackluster -- just slices of potato layered with eggplant. Unfortunately, our great expectations for Davio's went unfulfilled.

Full review.