IL PICCOLO,

Driving deep into the heart of Atwood Avenue strip mall country, we were a little skeptical about Il Piccolo at first. Could this be any place for a fine Italian restaurant, near a KFC and Subway sandwich shop? Well, our qualms were laid to rest the minute we walked through the door. Small cafe-style tables were scattered throughout the place, while a contemporary jazz band played for our listening pleasure. We'd come to sample the new menu and the innovative cooking of Chef Al, who'd arrived from a tour at Pot Au Feu. Starting with gnocchi ripieni ($6.95) and la fregola ($7.50), we had nodino ai ferri ($18.95), a-grilled veal T-bone steak heaped high with mushrooms, for a main course, and the meal was worth every penny.

Full review.