Mastering Italian

Restaurateur Bobby Albanese decided to get back to his roots, and a hungry clientele is delighted. By opening Piola Italian Restaurant and Garden earlier this fall in the Monticello neighborhood, he seems to be reconnecting with elements that brought him success in the first place.

The Albanese family first sounded a sweet note in 1992, opening Ruffino's, a refined dining room with continental tones in the Forest Park/Berkeley neighborhood. The next ventures, Ciao and Fizzi, were attractive downtown spots that somehow never drew a strong or regular following; both closed this year.

The move into another affluent neighborhood -- Piola sits just behind the University of Texas Health Science Center -- appears to be brilliant; the restaurant occupies a beautifully renovated cottage, exuding warmth with wood floors, stucco walls and a charming garden patio out back. Diners appear mighty pleased.

What's more, the menu at this new store shows Bobby working with homey family favorites and the sensibilities that made Ruffino's a hit. If you want comfort, it's here in baked ziti and eggplant parmigiana; if you're looking for something a little more elegant, try the risotto di mare or the lobster-avocado salad.

The most impressive dish we tried in two visits was the stuffed chicken ($14.95), a lovely presentation that proved far more special than you might expect. Served on the bone, which spells more flavor, the chicken breast was stuffed with a spinach-ricotta blend and decorated with roasted red bell peppers and pine nuts, then swept with a tart, buttery artichoke sauce punctuated by plump capers.

Grandma's lasagna ($13.95) -- a recipe from Bobby's nonna -- was proof that basic can be boffo. The combination of ground beef and sausage with onion, ricotta, mozzarella, pasta and simple tomato sauce broke no new ground but was a baked dish of happiness, nevertheless.

Veal involtini ($17.95), however, was a good idea that needed better execution. Wrapped tightly around mozzarella and prosciutto, the baked construction was served in a lemon sauce. Perhaps cooked too long, the meat was dried to the point that none of the rolled ingredients could be tasted.

Several of the appetizers make the perfect small entree. My favorite was a plate of bruschetta ($8.95) -- warm, crisp baguette slices arranged around a mound of warm goat cheese, sun-dried tomato, grilled radicchio and garlic-olive tapenade.

Beautiful to behold, the plate of baby portobello mushrooms stuffed with shrimp and baked under a scattering of mozzarella ($8.95) was just as satisfying. With a mixed green salad alongside, this is the ideal light dinner.

My only complaint is with a poorly organized wine list. There's no detail on vintages or wine origins, which isn't helpful to the wine drinker, serious or novice. That said, I'll happily take a glass of any of Bobby's Italian reds and sit under the trees on his garden patio on a nice evening.

Piola Italian Restaurant and Garden

3700 Mattison Ave.

Fort Worth

817-989-0007

Hours: Open for lunch 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner, 5-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Cuisine: Italian

Essentials: Major credit cards; full bar; smoke-free; wheelchair-accessible.

Entree cost: $12-$30

Signature dishes: Goat cheese bruschetta, Grandma's lasagna

Recommended for: Dates, dinner with friends

Good to know: Reservations advised; patio seating in good weather; lunch menu offers similar dishes at lower prices.