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If you’re not intimidated by eating among the moneyed elite, chances are you’ll be impressed by the authentic grain of this Northern Italian restaurant, charming enough to entice a steady stream of regulars. Lusardi’s serves up strictly traditional fare, with a strong emphasis on classic Italian ingredients like basil, rosemary, sage, and truffles. The salads, typically the least exciting part of the menu, are first-rate: A Piedmont-derived salad includes fresh greens with pears, lemon juice, and truffle cheese. But the kitchen’s creations can be uneven: The sparse serving of crabmeat cocktail is chewy, and a lemon-infused sauce drizzled over the almond-crusted John Dory fillet overpowers the essential flavors of the dish. Still, the old-fashioned feel of the place enchants. Framed vintage posters of graceful Italian debutantes animate the marmalade-yellow walls, and the wood-finished bar adds a stately elegance. — Nicole Drummer