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With a fireplace crackling in the dining room, live cocktail music wafting over the clink of china and the clatter of silverware, and the welcome smell of garlic the air, this Brooklyn-Venetian throwback envelops the senses. Once the tenor begins his floorshow, the vibe tilts perilously close to high kitsch—but it's perfection for the smartly dressed neighborhood families marking communions, christenings, and special occasions. Appetizers of shrimp and calamari vie with lightly dressed bitter greens and tremblingly fresh ricotta. Fresh pastas are topped with hearty ragu and Bolognese sauces, and main dishes like the unadorned veal chop arrive majestic on the plate, joined by seafood selections like baccala (dried salt cod prepared with tiny white potatoes), lobster and fresh fish prepared to order. Since service can be slow, try a little liquid patience via one of the Italian wines from the house list. — Helen Zelon

The restaurant offers a private party room with a customized menu upstairs, which requires booking well in advance.

Stracciatelli, $6.95; 1- and 2-lb. lobster, market price; baccala fresco alla messinese, $19.95