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On a quiet stretch of Carmine Street, Marinella has a longstanding reputation as a satisfying red-sauce joint. In fact this West Village trattoria is more ambitious than that, with a capacious Northern and Southern Italian menu and a relaxing, red-tiled ambience. Diners read the numerous specials off ancient, rolling chalkboards (sparing everybody a mnemonic tightrope act from the waiter), and even when the place is packed, the acoustic tiles on the ceiling do their job. The restaurant gets extra décor points for the fake brick fireplace. Appetizers are the strong suit here, including a decent tortellini in brodo and impressively perky salads. Best of all—this alone justifies a trip to the restaurant—is the plate of sublime portobello mushrooms, which look like strips of flank steak. Grilled and then sautéed with garlic, white wine and lemon juice, the mushrooms are charred at the tips to provide crunch, but intensely meaty and tender inside. The entrées are more hit-and-miss. The lasagna special, prepared with homemade pasta, is a perennial favorite, but the popular rigatoni alla francesco, with minced sausage, garlic, oil, and mushrooms, falls short. The middle-aged crowd that frequent this restaurant knows what they like, but for new visitors, some of the simpler specials will do the trick. — Nina Mehta

The restaurant will rent out its back room for private lunch or dinner parties on Monday through Thursday. The room accommodates 20-25 people.

Grilled portobello mushrooms, $9.75