RAVENNA OSTERIA in Peekskill is in one of Westchester's many uninspiring strip malls. Diners can enter through the pizzeria next door. And once in, despite soft lighting and tablecloths, the scenery doesn't exactly scream transcendent dining.
Yet there is something about this restaurant that feels utterly comforting. It has to do with the old-fashioned sweetness of the waiters, who wear ties and serve Shirley Temples with mounds of maraschino cherries. It's about the conversation you'll hear around you from people reminiscing about the "old neighborhood" in the Bronx. Best of all, it's in the kitchen's successes — like the simple plate of olive oil infused with just a sliver of garlic and a single rosemary leaf, accompanied by terrific, crusty bread, that greets you as you sit down.
Ravenna reminds me of big Sunday dinners at my Neapolitan-American grandparents' home. Not that the food is southern Italian; red sauces are rare and there typically isn't a veal Parmigiana or a lasagna to be found. But like the Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday playing in the background, the restaurant's heart is in the right place.
Specials are often the best options. A recent appetizer combined tender, juicy filet mignon with wild mushrooms in a brandy and Gorgonzola cheese sauce, covered by a flaky puff pastry, to great effect. A monkfish special, roasted with capers, raisins and a sweet-and-sour sauce, was wonderfully executed and perfectly suited to its sides of potato croquette and sautéed broccoli rabe. Gnocchi were available on the regular menu with sausage in a creamy tomato sauce, but we asked for them unadorned but for a bit of butter and were thrilled at the result.
Part of the restaurant's appeal is its willingness to meet customer wishes. Once diners become regulars, they often call ahead to the owner, Anthony Iengo, to request a favorite dish, even if it isn't on the menu. He does his best to accommodate.
Ravenna makes its own mozzarella (acceptable), some pastas (good) and desserts (pretty tasty, particularly the Italian-style ricotta cheesecake and the flourless chocolate cake, both of which were light and not too sweet). The restaurant's take on bruschetta wasn't swimming in olive oil, as at many restaurants, so the tastes of the sliced mozzarella and the lovely roasted mushroom toppings could come across.
Fritto misto, a hot appetizer of fried shrimp and calamari, and a special of fried soft-shell crabs were also lightly done and delicious. We preferred them with a squeeze of lemon, though the tomato and chili aolio sauces were appealing.
Ravenna isn't overly reliant on oils, often using spices instead. Pollo verdura, a sautéed chicken breast, came in a light brown sauce enhanced with pepper and garlic that could easily have been rendered gelatinous and cloying. A steamed mussels appetizer was made with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, peperoncini, lemon and herbs for a complex, and unusual, kick.
The kitchen can overcook on occasion. Jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab meat were dry. Alternately, there is no reason to present tomatoes that aren't yet ripe, though Ravenna did recently in its sliced mozzarella appetizer. Strawberries also were picked too early.
The restaurant seems to suffer from a bit of mixed identity. The atmosphere is meant to be slightly upscale, but Mr. Iengo can be seen touring the room in jeans and a T-shirt. When patrons come in through the pizzeria next door, also owned by Mr. Iengo, instead of the front entrance, too much of a link is created between the two.
But these are small complaints compared with the generally welcome sense of the place. Just like at grandma's, a child's request for even more cherries in her Shirley Temple won't be met with annoyance. "For you, doll," the waiter said, "the world."
Ravenna Osteria
1099 North Division Street
Peekskill
(914) 736-0292
GOOD
THE SPACE White tablecloths and hand-painted murals create an upscale atmosphere, but you will see jeans as well in this midsize restaurant with direct wheelchair access.
THE CROWD Friendly and lively but the noise level is comfortable. Mostly couples and groups.
THE BAR No seating, but it services the restaurant with a full range of liquor and soft drinks. More than 50 wines offered, mostly Italian with a few California whites. Prices range from about $20 to $45; pricier bottles on request.
THE BILL Lunch entrees, $8 to $14; Dinner entrees, $18 to $25.
WHAT WE LIKE Steamed mussels, fritto misto, filet mignon in puff pastry (special), gnocchi, stuffed chicken breast, monkfish in sweet-and-sour sauce (special), ricotta cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake.
IF YOU GO Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 2 to 9 p.m. Closed Monday. Reservations recommended on weekends.
Reviewed June 25, 2006
