Artu

Location: Boston (North End), MA

Ambience: Upscale, energetic, and cozy. Luckily, this isn't the Olive Garden and the clientele doesn't need a lot of real estate.

Variety: What the restaurant lacked with a vegetarian section on the menu, it made up for with unbelievable service. The staff was incredibly attentive to our needs and knowledgeable about the variety of options available.

Bruschetta broccoli rabe, cannellini beans, gralic, evoo, grana padano ($7)

Melanzane Parmigiana eggplant, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce ($17)

Fusilli e con Broccoli Rabe cork screw pasta, broccoli rabe, garlic, evoo, chili flakes ($16)

Quality: The bruschetta was unbelievable as was the eggplant parm. I wasn't the biggest fan of the fusilli, but that's because I like my pastas like my women, saucy. Overall, the food was ingredients driven and the freshness made each bite a joy.

Bottom line: Avoid taking a large party (in both senses)--but go!

http://www.artuboston.com/

Piccola Venezia

Before leaving for Spring Break, my boyfriend and I met a friend in the North End for dinner, and he recommended Piccola Venezia. I had a list of fancier places I was itching to try, but I was swayed as soon as I saw this one, and it didn't disappoint.

Ambiance: Appealing in a homey way. They have a big, lovely bar, dark woods, exposed brick, and just enough knick-knacks to seem lived-in, not tacky. The variety of great vintage chandeliers hanging everywhere makes up for the ceiling like an elementary school cafeteria's and unattractive ceiling fans. The place was busy at 5:30 on a Friday, but not so much that we had to wait, although it seemed like that was starting as we left around 7:00.

Variety: Fantastic. There is no separate section, but I had the run of the menu with about a third of the appetizers, one of the three risottos, half the pastas, and two different eggplant entrees to choose from.

Quality: The fare is extremely traditional - picture what you've seen people eating on The Sopranos - which is not what I expected to seek out in such a culinary hotspot. But the promise of a really comforting, homestyle Italian meal won me over the minute I saw the menu outside. My gnocchi fit the bill exactly: piping hot, the fluffiest I've ever tasted, in a huge portion with a fresh, rustic red sauce. My boyfriend and our friend devoured their food as well, so the place was officially a hit.

Bottom line: I'll be going back to try the eggplant the next chance I have. If you're ever in the mood for Italian food that your mom would cook if she were Italian, give this place a try.