Quartino

Most of the mahogany-paneled restaurants downtown are billed as having been open since 1600, and they specialize in giant steaks seemingly aged since then. Therefore, it is refreshing to walk into the high-ceilinged, airy Quartino, a Ligurian restaurant tucked away below the Brooklyn Bridge exit ramp. I never expected to find such an oasis of charm just one block away from South Street!

Quartino bottles its own wine, makes its own pasta, and buys fresh fish from the Seaport every day. Chef Ivo Rossi is passionate about his peppery Ligurian olive oil and his organic crusty bread. I ate so much of this bread today that I worried about finishing my entrée. No matter, I inhaled the al dente fettucini with sweet cherry tomatoes, strips of basil and melted chunks of mozzarella in a split second. (Other pastas on the menu include vegetable ravioli in walnut sauce and pappardelle al pesto.) If you want something lighter, there are panini, pizzas and a salad of Sicilian tuna, string beans and potatoes. (Of course, if you want something heavier, by all means order the moist bittersweet chocolate cake!)

There have been so many times when I've unsuccessfully roamed the Seaport in search of something yummy. From now on, I'll head straight over to the corner of Peck Slip and Water Street!

Quartino: 21 Peck Slip, (212) 349-4433. Look for the umbrellas.