Dieci: Small Room, Small Menu, Big Flavors

At first, I wondered if dieci (the Italian word for ten), referred to the number of seats in this tiny Italian restaurant with a chef from Japan (Jun Ohta). Then, of course I realized that it was the street number. Fortunately, my friend and I arrived early and snagged one of the few tables.

The menu featured a small number of appetizers like bruschetta with chicken livers or cherry tomatoes, Italian cured meats, and salads. The special was a wonderful plate of three piping hot, pan-fried sardines, served whole with a side of peppered endive in a light vinaigrette. I have a thing about not being able to eat the heads, but I finished every bite from jaw to tail. "That's the perfect temperature for a strong-tasting fish," noted my friend. She had craved the cherry tomato bruschetta, but as they were unavailable, she ordered a salad with peach halves, crunchy toasted pecans, greens and feta. Peaches with feta... what a marvelous idea!

Mains included fried organic chicken and hanger steak, but we were in the mood for pasta. My friend ordered the lamb bolognese over shells. The ground lamb was tender and not at all gamy, and it was accented with a lot of pecorino (always good in my book). My pasta was an ode to summer: fresh fettucini with sweet corn in an intense tomato sauce with garlic slivers. The portion was moderate - I was glad I'd ordered an appetizer, and later became *extremely* glad for dessert!

There was no more gelato, but there was a mixed berries millefeuille to continue the celebration of late summer. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and a good bit of not-overly-sweet vanilla custard were sandwiched between sugar-dusted crunchy dough. We left sated but not stuffed. The bill, including two glasses of Pinot Grigio and one cup of coffee, was only $60 (not including tax and tip). So we'll be able to visit dieci more times!

228E East 10th St., (212) 397-9545.