I Sodi

Smack in the middle of always-bustling Christopher Street is a calm, elegant Tuscan restaurant with its own brand of olive oil. I had always wanted to pay a visit, and my acquisition of a $20 OpenTable gift certificate was the occasion to finally dine there. Recently, Alto disappointed me with bland flavors at high prices, but I Sodi was the total opposite, and I'm now completely enamored with it.

I went with a friend who loves to share (isn't that the best kind of friend?). We began with a peppery mache salad. The leaves were interspersed with cubes of toothsome pecorino and dressed with a mild balsamic vinaigrette that almost tasted of caramel. (The arugula with castelmagno salad also looked enticing.) Then we devoured a wonderful whole-wheat tagliatelle special. The nubby, deliciously uneven texture of the noodles made every bite an interesting one; each mouthful had a different ratio of anchovy, garlic and melted butter.

We had intended on ordering osso buco or grilled Cornish hen for our second course, but the seafood mixed grill special sounded too appealing. "Someone likes pepper," my friend exclaimed as we dug into a bountiful plate of generously-portioned wild salmon with crispy skin, long thin ovals of grilled zucchini, slightly charred tomatoes, a langoustine and a little jumble of octopus legs. Lemon, olive oil, parsley and pepper were simple, appropriate seasonings that let the sweet seafood shine through.

But what I'll really remember is the warm flaky tart with intense fig jam. It was served with creamy fior di latte gelato, homemade whipped cream, a splash of vanilla coulis and a mint leaf. Our enjoyment must have been evident, because the server also brought by a complimentary plate of watermelon slices and cherries to celebrate the season. I Sodi is a class act from start to finish.

I Sodi: 105 Christopher St., (212) 414-5774.