Alloro

You could be forgiven for assuming that Alloro was just another of the many red-sauce Italian restaurants that the Upper East Side seems to be so fond of. The room, with its black candelabras and emerald-green nailhead chairs, evokes Old World charm. The food, however, is surprisingly - and excitingly - contemporary. Sweet flavors such as licorice, cocoa and coffee show up in unexpected places; a caramelized sherry enlivens coffee-dusted cauliflower foam to accompany seared salmon. This is the dish I ordered for my main course; the foam reminded me of a savory version of tiramisu's mascarpone filling. But let me start from the beginning.

The server mentioned a cacio e pepe gnocchi with mint dish and a zucchini flower appetizer. We decided on the latter, which was a dish of four delectable, greaseless battered blossoms stuffed full of anchovy-flecked mozzarella, served with a scoop of tomato sorbet and a slice of prosciutto-topped focaccia. I also couldn't resist the burrata three ways. The decadent cheese was layered with olive-oil soaked crostini, and served as a creamy-centered fritter, and as a round mold of cheese with salty salmon roe hiding inside.

In addition to the aforementioned salmon, we ordered what was perhaps the most conservative item on the menu: penne in tomato sauce with melted mozzarella and basil oil. Even this dish was special; it was punctuated with a crisp fried basil leaf. I should mention that for those who are following a gluten-free diet (this is not me), Alloro will happily oblige you with gluten-free pasta. (I wonder if they do a gluten-free version of their homemade sheep ricotta, pecorino and pear ravioli tossed in butter and poppy seeds.)

The dessert menu seemed to include a lot of fruit soups; we bypassed these, instead ordering strawberry and chocolate four ways and a white chocolate parfait. Although I didn't try the latter, as I'm not a big white chocolate fan, I will describe my strawberry chocolate dessert. The chocolate-drizzled plate included a dark chocolate truffle, a scoop of ice cream that tasted intensely of fresh strawberries, a strawberry parfait with cream, and a mint-garnished chocolate mousse. I still can't decide which was my favorite.

Alloro: 307 East 77th St., (212) 535-2866.