SASSI

Located on six acres at the base of Pinnacle Peak, Sassi was one of North Scottsdale's most anticipated new restaurants, featuring artisan cuisine of Southern Italy coupled with a gorgeous villa setting. Italian for "stone," Sassi offers a total seating capacity of 225, spread out among five individual dining rooms, allowing the restaurant to accommodate quite a number of people, including private banquets and parties.

Upon arrival, we got off to a inauspicious start when the maitre d' attempted to seat us on the patio. In the spring or fall, we wouldn't have blinked an eye. But as it was June and 100 degrees outside, we weren't so thrilled - especially since he didn't even ask us if we wanted patio seating. After checking to see if there were any tables available inside (as it turned out, there were plenty), he led us to a much better table. The table was plainly dressed, lacking in tablecloth and salt and pepper shakers. There are some restaurants that season their dishes so perfectly that additional salt and pepper are not needed. This is not one of those restaurants. We then met the one crowning glory of the evening - Krista, our server. She was pleasant, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

The Italian-heavy wine list showcases some lesser-known, yet extremely wonderful varietals, such as Gaja Barbaresco from Piedmont and Tommasi Amarone from Veneto. Unfortunately, the selection of wines by the glass, as well as non-alcoholic beverages was very limited. The Pellegrino water flavors were listed in Italian. The menu read, "aranciata (orange) or limone (lemon)." I ordered in Italian - an "aranciata." Without blinking, she asked if I wanted that in orange or lemon. So basically, would I like orange- or lemon- flavored orange soda? We shrugged it off with a laugh, as the rest of her service was impeccable and friendly.

We then turned our attention to the two-page menu. Like in Italy, it was broken down into ANTIPASTI, PRIMI, SECONDI and CONTORNI. It is no surprise that CIA graduate Chef Wade Moises worked under New York Chef Mario Batali - he uses some of the same obscure ingredients (by American standards, anyway) such as oxtail, boar and sardines. It also looked as thought they had gotten a good deal on twenty-year-old balsamic vinegar as they pour it over practically everything on the menu. Surprisingly, the prices are very reasonable considering the zip code.

In lieu of an antipasti, we decided to split the RAVIOLI DEL GIORNO (a primi). The nine ravioli made for a perfect three-way split, which Krista did for us tableside without even being asked. The succulent pillows were filled with duck and topped with sage brown butter. It was delicious; reminiscent of ravioli I had at an excellent restaurant in Zurich. Most restaurants provide one variety of bread to accompany a meal. Sassi provides four, all of which were superb.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there as the rest of the food was less than spectacular. The AGNELLO GRIGLIATO ALLO SICILIANO AMARO ($21), Colorado lamb served "Bitter Sicilian style", was plain and flavorless. We were told that the Chef left the fat on (read: too lazy to French them) and it was a considerable layer that was unpleasant. The Chicken Cacciatore was good, but unremarkable. The BISTECCA VECCHIO FIDELE ($19), Rib-eye Steak with Arugula, Tomato Marmalade and the ubiquitous Balsamic Vinegar, was tough and overcooked. The drizzle of expensive balsamic vinegar did nothing for the dish except drive the price up. A previous reviewer said that the kitchen did not know what "al dente" means. We found no evidence of that, although it is clear that they do not know what "medium rare" means, as the lamb was undercooked and the steak was overcooked. Also like Italy, the entrees do not come with a starch. We decided to split the PATATA AL FORNO ($5), a salted, baked potato, pressed flat to resemble an overstuffed hockey puck and ZUCCA CON NOCI ($5), butternut squash baked with honey and walnuts. Both were very good with the latter bringing back memories of Thanksgiving dinner and candied yams. Even the dessert was less than exceptional. I ordered a banana gelato - three scoops with a cookie tuille. It tasted as though it had been made with imitation banana flavoring (apparently bananas aren't in season at Pinnacle Peak).

After dinner, Krista invited us to explore the facility; as we did, someone that acted like a manager, asked us how we enjoyed everything. We took the opportunity to comment about the seating and to compliment Krista. He seemed indifferent about the former and grateful about the latter. "Thank you for the compliment," was the response, as though he were ignoring the complaint. Overall, the beautiful setting, great atmosphere and friendly, attentive server does not make up for the lack of "WOW" in the food. This restaurant has the potential to be great, but they have yet to realize it. If the front of house crew, with the exception of Krista, were to fine tune their service and the kitchen were to work on their dishes a little more, they would achieve greatness. Their menu is posted on their website, www.sassi.biz, although it is not exactly the same as their actual menu.