On the side
SCALO ★★★
LOCATION: 3500 Central SE, 522-3800, scaloabq.com
The relaunch of Scalo represents a reset more than a rebuild. “Northern Italian Grill” is gone from the name, suggesting that a more comprehensive presentation of Italian cuisine is in the offing, but the menu is mostly similar to that of the previous incarnation. For casual diners who might blanch at the sight of dishes such as osso buco, rack of lamb and filet mignon, there are several pizzas and pasta dishes in the $12-$18 range. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are easy to find.
Starters tend toward the more upscale, such as grilled octopus for $14 and mussels and leek stew for $16. The tartare e carpaccio ($16) presents raw beef tenderloin two ways: chopped and thin-sliced.
Pasta dishes include preparations of gnocchi ($18) that vary daily. On the day I ordered, the special was a well-executed but rather mundane presentation of gnocchi in butter and oil topped with Parmesan. A marinara would have put it over the top.
The menu offers an intriguing selection of vegetable sides, including lacinato fritto ($5), fried black Tuscan kale in a roasted garlic vinaigrette. The kale, as crisp and thin as dried leaves, gets a kick from the Japanese spice mix togarashi.