Giulio's Cucina Italiana

Molly Abraham: For years the site of DePalma's, a popular Italian restaurant that featured a night of opera once a week, the rebuilt premises offer a new scheme of things, still Italian, but with a more contemporary approach. Lula Kalaj, who moved across the street from Fonte D'Amore when it closed, is the executive chef, overseeing a menu that includes an array of pasta dishes from pappardelle with wild mushrooms to spaghetti carbonara and lasagna, as well as appetizer gourmet pizzas with such toppings as pesto, sundried tomatoes, and fresh ricotta. Veal dishes include piccata, saltimbocca, and Marsala, and there are steaks typified by filet mignon and New York strip. Gluten-free pastas have been added to the menu. The setting offers a high ceiling, soft Tuscan colors and an airy, open feel under proprietors Giulio and Mario Ledda, who hail from the island of Sardinia, and their partner, Ray Borden. Live music is offered on Friday and Saturday nights.