Opening the door of Il Lucano must be similar to walking into an old-school Italian mama’s kitchen. The restaurant’s soft lighting, tasteful decorations and soothing wall colors calm nerves.

And then a bevy of activity follows. Wine list, menus and specials, oh my.  Water, bread and oil, oh boy. The oil is a balanced blend of garlic and herbs. With 30 wines to choose from, we are glad to see bottle prices from $27 to $80 and by the glass under $10.

Their steaming bowl of minestrone soup with hearty chunks of garden vegetables calls our name every time. The calamari steak resembles precisely cut fries arranged around a mound of cooked spinach, roasted garlic cloves, sun-dried tomatoes and Kalamata olives. Tart and tangy, the olives really set this dish off. Strips of squid were very lightly breaded and flash fried leaving them still tender to the tooth.

The insalata gamberetti — that’s loosely Italian for prawn salad — features salty bacon pieces and chunks of cooked prawn alternated on a bed of romaine hearts. Loads of pre-grated Parmesan and crumbled blue cheese mingles with Caesar dressing.

Large and thick, pan-seared halibut steak catches a sauté ride in the pan with Kalamata olives and capers. The fish flakes apart at fork’s touch and again, olives did their magic. Puttanesca sauce is light and tangy with just a bit of a kick. The pasta is al dente.

The staff is attentive without over doing it, food arrives quickly, presentation is pleasing, taste is wonderful, ambience is soothing, and prices are reasonable for the portion size. A+

Lunch: Tuesday through Saturday 11:30am to 2:00pm
Dinner: Tuesday through Saturday 5:00 to 10:00 Sunday 4:00 to 9:00
Closed Monday
Twilight Special 2:30 to 5:00 Tuesday - Saturday
Pasta, Salad, Bread and a Glass of Wine or Well Drink $18.00