UPDATEAs you walk into the subterranean space that houses Daniele Osteria, it takes a few minutes to adjust your eyes to the dim light.

REX C. CURRY/Special Contributor

Daniele Osteria's veal scaloppine features tender, flavorful slices of veal topped with artichoke.

Minimalist sconces and mirrors line one wall of the narrow dining room, which opens toward the back to encompass a brick-walled wine cellar. Up front is a full bar and, beyond it, a dainty patio nearly hidden from passers-by a few feet up on bustling Oak Lawn Avenue. The decor is done up in restful earth tones, except for a riotous mosaic of color on the vibrant dinnerware.

On a quiet Friday night, it was easy to pretend we were dining in an undiscovered trattoria somewhere in the Italian countryside rather than in the bottom of a Chase bank building.

For the most part, the food continues the deception. This is neither the glitzy, sexed-up Italian cuisine of some of Dallas' recent imports nor the dreary, Americanized fare of your neighborhood spaghetti joint. Instead, the small menu offers a handful of simple, rustic dishes reflecting chef-owner Daniele Puleo's roots in Palermo, Sicily. (The enterprising restaurateur is currently garnering Cowtown accolades for his new venture, Brix Pizza and Wine Bar, on Hulen Street in Fort Worth.)

One of Daniele's most basic dishes was also one of my favorites: A classic Sicilian caponata tumbled diced eggplant, celery, tomato and onions in a warm olive oil bath with briny olives and capers. The still-firm celery nubs added just enough crunch to contrast against the reassuring velvet of eggplant. The dish was perfectly seasoned, and it was like eating a sunny summer garden, bite by comforting bite.

If eggplant isn't your thing, you can't go wrong starting off with a salad. The spinach lover at my table was altogether content with his bowl of deftly dressed greens, but it was the Caesar that set my taste buds ablaze, thanks to the pinch of ground red pepper that added a welcome spark to the otherwise traditional creamy dressing.

Pastas are a highlight, fresh and prepared nicely al dente. Pappardelle with calamari was notable for its lovely wide noodles that unfolded in the mouth like strips of raw silk, though both the pasta and the small rings of seafood tended to get lost beneath a blanket of zesty sauce made overly salty because of an abundance of capers and olives.

An order of gnocchi Gorgonzola was more restrained. Pillowy potato dumplings rested in a rich and creamy sauce that managed to capture the sophisticated nuances of blue cheese without overindulging in its pungent tang.

My first bite of sautéed orange roughy was a bit fishy, though the rest of the firm, flaky fillet was mild and nearly nondescript. Accents of tomato, shallot and the omnipresent olives and capers added some verve, but overall the dish wasn't exciting enough to assuage the guilt that comes from eating such an overfished specimen.

Veal scaloppine is a dish easily overcooked, turning the thin cuts of meat into a tough, jaw-tiring workout, but Daniele's version was the best I've had in ages. The supple slices of veal, crowned with a couple of bites of sprightly baby artichoke, were beautifully prepared, astonishingly tender and full of flavor, though the acidic bite of lemon promised in the menu description was understated, to say the least. Sides of sliced zucchini and golden roasted potatoes played supporting roles.

Slow-roasted lamb shank was another standout. The club-shaped knob of juicy, herb-infused meat offered a beguilingly faint note of pleasant gaminess, and the bed of creamy, barely al dente risotto it rested upon was textbook perfect.

Desserts were one-dimensional, from a wedge of coffee-shy tiramisu to an overly sweet, perfumy white chocolate and passion fruit mousse. Still, both were preferable to a layered cylinder of cappuccino mousse, chocolate ganache and joconde biscuit (almond sponge cake) that held the faint but unpleasant air of refrigerator staleness.

The wine list is global in scope, with just enough Italian entries to be a bit daunting to those unfamiliar with some of the region's often-underappreciated varietals. Our server was happy to assist us in navigating the selections, but I was taken aback when he casually mentioned that one of his suggestions was mispriced and actually cost some $30 more than the listed sum.

Other than that, our waiter was mostly spot-on during both visits. On my second dinner, when I was recognized as a repeat diner (but not, to the best of my knowledge, as a critic), our meal concluded with complimentary glasses of limoncello, a sweet Italian lemon liqueur. It's uncommon niceties such as these that make casual diners at this hidden eatery apt to turn into loyal regulars.

Kim Harwell is a Dallas food writer.

Daniele Osteria

{star}{star}{star} (very good)

Food {star}{star}{star}

Service {star}{star}{star}

Atmosphere {star}{star}{star}

Price: $$$ (appetizers $6 to $10, entrees $13 to $28, desserts $7)

Address: 3300 Oak Lawn Ave.

Phone: 214-443-9420

Web site: www.danieleosteria.com

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5:30 to 10 p.m.

Credit cards: All major

Wheelchair accessible: Yes

Smoking area: None

Alcohol: Full bar