North Austin, the area north of Research is not exactly fertile ground for fine dining. But there are a few notable exceptions, one of them being the subect of today's review. I refer of course fo Andiamo, at the corner of Burnet and Rutland. Like a doting grand parent, owner Joe Melomo has nurtured his little progeny of a restaurant into a consistently excellent Italian dining experience: and really, what more could one ask for?

The appetizers consist of cold (freddi) and hot (caldi) offerings both of which contain many favorite offerings for the Balons. I love the Antipasto Misto which we had just the other night. This combines fresh mozarella cheese, a delicate smoked salmon, roasted red peppers and a tangy eggplant.I can't think of a better way to prepare the palate for the delights to follow. And on the "caldi" side, The Capesante Dello Chef is a must order.The pan-seared sea scallops in a brandy cream sauce with shallots drew rave reviews from our Gonzo Gourmet Club at a recent dinner. The texture of the scallops is perfect and the cream sauce just short of decadent. Another interesting choice is the Polenta e Calamari. The soft polenta is the base while the sauteed calamari comes on the top along with a slightly piquant but very tasty tomato basil sauce.

There is always very good soup at Andiamo and on the last visit we had a Potato and Leek and Clam chowder that was flawless.The soups change daily but I would get this on every visit if I could. Wonderful flavor!

The pasta dishes at an Italian restaurant are always the measuring stick for me. And Andiamo has some very appealing choices. My favorite is the Papperdelle Porcini. Aside from the fact that I'm a sucker for papperdelle pasta, this dish just rocks. The accompanying pancetta, onion, and beautiful funghi in the form of Porcini mushrooms in a delicate cream sauce makes for a dish that is light but imbued with layers of integrated tastes and textures. And no review of Andiamo could be complete without a mention of their Gnocchi. These light potato dumplings are typically finished in a fontina cream sauce but I tried some the other night that were sauteed in a EVOO and were equally delicious.

The meat and seafood courses at Andiamo have always been impressive. The chef has a light hand and one rarely sees anything overcooked. I recently tried the Agnello Casalinga which is a grilled lamb chop done with shitake mushrooms and julienned bell peppers in a white wine reduction with balsamic vinegar. Oh my! What flavor. The lamb was amazingly tender but most imortantly, it was very mellow tasting, just like I prefer it. If you like lamb, try this dish! And the Salmone al Forno is another jewel in the Andiamo crown. This is a classic example of the less is more philosphy of great Italian cooking. The salmon is sauteed and then baked and finished with cannelllini beans and sauteed spinach. Each bite is laden with savory, flaky goodness. Finally, a long-time favorite that I simply can't get away from: The Veal Porcini continues to work for me on so many levels that space doesn't allow me to mention them all. Suffice to say, the tender scallops of veal in a light brandy cream sauce with porcini mushrooms are simply the best version of this dish in central Texas.

Andiamo also has a delicious dining program called Passporto d' Italia where special menus are prepared featuring the cusines of different regions of Italy. Each passporto menu lasts for two weeks and you should call and find out which one is available. Andiamo is like a verdant oasis in restaurant depleted far-north Austin. One visit and you will agree.

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