Mosaico Restaurant (908) 233-3553 www.mosaico22.com

The owner of Mosaico, Guatemalan Rudy Carrera, has designed the restaurant with an open kitchen and decorated it with mosaics, attractive lighting, and polished wood floors; screens with colored-glass panes divide the dining area from the kitchen.

Walking in through the Mediterranean archway conjures up images of the Tuscan coast. An open kitchen surrounded by colorful mosaic tiles greets you after a warm welcome by the attentive staff. The aromas of Italian cuisine pervades the room and moves you to a quiet Italian countryside where the chianti flows freely to wash down baskets of bread and trays of antipasta. The dining room is large and comfortable and supported by beautiful wood beams running the width and length of the room. The centerpiece of the room is a large wall filled with stained glass lit by candlelight. The side of the room is lined with open, authentic wood framed glass doors that lead to a private dining room.

Chef Louis Romero, previously the chef at Echoqua, in nearby Springfield, has a light hand with both classic and modern Italian dishes. The menu is comprehensive, with a few specials added each day.