Bernie Whitmore\

With some of the most handsome dining spaces in town, 65 Water Street has been the site of several different restaurants in the past couple decades. Half a flight down from street level, the rooms feel ancient with heavy wooden beams, rough stonework and plenty of brick. Russo Italian Restaurant has integrated so well and so quickly into this space that on my first visit they seemed like a perfect match.

And, based on the ‘market’ display windows showcasing aging meats and cheeses and all their homemade pasta shapes, they also impress as authentically Italian. Before we could be seated, I felt my expectations soar.

Then Sue, our server, greeted us and recited a tour through menu highlights. We were encouraged by her enthusiasm, the depth of the menu and her informed descriptions. All this food-talk was increasing my appetite; as if sensing that, she brought a basket of moist focaccia bread and bowl of herbed dipping oil.

In selecting an appetizer, I noticed that at least half the offerings were not the standard fare you see at most restaurants. In addition to offerings such as Fried Calamari, they also have items such as Grilled Octopus and Stuffed Cherry Peppers.

We decided to share another unusual offering: Fried Smelts. Ok, these fish don’t have the most appealing of names – I had to journey to the Baltics to ‘discover’ them – but they’re well-worth investigating. They look like overgrown sardines and are served whole; Russo’s gives them a thin coating of crumbly breading and deep-fries them to light golden brown.

The generous portion, at least a dozen, came stacked aside arugula leaves and a dish of warm lemon caper brown butter. The tart lemon and almost olivey flavor of the capers were a hugely successful match to the fragile flavor of the smelts. This was a totally unexpected delight and served to increase my entrée expectations.

Eggplant Parm Pie, one of the entrées that Sue had mentioned, sounded too good to pass up. They layer soft eggplant slices with marinara and mozzarella cheese and encase them in a sheet of pasta dough. This is covered with more marinara and a showering of grated parmesan cheese and baked. Baked till the outer cheesy edge is a luscious melty shell and the eggplant has become rich and tomatoey. Then they cut a wedge, about the dimensions of a huge chunk of chocolate cake and serve it over more of the marinara.

First tasting: Russo’s marinara! Tangy-rich with a depth of tomato and herb flavors that can only be developed with time and care. But not over-processed; it still has some zesty acid character. And the eggplant: silky-soft and integrated into the rich tomatoey goodness. All these flavors baked into the jacket of soft pasta clad with that fusion of parmesan and marinara forming a chewy outer layer. I savored every bite.

This called for a hearty red wine, a glass of Duca Minimo Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Tasting of ripe summer berries, this ruby-red wine retained a freshness that wasn’t so bold as to bully the flavor of Russo’s tasty marinara.

From the other end of Italian cuisine’s color-flavor spectrum, my companion went with a standard: Carbonara. Pancetta is typically used to provide a touch of smoky salt structure to this dish. But Russo’s chef uses guanciale, a close flavor match that comes from the jowl of the pig. If you’re not paying close attention you wouldn’t discern a difference.

The main event of the dish was the eggs and cream with a generous dash of fresh pepper. All simmered together with Parmesiano Reggiano cheese and served over a plate of fresh spaghetti. The forkful I snagged was eggy and mild in flavor. Delicious. My friend would have appreciated the addition of more grated cheese. Can there ever be too much cheese?

Having cleared our dishes, Sue returned with a dessert display. Their chocolate cake was tempting, but we chose Tiramisu. Russo’s pastry chef uses thin layers of sponge cake soaked with coffee syrup and the traditional creamy mascarpone filling. Its flavor reminded me of the spice cakes my mother used to make.

For those of us who love Italian food, Russo’s is a welcome addition to the Worcester dining scene. They push the cuisine with creative gusto and innovation. In fact, on Sundays they push their regular menu aside and serve a traditional Italian family dinner. When was the last time you experienced that?