Dino's Trattoria

Dino Ferretti, owner and chef at Dino's Trattoria in downtown Marlborough PHOTO/K.A. ESPOSITO

Marlborough - I can never decide what I like more, the terrific food or the calming yet colorful ambiance at Dino's Trattoria. With a striking mural and elegant décor, I always feel as if I have stepped out of the ordinary. The friendly staff adds to the appeal; always attentive, the servers never fail to make me feel at home.

On a recent visit for dinner, Dino's couldn't have been more perfect. My son and I, looking to escape the gloomy skies into the warm light of the groundfloor restaurant, and we both sighed in relief. We were quickly seated in a corner table and handed the extensive menu, including specials.

My son, in the mood for chicken, was torn between the chicken breast piccata ($13.99) and the chicken tenderloins basilica ($12.99), with olive oil, garlic, tomato, basil and white wine served over angel hair pasta. He finally settled on the piccata, which promised a lemon, garlic and white wine sauce with mushrooms and capers.

I decided almost immediately (a rarity for me) to try the five-cheese ravioli pomodoro ($11.99), since we rarely have ravioli at home. I also ordered a glass of the California wine Copper Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon ($6), a nice addition to the whole meal.

While we waited, we shared an appetizer of fried homemade mozzarella. A far cry from your basic stick of processed cheese, these large slabs of delicate cheese came coated in a spiced breading. Fried to perfection, the mozzarella could have been a meal in itself. For the first time that I can remember, we actually had appetizer leftovers.

For $1.99, I ordered a side Caesar salad. The word "side" is misleading. I received a large plate of fresh romaine lettuce torn into bite-sized chunks, dotted with crunchy croutons and plenty of grated cheese and graced with, per my request, whole anchovies. The light, delicate Caesar dressing was terrific, and my server confessed she occasionally asks to take some home. I can see why. It was the best $1.99 I've spent in a long while.

As we ate our openers, we enjoyed relaxing in the comfortable atmosphere and wondering how we'd have room for our main dishes. I can tell you that, despite two pieces of bread, a large salad and some fried mozzarella, I managed to finish my delicious ravioli. Covered in a rich, slightly sweet tomato sauce, the delicately flavored cheese-filled pasta pillows were too good to leave behind. The filling - ricotta, pecorino, asiago, cream and mozzarella cheese - was lightly spiced with basil and garlic and melded well with the sauce.

My son's piccata, served at his request on angel hair pasta, offered a diff erent range of tastes. The sauce, thick and rich, complemented the breaded chicken, mushrooms and capers. He was very pleased with the meal, and had plenty of leftovers for the next day's lunch. (He did eat most of the fried mozzarella.)

Dino's Trattoria, located in the Victoria Building at 277 Main St., Marlborough, is open Monday through Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday at noon. For more information, call 508-481-0020 or visit www.dinostrattoria.com.