By Ashley Griffin

A pair of local, wine and dining foodies introduced me to Tucci by way of a simple paper gift certificate years ago. My first visit - on a crowded New Year's Eve - lived up to their praises with rich Italian cuisine and a playful dessert crowned with festive sparklers to ring in the New Year. Nowadays, as I search for a new restaurant to break me of my downtown restaurant routine, it's that memory that makes Tucci spring to mind.

Located in downtown Lake Oswego, Tucci celebrates modern Italian food crafted from fresh Pacific Northwest offerings. French-born Executive Chef Pascal Chureau trained in France and served as the executive chef at multiple well-known San Francisco dining establishments. Today, he's traded in his illustrious past to run the helm of Tucci's kitchen.

Well-rounded lunch, dinner, and happy hour menus mirror one another with seasonal salads, oven roasted pizzas, seafood and pasta dishes. A seat near the fireplace in the adjacent Lido Bar provides the perfect casual locale to unwind and enjoy Tucci's diverse menu. For starters, a browned bowl of calamari arrives with a duo of simple sauces: lemon aioli with a hint of garlic and a spicy smoked tomato aioli. The calamari tastes a touch bland when sampled sans the sauces, but wins favor for being crisp without being overly greasy.

In contrast, the roasted chicken pizza is heavy with grease and light on the fresh flavors and colorful produce. Topped with goat cheese, pale artichoke hearts, smoked mozzarella, and a scattered handful of dark chicken meat, the pizza misses the mark for visual presentation and appetizing appeal. Better luck might be had with their Genoa salami or innovative potatoes and truffle oil pizzas.

A simple Dungeness crab bruschetta fares well, however, served atop grilled ciabatta artfully layered with long slivers of brightly hued avocados. A heaping pile of fresh crab completes the trio of textures with its natural but delicious flavors.

Whenever the cuisine misses its mark, Tucci's dimly lit, enchanting restaurant comes to the rescue. The restaurant glows with tiny candles and warm-hued tapestries, providing a cozy, welcome environment even without a packed house. As daylight fades on a Monday afternoon, pairs of old friends trickle into the bar and restaurant, enjoying late lunches, a budget-friendly happy hour and casual conversations.

Years ago, Tucci's New Year's Eve menu surprised, delighted and stuffed me and my dining companion to the brim. Tonight's cuisine isn't as cunningly crafted, but Tucci still offers many opportunities to break out of a dining rut with a rare trip to the suburbs for some good cuisine and an equally pleasing atmosphere.