DINING OUT

IO AMO L’ITALIA (From left) Handmade Crispy Gnocchi with a four cheese fonduta, black truffle, and chive; bruschetta with smashed burrata, tomato, prosciutto, and basil; patio dining on the renovated second floor; Corporate Sous Chef Adam Reed.

now made by hand). It was the kind of dish that makes me want to return in winter just to soak up its warmth. What better accompaniment to a warm bowl of pasta than a heaping plate of meat? At $18, the Prosciutto Service is a pricey appetizer, but it’s enough meat to satisfy the snacking needs of a sizeable party. The prosciutto was perfect, soft and fatty with a sheen of oil, and there’s plenty of warm, buttery grilled bread to pile it onto.

Sticking to my mission of exploring Via Vite’s new menu items, I ordered the Chicken Milanese entrée. Like the Pasta e Fagioli, it’s pure comfort food, a lighter take on that hearty Northern Italian dish, Veal Milanese. Italian as it was, it reminded me of a schnitzel, with its light breading and sprinkle of lemon butter vinaigrette. The accompanying heirloom tomatoes and a lemony arugula salad provided further acidic bite.

Over the course of my meal, I saw a few parties come and go, including a couple down from Dayton for their anniversary dinner. They were eying my dessert, a delightful vanilla risotto with a caramelized top, a la crème brûlée. I assured them it tasted as good as it looked. They had made several trips to Via Vite over the years and were glad to see it humming again.

On my return visit, this time with two friends in tow, we were seated upstairs in a subdued, dimly lit area that seemed far from the madding crowd. I love that the renovated Via Vite allows for several different dining experiences—downstairs seating in the middle of the action; the more tranquil, romantic upstairs; and outdoor seating with a panoramic view of Fountain Square, which on most nights means dinner and a show.

The food was, for the most part, as good on my second visit as the first. We started off with salads, a half portion of the Classic Caesar and a half portion of the Boucheron Goat Cheese salad (Via Vite offers half portions of both salads and pastas, ideal for diners who love to play the field). Of the two, the goat cheese salad was certainly the highlight. The frisée, with its speckles of pistachio and drizzle of raspberry-truffle vinaigrette, had a rich, smoky flavor that was enveloped, but not smothered, by the creamy cheese.

The Fritto Misto appetizer was a great follow-up to the salad course. Calamari and shrimp are lightly breaded and fried and served in a basket with Fresno chilies and grilled lemon. Unlike so many fried seafood dishes that evoke little more than a bubbling fryer, the sea really shines through here, while the Fresno chilies add a pleasant tingle to the briny dish. The dish itself is proof that Via Vite’s heartier menu still has room for light, refreshing Italian fare. Ditto for the tangy, oily Burrata Panzanella: a medley of creamy cheese, charred broccolini, tomatoes, croutons, and a crisp Calabrian vinaigrette. If you’re looking for the quickest possible trip to some sun-soaked piazza, take a bite of this dish and be transported.

My friends chose pasta dishes as entrées, both of which were solid. The lasagna, which is available only on Fridays, was soft with a nice smoky char. My vegetarian friend opted for the Mama’s Eggplant Parmigiana appetizer, smothered in a robust pomodoro sauce (similar to marinara but thicker), as her main. It rested on a bed of spaghetti that she described as “Proper al dente. You can sink your teeth into it.” Of course, I had to try some and she was right.

That’s the thing about the new Via Vite. It’s cozier and more comfortable, but it still offers the kind of food and the kind of night that you can’t wait to sink your teeth into.