Creative menu fails to deliver.

Byline: Bill Cory

COLUMN: DINING REVIEW

One of our party, using a cane, climbed over the high front step; the first question asked by our greeter: "Would you like an upstairs table?" An inauspicious beginning.

Santino's is comfortable and homey; each floor offers a bar and spacious seating. The second floor features one tall table looking out to the big, interesting Town Hall opposite. Fresh bread and dipping oil arrived quickly. The oil's seasoning is dominated by garlic salt, but nonetheless habit-forming, a few red pepper flakes add power. We ordered a $21 bottle of Chilean Veramonte Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. It offered good flavor with little complexity.

The six appetizer choices were $6.95 to $10.95; garlic bread is less, but we had had plenty of bread already. We ordered stuffed mushrooms for $8.95 and fried calamari with marinara at $10.95. There were six good-sized mushroom caps, with a dark filling we'd guess was minced mushrooms, bread crumbs and grated Parmesan. Big, not bad, but not exciting. A generous platter - too big for two - of fried calamari was light on breading and underdone - not crispy, but rubbery and unappetizing. Perhaps the frying oil wasn't hot enough; perhaps the cooking time was too brief. Either way, the most expensive appetizer - calamari - was a poor choice. A $9.95 salad of romaine with fresh Granny Smith slices, walnuts and not quite enough gorgonzola cheese was appealing with balsamic dressing. Again, the portion was generous. House salads were included with entrees: romaine again, with red onion, two black olives and a single grape tomato cut in half.

There are four pages of entrees: Parmigiana, braciola, pasta, chicken and seafood. A side of spaghetti, linguini or ziti comes with most choices. Braciola can be eggplant, chicken, beef, veal or veal saltimbocca, at $14.95 to $20.95. Most are stuffed with Italian meats; saltimbocca is filled with mozzarella, mushrooms and prosciutto. The eggplant is rolled around Italian cheeses and sausage. Homemade red sauce, used throughout the menu, is rich and bright.

Parmigiana dishes can be eggplant, chicken or veal, $12.95 to $16.95. Nine pastas include most of what we'd expect, including lasagna, manicotti and homemade gnocchi, priced at $9.95 to $14.95. Chicken 10 different ways is $13.95 to $17.95. Seafoods are tuna, shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari for $11.95 to $20.95. Bevacqua di pesce combines shrimp, clams, scallops, mussels and calamari at $20.95. The big menu does offer some creative choices, including many interesting combinations such as Asiago chicken with dates, cranberries and slivered almonds in a cream sauce with Asiago cheese for $16.95.

The Soup Goddess made the best choice, eggplant braciola rolled around cheese and sausage for $14.95. The eggplant was good; the sausage and cheese a good addition.

My chicken Sorrento, $17.95, was stuffed with Italian meats and cheeses. A pinker version of the red sauce and mushroom slices topped it. This dish was badly overdone, though not nearly as tough as our guest's $21 veal entree - which was possibly the worst preparation of veal I've tasted.

Desserts are brought in, but the cannoli at $3.75 was fine. A slice of carrot cake, $5.95, was moist and good as well - tasty bit of fruit fell out among the crumbs.

Our dinner for two with that extra salad came to $72 plus beverages, tax and gratuity.

Someone with flair and imagination put this menu together carefully, but neither of those characteristics nor care made it through to the dinner served to us.

Santino's Italian Eating House & Tavern

102 Front St., Winchendon

* *

Hours: 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday; 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Thursday - Saturday

Phone: [phone]

Web: www.santinositalianeating.com

Parking: Street

Handicapped access: Poor to none: one high step to restaurant;

14 steps up to tiny restrooms

Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover

Prices: Moderate/high; entrees $9.95 - $20.95

Plusses: Gorgonzola apple walnut salad; homemade red sauce

Minuses: A creative menu mostly overcooked; the kitchen

exhibits no apparent skill or attention to quality

About the Stars

Perfection: * * * *

Very Good: * * *

Good: * *

Below Par: *

Serious Flaws: No stars

Restaurant reviews are the opinions of reviewers based upon at least one visit to the restaurant. The reviewer is accompanied by at least one companion. Recommendations from readers about restaurants they would like to have reviewed are welcome.