THE SCENE. The dining room is for highrollers, but the front room, at lunchtime and dinner, attracts local office workers with its bargain-priced menus featuring homestyle dishes from chef Roberto Donna's native Piedmont.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE. Generous portions of filling food at remarkably low prices, accompanied by a short list of inexpensive, hearty wines. In short, one of the city's great bargains.

WHAT YOU WON'T. What's not to like about good food at good prices? Still, a tendency among the waitstaff to treat denizens of the bar and osteria as coach class can temper one's enthusiasm over finding such lusty cooking at such appealing prices.

BEST DISHES. A wonderful tuna sandwich on focaccia; a superb dish of pappardelle with venison ragoût; rabbit with soft polenta; braised short ribs of beef; a comforting bolito misto of beef, tongue, veal cheeks, and capon in a rich, flavorful broth.