Feasting lakeside on Mediterranean fare

Allora Ristorante
139 Lakeside Ave. (Route 20)
Marlborough
508-485-4300
alloraristorante.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday, 4-10 p.m.
Reservations accepted
Accessible to the handicapped
Major credit cards, except Discover

Sitting outside on the deck at Allora Ristorante overlooking Lake Williams reservoir on a steamy summer night, with glasses of sangria in hand, was a very pleasant experience. So was the food at this upscale Italian-Mediterranean eatery, which opened in June. Allora is a welcome addition to the near-desolate stretch of Route 20 west just before the Interstate 495 interchange. It has an elegant but casual feel with vines and Italian scenes painted on the interior and exterior.

Before they opened Allora, husband and wife co-owners Joseph Ferro and Laura Palmer ran Joseph's on Main, an Italian restaurant near Marlborough City Hall, for 10 years. About three years ago, they closed Joseph's because "it was a small building with very little parking and very limited" in space, said Palmer. The couple wanted something larger and they found it in Allora, which, including the patio, seats 240 and also has a bar and separate room for private functions.

Curiously, seafood, chicken, and steak dishes dominate the menu, rather than pasta.

"We didn't just want to go with all pasta [dishes] because that would be all family-style. . . . We felt in this area that the quality was missing, and serving the best seafood and the best meat were things you can't get at other places," Palmer said.

One outstanding classic Italian appetizer was the stuffed eggplant with ricotta, marinara sauce, and mozzarella ($8). The sauce and ricotta were wonderful and the eggplant was sliced paper-thin. We also enjoyed the portabella mushroom ($10), which sat atop a bed of wilted spinach, garlic, roasted peppers, gorgonzola, and baby greens. The mushroom was grilled to perfection and the other flavors complemented it nicely. And while we were tempted to pass on a generous serving of mussels marinated in white wine, garlic, tomatoes, sweet onion, and capers ($12), we were glad we didn't.

For main dishes, we selected a pan-roasted rib eye in a port wine demi-glacé with sweet peas and caramelized pearl onions over risotto ($29). The steak was standard, outshone by the rich and creamy risotto. A grilled veal chop over braised radicchio with Tuscan white beans and red onion ($27) was perfectly seasoned and cooked exactly as requested, rendering it tender and juicy.

A cannoli ($7) for dessert could hold its own against any from the North End. The homemade ricotta was not too sweet and had just the right consistency, and the shell tasted fresh and crunchy, which we often find is not the case.

With summer in its waning moments, it's a good time to grab an outdoor table and give Allora a try.

ESTHER SHEIN