A Review of Da Giorgio, in New Rochelle A TINY shopping strip on a quiet stretch of Quaker Ridge Road is an unlikely spot for a terrific Italian restaurant, but that is where you will find Da Giorgio. And it may well be that the restaurant's patrons wish it were even more inconspicuous. The place is small - the long, narrow dining room seats only 45 - and regulars know they need a reservation, especially on weekends. Since opening Da Giorgio almost five years ago, Giorgio Giacinto, the executive chef, has brought his special vision to the offerings, along with the skill and experience not only to render Italy's great traditional dishes but to throw in a few creative curves as well. Take tortellini in brodo, a classic starter in most Italian restaurants. The difference is that here the little homemade meat-filled rings were weightless, and the deep-flavored brodo, sublime. Other starters were as carefully prepared, like a rollettini of soft wafers of baby eggplant filled with lovely creamy ricotta; and a large but light meatball stuffed with mozzarella and plated with crisp, dressed greens. Salumi, too, stayed the traditional course; dewy mortadella, sopressata and prosciutto loaded the otherwise naked plate. A few garnishes for contrast - perhaps an order of olives or thin slices of cheese - would have been welcome, but the dish impressed a well-traveled dining companion who knew the generous starter as affettati misti and called the dish classic. Unadorned, it might best be shared. We discovered too late that the salad called Calamari Pocco Pazzo (a little crazy) is the chef's signature dish, an exciting-sounding mélange of crisped calamari, arugula, banana and avocado, the whole sprinkled with a ginger and citrus vinaigrette. But a beet salad that we chose instead was more than competent with its fresh greens, chopped vegetables and, not least, curdy ricotta salata. Only a special burrata disappointed. This usually supple and creamy mozzarella creation arrived cold and tough. Properly sticky risotti are taken seriously here, and three are offered. Risotto can be satiating, so consider sharing if other dishes are to be ordered. It would be a pity to miss the rich mushroom risotto, chock-full of assorted wild mushrooms. Pasta was cooked perfectly, and from a dozen, the three we sampled were impressive. An unusually delicate production called lasagna Calabrese came layered with homemade lasagna, wafers of prosciutto, meatballs the size of marbles and semimild caciocavallo cheese. One of the great simple dishes, spaghetti Amatriciana, was all it should be, the pasta glossed with a sauce of onion, tomato, chili flakes and slivers of guanciale. And tasting as good as it looked was the show-stopper, a knockout presentation of tagliolini Portofino, in which a wreath of carefully placed mussels framed a center of clams, shrimp and calamari piled on a nest of tagliolini. Diners have a half-dozen styles of scaloppini to choose from - including picatta, Milanese and parmigiano. But my guests and I sampled a few lesser-known entrees, like Cornish hen crisped under a brick (galletto alla diavoce). This excellent bird indeed "sings" under a shower of rosemary, chili flakes and a healthy dose of sweet black pepper, accompanied by an acidic salad that beautifully balances the hen's sweetness. It came with delicate wafers of crisped potato and dark slippery spinach, as did a few other dishes, although the moist chicken cacciatore (a special) was served with a big helping of this stew's flavorful vegetables, mostly onions and tomatoes. Two seafood specials were also first rate. The mild flavor of orange roughy can sustain bold enrichment, and this firm fish was given a brilliant boost from a sweet potato crust and a sauce of thick lobster bisque. And a citrus sauce finished a generous and juicy filet of red snapper sprinkled with chopped capers. A fine piece of salmon could have used a more robust pesto, but its subtlety pleased most diners at our table. The dessert menu is full of beautifully accomplished temptations. Try the smooth panna cotta, magically evanescent on the tongue, with raspberry sauce and crunchy bits of candied walnuts. Gelati can be as refreshing as blood orange or somewhat icy, like pomegranate. Much more dependable were tiramisu - lady fingers almost buckling under thick layers of mascarpone - and classic affogato, vanilla ice cream under a dousing of hot espresso. Da Giorgio 77 Quaker Ridge Road (in the Quaker Ridge Shopping Center) New Rochelle (914) 235-2727 dagiorgiorestaurant.com THE SPACE This tunnel of a restaurant, squeezed into a short shopping strip, has a tall, golden pressed tin ceiling and mottled butterscotch walls, one with a garden mural, that lend charm and warmth to the long and narrow dining room. Wheelchair accessible. THE CROWD Mostly casually attired adults; the space is tight for children, who might get antsy. Good service; but unless you've planned a leisurely dinner, best be prepared to order when the waiter comes around the first time. THE BAR A service bar with only wine and beer. Well-priced wines by the bottle, $28 to $90; by the glass, $8. THE BILL Lunch entrees, $8 to $15. Dinner entrees, $17 to $30. Only Visa and MasterCard accepted. WHAT WE LIKED Tortellini in brodo, beet salad, salumi, eggplant rollettini, stuffed meatball Calabrese, mushroom risotto, lasagna Calabrese, tagliolini Portofino, spaghetti Amatriciana, orange roughy in lobster bisque (special), red snapper with capers (special), Cornish hen under brick (galletto alla diavoce), chicken cacciatore (special), blood orange gelato, panna cotta, tiramisu, affogato. IF YOU GO Lunch: Tuesday to Friday, noon to 3 p.m. Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. Reservations are accepted and are usually necessary, especially on weekends.