Those tomatoes reappeared with house-made mozzarella in an appetizer lively with fragrant basil leaves and good olive oil.

The pizza margherita ($9.95), is the perfect combination of crisp thin crust, melded cheese-and-tomato flavors and fragrant basil.

Yet even she admires this rendition, served with buttery hunks of fresh lobster, not too much sherry or cream and a handful of fragrant basil.

Good too were slippery seafood ravioli showered with fresh fragrant sweet basil, one of Mr. Izetta's favorite herbs.

The triangular slices of polenta, barely crisp like toast made of cornmeal, are topped with mushrooms cooked just enough to release their deep, rich flavor, cubes of fresh tomato, fragrant basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan.

For starters, try the rolled eggplant stuffed with spinach, ricotta cheese and tomato sauce; fried calamari, or fresh mozzarella with roasted sweet peppers with a drizzle of olive oil and fragrant basil.

Our favorite entree featured tender slices of lamb sauteed with onions and topped with handfulls of fragrant fresh basil.

Next, she orders the restaurant's signature salad of tomato and red onion, generously dressed with olive oil, oregano and fragrant basil.

A salad of mozzarella squares with sweet grape tomatoes ($9), big enough to serve two as an appetizer, is moistened with flavorful olive oil and fragrant basil leaves.

Ripe scarlet tomatoes and fragrant basil extend the taste of summer while sweet Italian prune plums herald fall.