Upon walking into Café Allegro, you no doubt will be tempted to double-check the address, wondering whether this is the same place you've frequently heard praised in hushed, near-reverent tones. Its spartan furnishings are coupled with a motley collection of seaside paintings for an altogether underwhelming atmosphere. What lay ahead in the kitchen was an equally mixed bag. Beginning with appetizers, we were pleased to find the saffron focaccia a coherent blend of pungent flavors that nicely countered the earthy flat bread. The house salad, consisting of tired romaine with tufts of arugula and shreds of cucumber, couldn't be redeemed by a cleverly balanced lemon vinaigrette. This nearly unforgivable misstep, however, was all but forgotten once the entrees arrived. My rigatoni with shrimp and feta was tart and rich without being cloying. My companion's chicken vesuvio, often marred in lesser restaurants by overzealous use of garlic, was not far behind. Plump strips of chicken and silky wands of garlic potatoes were bathed in a white-wine sauce that would have been better served with a drier vintage. Indeed, the wine list at Café Allegro seems poorly selected for the menu; my glass of Signorello Chardonnay clashed violently with my entree. Should its salad chef and sommelier ever receive a basic primer on attention to detail, Café Allegro could indeed become a star in local dining instead of merely an extra.
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