First and foremost, the reason for their longevity is that the place is overrun with relatives. Everwhere you look you see someone who is a member of the Consiglio extended family.

Nancy, our waitress for the evening, brought out a basket of lovely Italian bread. She is first cousin to Laurie and Trish Consiglio, our congenial hosts. As we perused the menu, I surveyed the restaurant's recent renovations.

The newly decorated dining room has a very open and fresh feel to it. The walls are painted marve with plum accents and a wooden wainscotting. The far wall is white brick with shuttered window-like openings separating the single medium-sized dining room from the small lounge area and kitchen, Watercolor paintings adorn the walls in muted pastel colors. If restaurants resemble their owners, then it stands to reason that they also have gender. Consiglio's has a very feminine vibe to it. Most of the relatives buzzing around our table are of the female persuasion. White ceiling fans purr overhead and track lighting is understated. Plants are mercifully kept to a minimum byt fresh flower arrangements grace each table. Cool jazz plays in the distance. The overall effect is very comfortable, whether one is in a business suit or jeans.

"So, how was the food?" you're probably asking around now. In a word..heavenly. The first of the appetizer sampled was Consiglio's Own Pizza Crisps, as the menu states it. They were very light, almost pea bread-like wafers with mozzarella, olive oil, crushed plum tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes arranged on top. Lightly baked and crispy textured, they were also very unusual. They also reminded me of the scene in the Monty Python film "The Meaning of Life" when the overweight "food critic" in the posh Italian restaurant was offered an after dinner mint. "But sir, they're wafer thin" the snippy waiter remarked before the "food critic" literally blew up! Sometimes I feel like that after a review, with life imitating art. Caprese was served next with slices of fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato and sundried tomato arranged in a wheel with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Pitted black olives were decorative accents to a delicious dish. Polenta Baskets were out of this world! Resembling corn muffins, they were stuffed with porcini mushrooms and gorgonzola cheese. Polenta, as readers of this column already know, is Italian corn meal. This dish goes back to an Italy before pasta, and was a meal high point. Frutti Di Mar was chilled mussels, clams, calamari and scungilli. Served on a bed of fresh greens with lemon basil vinagrette this "fruit of the sea" was a paragon of freshness. It was finished with roasted peppers, olives, and olive oil with lemon wedges.

A quick trip to the newly redone bar area revealed an oversized print of a Doonesbury cartoon where Mike and J.J., then Yale students go to Consiglio's for dinner. I guess Gary Trudeau enjoyed the place in his time.

An intermezzo of Escarole and lhaam was rich with sausage, pepperoni and greens mixed with canalloni beans and puree. Words cannot describe this portage like mixture - so order it yourself. A little grated cheese and red pepper were "the icing on the cake" and a glass of Chianti Classico 1991 Aziano red wine made the whole thing go down smooth.

The first entree was Veal with Wild Mushroom and was a scallopine of veal with porcini mushrooms, gorgonzolla cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomato bits. It was an exquisite, as were the homemade ravioli sampled next. Stuffed with smoked mozzarella and ricotta cheese they were in a light plum tomato sauces blushed with Italian Marscapone cheese. All entrees come with a pasta or vegetable. Chicken with Pontina Cheese was lightly fried white chicken breasts drizzled with Fontina. The cheese has a darker flavor but melts like mozzarella and is becoming very trendy among young chefs. Speaking of young chefs, I tip my hat to Chef Tim Ryan who I'm told is half-Italian. Lastly, Pork Loin Alla Grille was grilled pork loin topped with peppers, onions, eggplant and plum tomatoes. It was a very summery dish and reminds me of the better days to come. Moist and flavorful it was a fine end to our entrees.

Desserts were outrageous but for space limitations you'll have to try the chocolate filled ravioli, homemade Napoleon pastry and Reginatta yourself. Dinner for four came to roughly $100 minus the wine, tax and tip. I want to thank Trish and Laurie Consiglio for a great meal. Now that I've met them; I can tell them apart. Also kudos go out to the lovely Barbara Consiglio, her husband Pat and sister Anna Consiglio Abbenante. Their restaurant resembles them and they are all beautiful people.