Cascina (CLOSED)

The name means “farmhouse” in Italian, and the room, indeed, offers plenty of rustic charm and lusty Tuscan dishes. The dining room has cavernously high ceilings, exposed bricks, wooden chairs and tables, and a giant wood-burning brick oven that turns out charred, crisp pizzas topped with puddles of buffalo mozzarella, zesty tomatoes, vegetables and cured meats. Terra-cotta crocks hold other oven-baked dishes like warm polenta with a wild mushroom ragù and baked eggplant. The pastas are especially noteworthy; the linguine with plump, juicy clams is accented with plum tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Main courses are more meaty; one pork chop is prepared with slow-cooked tomatoes, black olives, wild mushrooms, peppers and potatoes. A delicate panna cotta drizzled with a sweetened balsamic vinegar reduction is a nice departure from the usual tiramisu.