Camera in the Kitchen: Cucina di Pesce

Patrons of Cucina di Pesce range from young to old, faithful to the comforts of contemporary Italian cuisine in a spacious, East Village setting unfettered by attempts to be too hip. There's no fusion and no foam, just a classic, comprehensive menu offering old favorites like shrimp scampi and fettucini primavera, and more contemporary concoctions such as pumpkin ravioli and fusilli sun-dried tomato. Selecting a bottle off the modest wine list (most bottles fall in the $20-40 range) is the perfect way to toast to a meal, especially in the vine-canopied backyard garden on a summer evening after work.