When popular Greenpoint restaurant Queen's Hideaway closed last October, chef/owner Liza Queen told us she was pulling the plug because her "prick of a landlord" had "astronomically" raised her rent, adding, "I think we're the last of those kind of vaguely scruffy places [in the neighborhood]." Now a new restaurateur is having a go at the location, and true to Queen's prediction, her famously hostile hideaway has been transformed into the comparatively un-scruffy Anella, which embodies the elegantly decaying, urban rustic ambiance that's so ubiquitous these days. That the bar top is made of recovered piano wood from the Steinway factory in Astoria pretty much tells you all you need to know about the design.

The chef you'll see hustling in the completely open kitchen is Michael Sullivan, formerly of Chanterelle. His menu (see below) skews Italian, with pasta dishes such as the delicious (and generously portioned) homemade five cheese ravioli ($14). Other entrees include an oven-roasted halibut ($18); shell steak with marrow, gremolta and olive oil mashed potatoes ($22); and pork loin wrapped in bacon with fruit mustard and roasted potatoes ($17). An appetizer salad of arugala with pears & Baylay Hazen blue cheese, dressed with balsamic honey & olive oil ($8) is stellar, and pizzas include a tasty truffle cheese & onion pie ($15), as well as a white pie with homemade mozzarella & asiago cheese, topped with diced Little Neck clams and cooked in white wine ($14).

The garden that helped make Queen's Hideaway such a hit isn't open yet at Anella, but the owners say they're growing produce for the kitchen back there, and lots of herbs are already flourishing. It'll open for dining sometime next month, bringing brunch service with it. And though there's still no liquor license, that didn't stop curious locals from packing the place this weekend; when it comes to Italian in this part of Greepoint, Anella definitely has the market cornered. The closest competition would seem to be Divine Folly on Manhattan, which isn't in the same league, though it is cheaper. See the menu below.

Anella // 222 Franklin Street // (718) 389-8100 //5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5:30 to 11:00 Friday and Saturday and 5:00 to 10:00 on Sunday. Closed Mondays.

APPETIZERS

Bruscetta of the Day 6

Piccolo Fritto Misto with lemon Aioli 10

Carpaccio of the Day 9

Carprese Salad 8

Chicken liver crostini with Anella Bacon 7

Mussels cooked with garlic, white wine & herbs 12

Terrine of the Day served with fruity mustard 8

SALAD

New York State Farm Greens with lemon & olive oil 6

Roasted marinated beets with sherry wine vinegar, olive oil & shallots 7

Arugala with pears & Baylay Hazen blue cheese, dressed with balsamic honey & olive oil 8

PIZZA

Margherita Pie

Tomato sauce, house made mozzarella & basil 10

Truffle Cheese & Onion Pie

Slow cooked Spanish onions, fresh thyme, topped with cheese

and drizzled with truffle oil 15

Three Cheese & Herb Pie

House made mozzarella, ricotta & fontina, drizzled with olive oil

and topped with herbs from the garden 12

White Pie with Clams

Homemade mozzarella & asiago cheese, topped with diced Little Neck clams

and cooked in white wine & herbs 14

PASTA

Bucatini with oven dried tomatoes & herbs 14

Orchiette with roasted cauliflower, garlic and red pepper flakes 13

Spinach papardelle with bacon and amatriciana sauce 15

Homemade five cheese ravioli with a light tomato cream 14

Linguine with white or red cockle sauce 16

FISH

Pan-seared wild salmon with roasted pepper relish served over roasted vegetables 16

Oven-roasted halibut with oven roasted tomatoes and Salsa Verde 18

Chef's Choice fish special M/P

MEATS

Shell steak with marrow, gremolta and olive oil mashed 22

Pork loin wrapped in bacon with fruit mustard and roasted potatoes 17

Roasted half-chicken with garden herbs & succo and roasted potatoes15

SIDES

Assorted brick oven roasted vegetables tossed in olive oil, garlic & herbs 5

Sautéed greens, cooked with garlic & olive oil 5

Olive oil mashed potatoes 5

Special of the Day 5

CHEESE

Chef's selection of Saxelby cheeses served with walnut bread & honey 15

Sullivan Street Bread Plate w/ first press olive oil 3