Restaurant of the Week: dell' anima

With just one taste of the heavenly handmade pappardelle alla bolognese ($17) at dell' anima, you might expect an Italian grandmother with a tomato sauce-splattered apron manning the stove. Instead, a glimpse into the open kitchen, preferably from your choice perch at the chef's counter, proves that Gabriel Thompson, a Del Posto and Le Bernardin alum, is running the show. On a recent Monday night, the lively crowd at this West Village hotspot was as big as Corner Bistro's down the street. Italian plaster walls and a granite bar dispensing Dale DeGroff's Italian-inspired cocktails lend as much simplified charm as the rustic menu. Begin the meal with do-it-yourself bruschetta ($10 for 3), with toppings like lily confit: a blend of pearl onions, shallots, cipollini onions, garlic and chili. Save room for the spicy chicken al diavolo ($19), a big, juicy breast splayed on top of grilled delicata squash. Wash it all down with one of the wines hand-selected by co-owner and GM Joe Campanale, the astoundingly sharp 23-year old who got his Italian grape intensive as Babbo's sommelier. A simple dessert, like fudgey chocolate terrine studded with black walnuts and amarena cherries ($7) is a delightful ending. But the real treat is Campanale's after-dinner libation -- a graceful little glass of homespun apple-infused grappa. 38 Eighth Ave., (212) 366-6633

Photo from NY Times