Girasole

On the standard menu, meanwhile, expect to pay mid-teens for appetizers, and $26 or more an entree for fish and meat. In general, these were well-prepared, albeit plainly. An excellent prime sirloin came sliced and fanned quite simply over an arugula-Parmesan salad. A whole branzino, expertly filleted by Michele from inside its salt crust, was plump and pristinely moist. A seared tuna steak, meanwhile, was a fine piece of fish, even if the salsa-like jalapeño-tomato-avocado sauce was strangely out of place.

But in general, these big-ticket dishes provided the least interesting moments of my meals. And considering that Girasole offers a three-course prix-fixe for $35 (every night but Saturday) showcasing some of its strengths, that's a smarter approach.

Some of the pastas were among the highlights there, but I also loved the homemade sausages - both the spicy links and thinner cervellata coils studded with provolone - that came over white beans with broccoli rabe. There was also an elegant take on veggie Parmesan, with thin slices of delicately breaded eggplant and zucchini layered with mozzarella and basil-infused tomato sauce, that reminded me of a family supper I once ate at a friend's apartment in Naples.

The bargain menu also offers a starter of classic carpaccio (beef or tuna), which is one of this kitchen's signature moves and favorite themes. On the regular menu, slices of filet mignon come served myriad ways - either cold and raw beneath a classic garnish of arugula and Parmesan cheese, or placed atop a hot plate, where it warms slightly, beneath artichokes, asparagus, and truffle oil.

It was worth veering a la carte, however, for one of the seafood carpaccios, especially the octopus, which had been simmered, cooled, pressed, and shaved into gorgeous rosettes that looked like tiles on the plate. Impressively tender, they had the texture and mildness of turkey breast with a vaguely oceanic aftertaste.

I was much less enthusiastic about the sparingly dressed branzino carpaccio, which wore a nakedly fishy twang. (The marinara-stewed calamari, likewise, were also ripe.) But that sea bass was far more successful in the crudo, where ribbons of bass were wrapped around tiny mozzarella balls with a vivid garnish of olive oil, sweet mustard, and citrus.

As part of a striking raw trio alongside slices of ruby tuna with lime zest and balsamic, and a hiramasa kingfish with blood orange, tomato, and avocado, this dish struck just the modern tone that Michele has been angling for.

And that's understandable, given Girasole's need to draw a younger crowd to bolster the aging core of its clientele. Of course, those Mimosas, some of whom eat here independently once a week, are as devoted as they come. But this new edition of Girasole, despite its glitzy veneer, is cooking some soulful Italian fare that's worthy of a new generation of fans.

Next Sunday, restaurant critic Craig LaBan reviews Wine Thief in Mount Airy. Contact him at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.