Tavolino

NORTH TUCSON. Tiny and trendy, Tavolino is one restaurant where reservations are an absolute must. Northern Italian cuisine is the specialty, with homemade pastas and grilled meats being the main choices. The logical appetizer choice is the Antipasto Assortito, a daily-changing array of meats, cheeses and marinated veggies that serves to excite the taste buds without sating the appetite. Although the offerings change regularly, two pasta dishes stand out: delicate butternut squash ravioli in butter and sage, and the layered lasagna, aromatic with meat and garlic. Grilled lamb chops and char-broiled chicken are also reliably well-prepared. Save room for the Bonet, a swoon-inducing chocolate custard topped with caramel sauce.