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reviewed on: January 11, 2008

The first thing a restaurateur usually does when he takes over a failed establishment is change the name. However, in the case of Bruno’s Italian Bistro, there was no need to do so. Although the restaurant, during its final days the last time around, had slipped quite a bit, there were still a lot of people who had memories of many fine meals there and were sorry to see it go.

When the buzz went out about six months ago that Bruno’s was going to reopen, and would retain the old name, there was a lot of anticipation among diners. Well, Bruno’s is open now, and this week we paid our first visit.

Aside from the name, understand that this is not the old Bruno’s. So, if you go expecting to relive past times, forget it. Your first indication that things are different than they were is the sleek, gracious interior, a far cry from the chalkboards and artificial grape trellises which personified the old Bruno’s. Everything from the soft, lemon-colored walls to the banquette seating to the bar with its overhanging wine storage to frosted windows with their “porthole” glimpses of the world outside is different.

And, of course, the menu, created by Chef Eric Roeder, has changed as well, and now features a selection of Italian favorites from spaghetti and meatballs to pizzas to pan-roasted salmon with lots of stops along the way. You’ll find many familiar sounding dishes like fried calamari, eggplant parmesan, and shrimp fra diavolo, but then you’ll find some intriguing unique items, like the Bella Donna pizza made with preserved lemon, mascarpone cheese, capers and shrimp. There are pasta dishes, full entrees, and even a variety of sandwiches for those with lighter appetites.

Among the appetizers, the one that immediately caught our eye was the Roman fried artichokes, slivers of tender artichoke leaves lightly sautéed, and served with a citrusy lemon aioli. Even if you’re not a big fan of conventional artichokes, this dish will leave you smiling.

A good indicator of the worth of an Italian restaurant is the pasta carbonara. We’ve had it over-sauced, under-sauced, too oily, and generally unpleasant on many occasions. At Bruno’s the carbonara was close to perfect, creamy with lots of bacon and peas, served over linguine.

Then we decided to see how they’d do with something a bit creative, and chose the osso buco, traditionally done with veal, but here prepared with a pork shank served with crisp-fried slabs of polenta and a gremolada sauce of citrus and parsley. I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to substituting pork for veal, but I have to admit this fall-off-the-bone presentation was quite good.

Prices at Bruno’s are modest, ranging across the teens, with sandwiches priced below $10. Service is sharp and attentive and, as before, with acres of free parking, you’ll never have to worry about where to leave your car.

Bruno’s Italian Bistro, 2223 S. Monaco Parkway (southwest corner of Monaco and Evans by the King Soopers), 303-759-7025