Everything from the grill was first-rate. The wonderfully charred rib-eye ($42)—not a plate-covering portion, but priced like one—had a dry rub of cracked mustard seed and dried lemon that gave just the right crust without overpowering the nicely chewy meat. The organic farm-raised Scottish salmon ($29) was as tasty as nonwild salmon gets; a portion of brick-pressed chicken ($22), impressively huge. The accompaniments weren't generally as good: dull, slightly undercooked lentils with the salmon, overly cheesy grilled romaine and Gorgonzola with the beef. The crisp-skinned roast potatoes and braised greens with the chicken were hearty and simple, but the pancetta in the greens only intensified the way-salty bird.

Pastas follow the Sorellina model of being generously portioned and satisfying, if blurry flavored. Weakest was the tough pappardelle with pancetta, with enough huge pieces of rabbit to make a main course, and seemingly just oil for a sauce ($13 per half-portion, which is ample for most people; $25 for full). Capellini with salt cod, clams, and shrimp ($13/$25) came off dry, and—as is too often true with such a fine cut of pasta—the angel hair tasted overcooked. The best of the three I tried was the rigatoni ($11/$23), with a very meaty but very good Bolognese first perfected at Teatro.

Save room for dessert, as pastry chef Jennifer Pearson bears watching. She seems interested mainly in chocolate, perhaps reflecting her early training with Lee Napoli, an experienced pastry chef who recently opened her own chocolate shop, ChocoLee, in the South End. The warmish chocolate cake ($10), rich but nongooey, wasn't overwhelming, and was well complemented by a puddle of salty caramel sauce and honey-vanilla gelato. Pearson makes absolutely fresh little cake doughnuts ($9) that are far too good (and filling) to wait till dessert for. And her variation on baked Alaska—chocolate-hazelnut and vanilla semifreddos served over a round of chocolate cake and topped with a dome of spiky, marshmallowy meringue ($10)—is a showpiece. It sure pleased me: big, simple, and good, like so much at this very big new restaurant.