Buon Appetito

Consistent quality and a chic ambience make Palm Beach's Bice Restaurant a favorite gathering place.

By Frederick J. Krantz

Recently, as a friend and I entered Palm Beach's mooring post for the rich and trendy, Bice, I found myself wondering how much it had changed since the last time I had dine there two and a half years ago.

Although some of its key personnel have changed, the venerable Bice still retains an ambience that evokes the almost-forgotten world of excellent service and distinctive dining that impressed me during my previous visit. Also, we discovered, the restaurant endures as a favorite gathering point for the ever-fascinating Palm Beach crowd.

My companion and I were seated at a table beside a window overlooking Peruvian Avenue, with its charming shops and fenced-in gardens. Nonetheless, on that evening, the view inside the restaurant was much more riveting. Even though we dined early, just after 6 p.m., the restaurant was full. Throughout the evening, we noticed as soon as diners left, their tables were re-set for others in the constant parade of loyal Bice customers.

Shortly after we were seated, we ordered a Campari and soda ($6) and a Pellegrino water ($5). A plate arrived of brushetti, circles of toasted bread, each cloaked with chopped tomatoes which sang of the flavors of fresh basil and garlic, for us to enjoy with our apperitivi.

Our waiter, Fabrizio, came to the table and made a few suggestions as to what we should order for dinner.

My companion began with Prosciutto d'anitra affumicato ($15) --- thin slices of silky-textured smoked duck --- whose gentle flavor was a perfect foil for the bite of the accompanying arugula salad and shaved Parmesan cheese. Similar in presentation, but different in both flavor and texture, was my Besaola della valtellina ($15), a dish of richly flavored, thinly sliced, air-dried beef, from the Piedmonte district of Northwest Italy, Fabrizio said, accompanied by spinach salad with shaved Parmesan adding a flouish of brio to the dish.

To drink with our hors d'oeurves, we chose a pleasing and smooth white wine, Regaleali, which offered an elusive whisper of clove ($7 a glass; $32 a bottle). Next, a salad, Panzanella Toscana ($12), a refreshing, mounded mosaic of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, fresh basil and croutons, was annointed with a tangy vinaigrette.

During my previous dinner at Bice, I was impressed with the pasta course I tasted. The pasta had a fine flavor, which was not masked by the sauce that was served with it. On this visit, I was happy to find that Bice's pasta is still a champion. I sampled the Agnolotti di vitello con salsa ai funghi ($20), light veal raviolis, bathed in a delicate and savory mushroom sauce. My companion's risotto ai quattro formagi con piselli ($21) was creamy and luscious, flavored with fresh peas and four Italian cheeses ---- fontina, provolone, Parmesan and Gorgonzola. The risotto was a meal in itself. We ordered a red wine with our entrees, the full-flavored Librani Ciro ($8.50 a glass; $34 a bottle).

Fabrizio brought our entrees. As with all the dishes we tried at Bice, the portions of our entrees were generous and attractively presented. The multi-flavored offering: grilled, tender-fleshed snapper ($29) con finocchi e pomodori secchi, with fennel and sun-dried tomatoes, was underscored with a piquant sauce made from lemon juice and capers.

My dinner companion was thrilled with her entree, Fegato di vitello alla Veneziana con purea di patate: sauteed calves' liver with onion, balsamic vinegar and potato puree ($25). The liver had been cut into small pieces before it was cooked, so each piece had a crusty outside and its inside was as soft and palatable as butter.

For dessert, Fabrizio asked the pastry chef to arrange a sampling of Bice's sensational selection of dolci. On each plate was a dazzling array: a raspberry/blackberry tart with creme anglaise, a slice of heavenly ricotta cheese cake, a numbus-light tiramisu, a rich rich chocolate pudding and profiteroles filled with creme anglaise and smothered with a dark chocolate sauce (all desserts, $9 each).