DineOut
by E.J. Arnell

Ghostbusters
With all respects to the dearly departed Toopees, divino Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar makes a statement in its own right

Reputations are difficult to escape from, especially for buildings. I once worked in a funky Southwestern-style restaurant in Vancouver that attracted a lot of movie stars. I rubbed shoulders with Corbin Bersen, Sam Elliott, and David Duchovny. Little did they know‹the place was haunted. In the late 1800s, it had been a brothel and the head madam, Maxine, had been murdered in the basement. She was stabbed 17 times and then set on fire. Many people believe the ghost of Maxine haunts the restaurant, and there are countless stories to support her presence. Furthermore, Maxine's ghost probably has a lot of company, as the building was also a crematorium. But the ghosts notwithstanding, it's still a great restaurant serving the best chimichangas north of both borders‹even if the candles do blow out on their own. The quirky reputation only adds to the allure.

I hope that the ghosts at 1830 West Alabama, now the home of divino Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, will be friendly to the new tenants, Jim and Patrick McCray...because they deserve it. (The D in "divino" is lowercase, Jim says, so as to not confuse it with a divinity. The name comes from di vino, or "about wine" in Italian.) Many of you remember this spot as Toopees, and this seems to be the biggest threat to the new owners: living up to the reputation that all of you helped to make. Toopees's creator, Caroline Burum, was a friendly lady that shared her positive energy with the people she loved to feed. But divino is nothing like Toopees‹if someone led you into the spot blindfolded, you probably wouldn't even realize you were in the same space. The new ambiance is muted and serene, the food quietly upscale. The location of the women's and men's restrooms have even been switched! About all the two eateries share in common is a street address and a friendly hands-on approach. Like anyone, Jim and Patrick McCray are going to have to fight the battle to create their own reputation in this space, but fortunately they are well equipped to do so.

There is a lot of passion in this father-son team; both are self-taught experts in the two separate themes at divino: Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar. Papa (Jim) rules the wine bar with an ever-changing, exciting list of international selections available by the bottle, and many by the glass or two-ounce taste. You can sit at the beautiful wood bar sipping samples and admiring the bottles that are displayed on brilliant copper pipes, or you can relax with company at one of the less than 20 tables. Jim's hospitable approach and constantly changing list are sure to create a strong following of wine connoisseurs.

The son (Patrick) was in Italy for the 1990 World Cup‹as a spectator‹and it was during this visit that he first remembers tasting real Italian food. He was so inspired that he later returned to learn firsthand the art of Italian cooking at the Merlino restaurant of Castel d'Aiano, a little town outside Bologna. Influenced by the traditional recipes and the use of fresh ingredients, he developed an authentic Italian menu to complement his father's wine bar. Co-commandeering the kitchen with Patrick is Mike Cimino, who comes to divino with such Houston Italian chef pedigree as La Strada and La Fiamma.

Despite the young vintages, most of the wines are worth trying. We began with a sampling of their medium-bodied reds to sip alongside two appetizers, the bruschetta trio and rosemary shrimp skewers. This build-your-own brushetta is a hit. Picture grilled rustic bread served with three small bowls of toppings: tomatoes and basil‹sweet and flavorful even without the garlic; olive tapenade‹zingy with diced kalamata olives; and Tuscan canellini bean puree‹the sweeter Italian version of humus. This dish is a great sharing plate to get your appetite going. I'm not too fond of the paring of shrimp with rosemary, but the grilled herbed polenta that accompanies them was terrific.

With any of the pasta dishes, I would recommend that you try a glass of the Clos du Lac Cabernet Franc. The intensely strong flavors of this wine cut through the rich food and leave you with a fine balance. Emily's goat cheese ravioli are delicate little pasta pillows made fresh daily by Patrick with goat cheese, chives, and parmigiano, then tossed in sage butter and served with toasted pine nuts. They are dreamy. If you're feeling like something more substatial, then try the hearty Bologna-style spinach tagliatell. The al dente spinach noodles are topped with a generous amount of an incredibly rich, melt-in-your-mouth meat sauce. Merlin's pappardelle is a simple standby. The extra wide egg noodles are fun to coerce onto your fork and the porcini mushroom cream sauce will have you reaching for your wine with a smile.

The pasta dishes come in two sizes and the larger portion is definitely a meal's worth, but feel free to order a half pasta as an appetizer before moving on to a main course‹the Italians do. For entrees there is chicken, pork, beef, and fish, which come with a variety of vegetable and grain accompaniments. If you're on a date or with several friends, this is the time to ask for a bottle of Windwalker's Barbera, a smoky wine from the Sierra foothills. The pork tenderloin medallions come with a pistachio, shallot, and cream sauce that works well with the accompanying steamed asparagus and roasted rosemary potatoes. The Sicilian seared tuna comes surrounded by an absolutely delicious lemon basil risotto topped with cherry tomatoes, black olives, and capers. The mixture of these Mediterranean prizes on the tangy risotto is enough reason for me to order this dish again, even though I was unhappy with the tuna‹it just wasn't seared, it was soft and needed a hotter fire. I am willing to assume that the kitchen can work out little kinks like this. What is important is that the menu is simple and good.

Happily, in lieu of dessert we had a refreshing glass of Moscato d'Asti‹a crisp, cool cleansing way to end a rich, filling dinner. It helps with digestion and prepares you to sever the roots that you might have established over the evening. The atmosphere of divino looks fresh and new when you first enter, but once you sit down, a strong comfortable vibe takes over. It leaks out of the mahogany, oozes into the room with the easy music, arrives in a server's smile, and gets absorbed with every bite of food and sip of wine. This is a family-run business, and the heart of this family is in every aspect of this restaurant: Jim and Patrick McCray are there each night giving anyone who comes through the door the opportunity to feel the vibe. Stop by divino and become part of its new reputation.

divino Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar, 1830 West Alabama, 713/807-1123. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 4:30 p.m.-midnight. (Light menu only, 10:30-11:30 p.m.)