"I love to discover places like Aroma. It may have a shopping center glass storefront and the menu may be a laminated, tri-folded sheet, but there's not a meatball or a paper place mat in sight.

Here, the walls are painted in a faux-marble pattern, bright yellow napkins are perched at each place setting, and the menu lists sophisticated delights: carpaccio, grilled polenta, risotto, portobello. Serious food in a casual setting - that's my idea of heaven.

I often find that simple things are among the best indicators of a restaurant's quality. If the bread is crisp and warm, if the cappuccino foam lasts until the last sip, if you regret not being able to finish the side order of pasta - chances are that the main courses are memorable. Aroma does all of-these simple things well.

Anyone who's suffered through limp, waterlogged, stringy, or rubbery shrimp in a classic shrimp cocktail knows that this dish is not a guaranteed winner every time. At Aroma, though, the gamberoni cocktail ($9.95) is as it should be: four enormous, perfectly firm shrimp, crushed ice, bright lettuce garnish, and a sauce with just the right kick. Asparagi al limone ($6.95) was a symmetrical row of chilled, pencil-thin asparagus spears that had been steamed until tender-crisp. They arrived drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and framed by two plump lemon wedges. A squeeze of citrus, a twist of pepper . . . perfection.

Another starter, gamberia alla'aglio ($9.95), a profusion of succulent rock shrimp sauteed with garlic in virgin olive oil was absolutely delicious. One bite and I understood why my companion was so reluctant to surrender the plate to me for tasting.

One night, I made a special request for a half-portion of a pasta entree to begin my meal - and it was so good, I regretted not ordering it as a main course. Ravioli casarecci ($13.95 as an entree, $6.95 appetizer) features ravioli tinted green by the addition of spinach to the homemade pasta dough, stuffed with fresh ricotta cheese and more spinach, and dressed with a superb pink vodka sauce, chunky with tomatoes.

That same night, I was having trouble deciding on an entree, so I asked the advice of owner Anthony Cucinotta (who is Omnipresent at Aroma, serving as maitre d' and head waiter while also directing the kitchen). He pointed me toward vitello Carla ($15.95), murmuring "very tender, very nice." The sauteed veal scaloppine was tender indeed, enhanced by flavorful wild mushrooms, asparagus tips, shallots, and a light white wine sauce dotted with fresh tomatoes.

The fragile sole fillet in sogliola almandine ($16.95) was moist and flaky, crowned with a crust of delicate almond slices that provided a nice textural contrast to the fish. An unobtrusive white wine sauce allowed the mildly flavored main ingredients to take center stage.

An entree from the specials list permitted a revisit to the marvelous pink vodka sauce that had made the spinach ravioli appetizer so enticing. Lobster ravioli ($13.95), pillows of creamy ricotta blended with pungent lobster, had the bonus of a sprinkling of sauteed mushrooms.

Another memorable special brought sauteed rock shrimp and peppery arugula together with angel hair pasta ($14.95). The light sauce of garlic, olive oil, white wine, and diced tomatoes was a heavenly match for the angel hair.

Aroma delivers on small touches that make dining special: complimentary bruschetta with diced tomatoes and onions before the meal- a lovely plate of sliced fresh fruits after. A dessert tray is laden with cakes, tarts, and Italian specialties (the chocolate mousse cake is a fine choice), and cappuccino is presented in pretty, goblet-shaped mugs.

One cautionary note: Aroma is not a small restaurant, but the staff that runs it is. One Friday night, a small army of diners arrived without reservations and the staff (one member short in the kitchen, as it turned out) simply could not handle the rush. Should these circumstances repeat themselves, you should know this: The delay was annoying, but the food was worth the wait."