See and Be Scene CafÈ Milano Offers Good Location, Comfortable Setting, Excellent Food by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana There are many reasons to go to a restaurant, the food, the service, the atmosphere. Some even go for the crowd. Since 1992, people have been going to CafÈ Milano, just off the bustle of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street in Georgetown, for all four, and they usually havenít been disappointed. Over time, CafÈ Milano has become one of the places to see and be seen in Washington, D.C. But too much focus on this point takes away from the best reason for a visit, the excellent food. Owner Franco Nuschese has not allowed the restaurant to coast on its reputation as others have before. He maintains a consistently high standard for everything coming out of the kitchen. The menu at Cafe Milano is extensive, but executive chef Domenico Cornacchiaís kitchen handles all of his creations with a deft touch. Dishes are simple, light and feature exquisitely paired ingredients. Starters for example feature a cold lobster salad with lightly steamed green and yellow beans and artichoke hearts d ressed in a light mustard and orange zest sauce ($17). With the slightly rubbery texture of the lobster and delicate crunch of the beans, the dish plays off textures as effectively as it does tastes, and the yellow, green, pink and white colors of the dish mirror the colorful Italian ties and scarves that grace the walls of the main dining room. The regular dinner menu features an interesting variety of cold salads, from the simplestóa radicchio, endive and arugula blend ($9) that is just barely touched with balsamic vinaigrette and graced with a thin shaving of parmesanóto the more robust insalata ala panzanella ($9), Milanoís version of a traditional Tuscan bread salad that proved to be a robust combination of tomato, potatoes, red onion, celery and cucumber well seasoned with basil and olive oil. The pasta dishes were as varied as the salads and, giving nod to co-founderís Iraklis Karabassisís Milan fashion background, were all named after notable designers. The Versace house should be pleased that such a delightful dish as the veal stuffed ravioli with a butter and truffle sauce ($17) has been named after it. Pastas generally avoided the heavy butter cream cheese approach, instead featuring combinations of fresh vegetables, seafood and occasionally light tomato sauces. The gnocchi with porcini mushrooms, speck and veal jus ($16) was another of the richer and prime choices. For those wanting a lighter alternative (though none really felt heavy), the anelli cavalli (15$), ringed with zucchini, baby clams and shrimp was a winning selection as well. Veal was featured in several entrÈes. We particularly liked the roasted veal chop with wild mushrooms and herbs ($32 for the 14-ounce chop). A substantial chop, it was cooked to just past pink and served with simple potatoes, steamed baby zucchini, and a very nice oregano timbale on the side. Not surprisingly, CafÈ Milano prepares fish well, and again the success of the dishes lies in the simple preparation, few ingredients and careful attention to timing. The red snapper ($24) was perfectly broiled, barely spiced, and accompanied by potatoes and artichokes. In all of the dishes, the kitchen works toward a balance between the main element and its accompaniments. Never was a dramatic side dish allowed to usurp the place of the main ingredient. Surprisingly, even after first and second plates you may just be able to do justice to one of the desserts, although if you are eating late on a busy night, you may find your choices limited. If you are looking for something light and not too sweet, the peach and lemon sorbets ($7) are good choices. Served in frozen whole fruit, they were strong and had a notable texture, dense and not a bit icy. Chocolate lovers will appreciate the tortini di cioccolato ($7.50), an individual serving of hot chocolate cake with orange jam and a vanilla mint sauce. And for those who want something a bit different, the chestnut and chocolate fritters ($7.50) with vanilla grappa sauce are recommended. Unfortunately, service at CafÈ Milano was inconsistent. Despite the fact that it prides itself on giving each guest the special treatment, we found diners with reservations waiting long after their promised time had passed with no word from the front staff, while tables sat empty. After the considerable wait for a table, it took another 20 minutes just to get a menu. And although the wet spring weather has been hard on establishments that offer outdoor seating, you would expect management to plan accordingly. When it does rain, or threatens rain, perhaps itís better not to seat diners outside than to leave them sitting in the rain without a word from staff on where they might move. On a recent visit, several tables of diners found themselves in just such a predicament. You would expect such a well-established restaurant whose patio seating is much coveted to have worked this out. And although the wait staff was typically informative and accommodating, occasionally it seemed as though the frenetic evening pace at the restaurant took a toll on the staffís ability to deliver the superior service one expects from a restaurant of this caliber. Long ago Nuschese figured out a wining formula for a Washington restaurant: Find a good location and create a comfortable atmosphere reminiscent of a European bistro, where people come for dinner but stay for hours (but that can be quickly transformed into a space of understated elegance appropriate for even the most formal events). Then figure out what people want to eat, and what they will come back for. At CafÈ Milano, itís good food well prepared, simple and often creative but avoiding culinary trendiness that has doomed some other restaurants. CafÈ Milano is located at 3251 Prospect St., NW. The telephone number is (202) 333-6183. Dress is business to urban elegant. All major credit cards are accepted. The kitchen serves lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, dinner on Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 11 p.m., Wednesday to Saturday 4 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 4 to 11 p.m. A late-night menu is available Monday and Tuesday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Wednesday to Saturday from midnight to 2 a.m. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.