Giacomo's Cibo e Vino

Giacomo's Cibo e Vino, where chef Lynette Hawkins makes the pasta in house, serves a tortellini in brodo that is simple and gripping: pasta ringlets in a clear, bracing mixed-bone broth built from turkey, beef and chicken. The tortellini are stuffed with mortadella, chicken and pork sharpened with salty Parmesan, so they stand out in bold relief against the gentle, nourishing broth. Order the tortellini in brodo.

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A kitschy River Oaks room with a dog-friendly patio, running a long menu of cheese-stuffed vegetables, handmade pastas, and a deep list of Italian wine by the bottle. It works for a casual weekday plate as easily as a longer weekend dinner with friends.

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