The first time I noticed Il Capriccio was probably sophomore year. It was well before turning 21, and I was driving an of-age friend to Gordon's Liquors on Main Street. Waiting in the parking lot as he collected far too many bottles of cheap vodka for just one to enjoy, I watched a trio of men in tailored suits sneaking cigarettes by an unobtrusive doorway adjacent to Gordon's. The windows were blacked out so I couldn't see inside the restaurant. Looking back, it's not hard to imagine their trophy wives sitting inside and sipping on a delicious Pinot Bianco -- and slyly, joyfully ordering just one more bottle of the sweet stuff.

For those who know about fine things, Il Capriccio has long been regarded as a national triumph. The heft of press the place receives - that wine list! that woodsy, delectable mushroom souffl! -- makes it a must-schlepp for Boston's primped palates.

But for Brandeis students, Il Capriccio might as well be Gordon's storeroom.

Students subsist on Moody Street's restaurant row, where our moderately priced mainstays like Asian Grill and Iguana Cantina do a fine job of mixing up a week of sludge in the dining hall.

If you're graduating in a few weeks, like I am, you're probably looking for a nice place to take the 'rents. Maybe you're lucky enough for them to foot a titanic bill, and so you've called around Boston and reserved a table at Grill 23 or The Palm or some other quite good steakhouse. It's not a bad idea: masticate some USDA certified flesh, take some pictures and hopefully discover something fabulous trapped in an envelope.

But instead, here's a novel concept: Don't leave Waltham.

As it turns out, although I didn't realize this until a few weeks ago, there is fine dining in Waltham. It is expensive, it's often fabulously tasty, and, weirdly, it's composed entirely of four highly-rated and well-established Italian restaurants.

None is more than five minutes from campus and each, to highly varying degrees, is a diamond in this not-so-rough working-class town.



Campania
504 Main St.
781-894-4280

Campania, just a few blocks east of the Waltham Commons, dances ecstatically on the fine line that separates culinary innovations from overwrought failures.

The mood in the dining room on a Thursday night was buoyant: The room was warmly lit, and the charming wine bar and the counter that faces the open kitchen invites conversation between strangers.

We were seated promptly and served drinks after being carded with a sheepish smile. Don't fret about sticking to the house wines here; the $7 Primitivo packed a fruity yet surprisingly forceful punch.

But the shrimp appetizer ($13) demonstrates the menu's hubris: A squad of pan-seared shrimp are encased in calamari, sprinkled with a pancetta and chick pea ragout and spotted with grape tomatoes. How much can one shrimp support? This is the kind of appetizer that, if it were a burger, would land your picture on the restaurant's wall for having eaten it.

Altogether too much thought is packed into Campania's dishes, it's a wonder they come out tasting fabulous. That was also the case with our second appetizer. Here, thick, meaty slices of king-oyster mushrooms hung out in a bed of baby arugula. But we were disappointed to find out that the gorgonzola was melted onto one of those latticed edible salad bowls. We just dumped the thing out on the plate and savored the 20-year-old Balsamic which, while rich and complex, is apparently over-the-hill for vinegar.

We had lost track of time and were enjoying our second glass of Primitivo when the entrees arrived. The lobster ravioli, at $15, was a magnificent bargain. It's served as a single, loosely linked ravioli, covered in a saffron cream sauce. Inside there's a heart of lobster meat mashed with shallots and leaks. But that's not enough for Campania; for good measure, large chunks of fresh lobster meat were strewn about the ravioli. When it comes to epicurean delights such as lobster, too much is never enough.

Had I not been drooling, I would've tried-and failed-to find fault with the gnocchi ($20). The morel mushrooms, which look like wrinkled cones (this is the shar pei of the mushroom family), were the tastiest fungi I've ever had.

Before long our chocolate souffl ($10), which was ordered along with the entrees to allow time for baking, was welcomed with smiles. Too rich for one, the dessert was perfect for two and-astonishingly-simple.

And for graduation: Campania is perfect, and they might have some seating left (even for large parties) in the gorgeous 60-table dining room. Reserve for Friday or Saturday before commencement; the restaurant is closed on Sundays.

Il Capriccio
888 Main St.
781- 894-2234

Co-owners Jeannie Rogers and Rich Baron have turned Il Capriccio into the best Italian restaurant in Boston's suburbs. That it's here in Waltham is a pleasure most students can't afford to take pride in. Professors are another story. Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) is one of the restaurant's patrons. But Baron's cooking-while formidable-could never support the restaurant's reputation on its own.

Alison Arnett, the restaurant critic for the Boston Globe, said that Il Capriccio lures diners from Boston and beyond because of its wine list.

"It's food that's pegged to the wine, which is not true at other Italian restaurants," she said.

Il Capriccio's hard-fought reputation for fine wine was won through the ingenuity of Roberts, who traded meals with a well-to-do customer for his frequent flyer miles. She flew to Italy and formed relationships with small vineyards, bringing back an oenphile's treasure trove.

We were enjoying the fermented fruits of Roberts' labor when our appetizers arrived. The Tuscan Bread, Bean and Vegetable Soup ($8) was a perfect choice for the April menu, and managed to be light and hearty at the same time. Meanwhile, my beet, goat cheese and lamb's lettuce salad ($10) was a fairly successful minimalist expression: there was more chaevre than there was lettuce, but the cheese was incredible.

Waiting for the second course, I took a look around and realized I was sitting inside a dining room that looked a bit like an Alice In Wonderland-themed torture chamber: there were mirrors everywhere, spaded patterns, pinks and purples and sterile lighting. It kind of freaked me out.

The risotto ($12 smaller/$18 larger) with asparagus, peas and pancetta was too salty andneeded to be sent back. Without fuss, it was replaced with a less-salty version that brought out the freshness of its ingredients.

The Roast Duckling ($27) was simply the best bird I've ever eaten, served with a cippoline onion, artichokes, some kind of devilishly delicious roasted garlic sauce and polenta, which is Italian for really freaking good cornmeal.

And for graduation: Il Capriccio has limited availabilty for larger parties, but there are still some remaining spots for parties of four. Call immediately for a reservation. Closed Sunday.

Tuscan Grill
361 Moody St.
781-891-5486

Ice cream toting college students emerging from neighboring Lizzy's may sometimes be seen loitering outside the Tuscan Grill, but Waltham's entry-level fine Italian restaurant plays with the area's big boys.

The shabby-chic doorway tips us off to the over-decorative and blindingly thematic dcor - desperately trying to transport us into a Tuscan village. I say desperately because though almost tasteful, the faux-balconies and plastic berry vines reminded me more of Epcot Center than rustic Italy.

In an attempt to fuse casual Americana with gimmicky Italian, the Tuscan Grill dresses its wait staff in jeans, which came into sharp relief as our waitress began reading off the complicated Italian dishes in a bored Boston drawl.

But she hadn't quite killed the mood of fine Italian dinning until she asked us if we wanted something to drink, and upon listing water or sparking water as our beverage options, promptly left.

What, no wine list?

We know you have it. And so we asked for it.

Our waitress brought it unapologetically and as I ordered a glass of house red, informed me that I need a Massachusetts ID, passport or military ID to complete this very simple transaction.

Having some experience with Boston's puritanical and, frankly, quite degrading legal code, I knew I was fighting a losing battle as I asked to see the manager. She stoically repeated to me what I already knew, leaving me without much of an appetite for my arriving dish.

Luckily my appetizer was lobster, which I always have an appetite for. It came sliced down the middle, grilled and dressed with a creamy fava bean topping. Under my usual lobster trance, I was salivating before the fork even hit my tongue but a few confused seconds later, I had to re-evaluate. The lobster was tasty, but the ingredients were doing all the talking: the conception and preparation of the dish were unremarkable.

What was even more unremarkable was what can only be described as "Stein" bread served as a Tuscan Grill staple. Magically, it was bursting with too much seasoning and mediocrity.

Our main dishes seemed like a humble foray into Italian dining: cheese ravioli and a salmon filet. Of course, they were dressed up to justify their price, the ravioli being bathed in spring peas, ricotta and melted leeks and the salmon accessorized with baby green beans, fiddle head ferns and something called ramps. The ravioli was call-your-dentist-al dente and the sauce sweet and savory. The fish was fresh and delicately cooked, but the fried fingerling potatoes stole the show. The dishes were tasty and satisfying but not memorable or exquisite. Perhaps if I were washing them down with a glass of red wine instead of ice water, I would have been more impressed.

And for graduation: Not recommended, but if you insist, the Tuscan Grill is open on Sundays and has tables available for commencement weekend.

Ristorante Marcellino
11 Cooper Street
781-647-5458

In fine Italian restaurants like Il Capriccio, Campania and the Tuscan Grill, plebian terms like "chicken parmagiana" sound more foreign than a cheeseburger with fries. That's how I knew that Ristorante Marcellino was different. Though disguised in Italian and distinguished from its everyday counterparts by the hefty price, "Pollo alla Parmigiana" was right there on the menu. So what does a $17.95 chicken parm taste like?

Waiting for my answer, I enjoyed a crisp, startlingly simple salad and a plate of various cheeses and cured meats. What I enjoyed even more was the friendly and casual service, in stark contrast to the other three restaurants' stoic professionalism. The tables were big and the clientele buoyant and friendly. This is the kind of place where large happy families go to spend a lot of money, drink a lot of wine and eat some no-frills fancy Italian.

While the generous heap of creamy farfalle con salmone was simple, tasty and satisfying, the chicken parm probably could have used a few more frills. A limp, barely melted cheese slice was plopped atop a dryish chicken filet and bathed in a boring tomato sauce. I wish I could have taken solace in my startch but the ziti was also unremarkable. Instead, I found solace in my glass of house red and the cheerful atmosphere of tipsy family and friends.

And for graduation: Plenty of space for large parties, but make your reservation soon. Many tables for commencement weekend are already taken.