Barocco Hots

1/2

94 Greenwich Ave.

(between West 12th

and West 13th streets)

(212) 366-5936

WITH the opening of Barocco Hots, fans of the downtown takeout chainlet Barocco now have a sit-down eatery for pastas and panini, entrées and weekend brunch.

The just-opened Greenwich Village spot is a spare, bright room, with mirrors and a few subtle paintings on the walls.

An open, raised kitchen in back can get sometimes get a bit frazzled, but the Italian dishes that come from it tend to hit the spot. And the service is sweet.

A mozzarella starter strewn with fragrant basil pairs fresh, handmade cheese with red and yellow tomatoes surprisingly tasty for this time of year ($6.95), and fennel salad with olives, blood oranges and Parmesan ($6.95) is a clean-tasting, tart-and-salty medley.

Watercress and lemon soup surprisingly lacks punch ($4.50).

Pastas are a good choice, such as rigatoni with broccoli rabe, tomatoes and slices of Italian sausage packed with heat and fennel, even if mozzarella is questionably melted in a blob on top ($9.95).

There’s respectable penne with pesto and creamy ricotta ($8.95) and a Bolognese meat lasagna that’s a comfort dream of soft, light pasta layers slathered with ground beef and tomato sauce with a just hint of sweetness ($12.95).

Monkfish rounds tightly wrapped in prosciutto get a rustic treatment atop cannellini beans and greens ($14.95).

Hazelnut chicken comes thinly sliced with sautéed broccoli rabe, vinegar-marinated onions and no surprises ($12.95).

Dessert can be cool, creamy panna cotta with blueberries ($4) or warm, spicy saffron bread pudding. And they’re working on a garden.

But if you want wine, bring your own until their license comes. That, plus an $11.95 three-course pasta menu, makes for an especially happy deal.