Abruzzi's restaurant has wowed Pittsburgh diners for the past 12 years with authentic Italian family-style cuisine. Although its portions are giant-sized, its old dining room was miniature. It proudly used to proclaim the smallest bar in the 'Burgh, consisting of a teeny counter and three stools. This summer Abruzzi's moved into spacious new digs only 50 feet from the old home.

Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette Waitress Annie Masci carries out orders of Scrod Abruzzi from Abruzzi's new kitchen. Click photo for larger image. Abruzzi's 20 South Tenth St. (Holiday Inn) South Side 412-431-4511 Hours: Mondays-Thursdays 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays until 11 p.m.; Sundays 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Basics: A long-time Pittsburgh favorite in a new venue. This authentic family-style Italian cuisine is served in a spacious and elegant new dining room with panoramic views of Downtown's skyline. Prices: Appetizers, $6.95-$13.95; entrees, $11.95-$23.95; desserts, $6; wine, $6 a glass. Summary: Smoking at the bar and on the terrace. Wheelchair accessible. All major credit cards accepted. Reservations accepted. Free valet parking in the evening. Free parking at lunch in hotel lot.

T he menu, staff and warmth of the old restaurant are unchanged, but, oh, what a dazzling space they now occupy. It took owner Tony Masci more than a year to complete construction of the new restaurant, housed on the first floor of the Holiday Inn Express on South 10th Street. Having started with raw space, Masci has created a bright, expansive dining room with high ceilings, interesting architectural details and giant windows that look across the Mon. The banquettes on the south side of the restaurant are situated perfectly to give diners a panoramic view of the Downtown skyline. Bar patrons used to the old cramped quarters now luxuriate in the commodious new space with a normal-sized counter, 14 stools and four high tables with chairs.

Dinner entrees come with salad or soup, and a side of pasta. Soup is chicken pastina, wedding soup without the meatball. This satisfying soup has a rich and spicy broth which is loaded with pieces of shredded chicken and tiny pastina. The salad is romaine and a few spring greens topped with thin slices of red onion, and garnished with cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices. A choice of dressings is available, as well as a topping of gorgonzola cheese. The Italian bread is sadly not up to the quality of the rest of the meal. The herb and garlic-seasoned oil screamed out for an artisanal bread such as ciabatta.

The appetizer menu has some unusual entries. Zucchini con Papate ($7.25) replaces the more common fried zucchini found in many Italian kitchens. Here, zucchini chunks are combined with potato pieces, sauteed with garlic and basil and topped with a light tomato sauce. As with all plates here, this is a portion that easily serves two. Another unusual appetizer is the Calamari con Gamberi ($10.95). Rather than battering and frying the seafood, the kitchen simply has sauteed it and added a spicy marinara sauce. After eating what seemed like a meal-size portion, I still had enough to take home and use as a yummy pasta sauce for two hungry people!

The menu is extensive. Entree categories are pastas, chicken, veal, beef and fish. Pasta con Salsicce ($16.95) was the best example of this dish I have had in Pittsburgh. Sweet Italian sausage is joined by mushrooms, red and green peppers, onions, zucchini and egg stracciatella to make a thickly delicious sauce when combined with plum tomatoes. Diners have an exceptionally wide choice of pasta shapes, as well as a wide variety of sauces from vegetarian to shrimp, clam to chicken (from $11.95 to $23.95). There are homemade Gnocchi ($15.95), Manicotti ($13.95), Canneloni ($15.95) and Stuffed Shells ($13.95). Many of these make fine choices for vegetarians.

The large section of the menu covering veal dishes includes an excellent Veal Piccata ($19.95) This 6-ounce scallopini, sauteed in butter with a sauce of white wine and lemon juice with fresh mushrooms, is a good bet on most Italian menus; the Abruzzi's version was a standout. The tart, citrusy sauce is a welcome change from the many tomato-based dishes. The other veal entree I particularly enjoyed was the Vitello Costoletta ($23.95). The simple veal chop is tender and flavorful and broiled with garlic and herb butter which complements, rather than smothers, the taste of the veal.

I am not a fan of multiple meats or meat and fish in one dish. These are on the menu as Vitello con Gamberi ($23.95) or scallopini with jumbo shrimp or Vitello con Salsicce ($21.95) which is veal medallions with Italian sausage in a creamy tomato sauce.

I saw the Steak Poivrade ($21.95) at a neighboring table. This 16-ounce New York strip steak is covered with peppercorns and finished with a mustard cream sauce. It looked quite delicious, but when I go to an authentic regional Italian restaurant, I usually stick to the traditional foods from the region. In this case I was especially determined to do just that since Abruzzi is considered to be the home of the greatest Italian chefs as well as the region of the country with the best home cooking.

Tony Masci came to Pittsburgh as a child and opened his restaurant with the goal of reproducing his mom's recipes. Chef Mark Burnis has spent 12 years in Abruzzi's kitchen perfecting these family recipes. Many of the other kitchen and wait staff have been at the restaurant almost as long. This is a team of people who have bonded as a family and who work together to make the Abruzzi's dining experience a memorable one.

Desserts are the only non-Italian part of the meal. The dessert offerings change daily and usually include at least six cakes and pies to choose from. These desserts are made by Signature Bakery in Castle Shannon. They are priced at $6.

The wines offered are primarily Italian, with a few California wines fleshing out the list. House wine is available by the glass for $6 (for a generous 7-ounce pour). There are also half-liter carafes for $15 and full liters for $24. Wines by the bottle are reasonably priced, with some nice Italian reds such as Dolceto D'Alba for $32 and a pleasant white Vernaccia di San Gimignano for $28.

The new Abruzzi's is blessed with an outdoor terrace which faces South 10th Street. It is open for lunch and dinner. The lunch menu has a selection of panini for $6.95-$7.95. There are also pastas and salads and meat dishes. The lunch menu is available all day and evening. The dinner menu is available after 3 p.m.

The new dining room is tastefully decorated. It is a joy to dine in an Italian environment without the trite oversized jars of red pimentos or olives, and without any dried or plastic floral arrangements. Instead, Abruzzi's has adorned the restaurant with elegant pieces of glass art, colorful and sculptural. Combined with the hanging art and the inviting color on the walls, this new version of an old favorite is definitely worth a visit.