Pear and walnut tart topped with a house-made Gorgonzola gelato crowned a meal at Raphael’s Bar-Risto in Providence.

THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL / Gretchen Ertl Gretchen Ertl

When former Providence Mayor Vincent A. “Buddy” Cianci Jr. returns to the city — as he is expected to do after his release from prison in a matter of weeks — one of the restaurants he’ll surely recognize is Raphael’s Bar-Risto. While much has changed on the city’s busy downtown restaurant scene since the mayor last dined out here, Raphael’s is the same as it ever was — or at least as it has been since 1998, the year that owner Ralph Conte moved his established South Water Street restaurant downtown, into the former Union Station building at the edge of the newly created Waterplace Park.

Raphael’s joined the Capital Grille and Union Station Brewery there in anticipating a general downtown renewal. Now, nine years later, the area is seeing the construction of new hotels, new high-rises and more restaurants, including national upscale chains such as Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

Even though Raphael’s came to prominence as one of the first powerhouses of the emerging Providence restaurant scene of the early ’90s, its roots are actually in the suburbs. Conte opened the first Raphael’s in 1983 in a tiny place in North Kingstown, but it wasn’t long before, he recalls, “Mayor Cianci brought me up to the city” by encouraging him to move into a Pine Street building, his first address in Providence.

Nearly 25 years later, Raphael’s is still known for a sophisticated Italian menu that Conte tweaked after his move downtown to reemphasize the classics. But even more than its menu, Raphael’s signature was its visual style: Urbane, sleek, modern. No red-checked tablecloths in sight.

With blond wood, light colors and pop portraits of Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe on the walls, Raphael’s look has not changed in the nearly 10 years since I last visited for a review. You still get the sense, upon walking in, that you are entering a scene with the noise level high, music pulsating from the bar and tables situated for maximum visibility rather than quiet conversation. But it needs updating to keep up with the ever-evolving Providence restaurant scene.

In the kitchen, Raphael Bar-Risto is capable of great creativity in its interpretations of some classic Italian dishes. The appetizer list mixes familiar Italian fare such as pasta e fagiole, calamari, Clams Zuppa, and broccoli rabe with creative combinations such as Stuffed Zucchini Flowers Zeppole ($11) and a prosciutto, potato, olive and Parmigiano crepe ($9). After our waiter informed us that the zeppole and several other menu items would not be available that evening, we elected to try a classic (Beef Carpaccio with Arugula, $10) and a novelty (Ditalini with Strawberries and Gorgonzola, $9).

Both were outstanding. The carpaccio (which Conte told me in a later phone interview he considers one of his house classics) was a generous mound of the shaved tender raw beef on a perfectly dressed arugula salad with thinly sliced portobello mushrooms. The ditalini (small pasta) was pronounced “fabulous” by one of my dining companions, who said the dish was an interesting twist on the more familiar combination of risotto with strawberries and Parmesan. In this variation, the al dente pasta was nicely served by a creamy sauce that tasted of sweet strawberries and a subtle touch of the earthy Gorgonzola.

For entrees, we chose from the Grill section of the menu a dry-rub 20-ounce sirloin of beef ($29), which had too much gristle and a tough texture. It was served with chunked potatoes with vinegar, a combination that left us wishing for good mashed instead.

Much better was a classic Veal Milanese ($23), in which good-quality veal was tender inside a crisp breaded crust. Mild seasoning let the flavor of the veal take the lead.

On the other hand, we found a Frutti di Mare on Tagliatelle ($29) less robust than we would have liked it, the thin red sauce lost on too much pasta. Later, Conte told me he likes to use fresh chopped tomatoes, rather than a thicker marinara, to keep the sauce light and highlight the fresh seafood. Still, some of the seafood, such as the shrimp and tuna, was overcooked, and the tuna overpowered the other seafood flavors.

While Conte oversees the recipes and the cooking, his chef de cuisine for the past three months has been Angel Cardona, who previously had been sous chef at the restaurant. All of the food served at Raphael’s, said Conte, is prepared in-house, including the desserts.

We loved a Rum Baba with Bananas Foster ($9), which was flamed tableside with great panache by our waiter, who also offered to split this and our other dessert three ways. That dessert was a stellar pear and walnut tart with a house-made Gorgonzola gelato ($9), an inspired combination, with the Gorgonzola taste just pronounced enough to offset the sweetness of the tart.

Excellent service was a highlight of our meal, our waiter knowledgeable and quick, helpful without ever being obtrusive.

kimbrie@projo.com