Elle-J’s is an unapologetic throwback to the days when red sauce Creole-Italian food dominated neighborhood restaurant menus and diners could plan on carrying home a stack of Styrofoam clamshells filled with the following day’s lunch. It also seems to be the kind of place Lakeview neighbors want. It was packed on recent visits, and customers visited between tables, wine in hand.

Elle-J’s took over the space formerly home to Susan Spicer’s Mondo, which closed in August. The new restaurant also cooks pizzas in a wood-fired oven, but chef Ludovic “Vic” Gerrets’ menu is filled with satisfying Creole-Italian classics, from hearty pastas and veal dishes to a tempting list of desserts.