You can expect certain qualities at Med Lahlou’s Lupo restaurants. Stylish spaces are a given, whether at the 14th Street flagship, Lupo Verde; Lupo Marino at the Wharf; or this Palisades osteria. The last of these, which includes a cafe and market, is in an intimate converted house. Another plus: cocktails designed by local amaro maker Francesco Amodeo. Try the Toto, with vodka, Mandarin liqueur, vermouth, and basil.

The wildcard is the food. There are a few oddball pairings—octopus with watermelon, kale, and potato chips comes to mind—though execution is a bigger issue. A seafood pasta is comforting, while garlic-cream-filled ravioli arrive cold. Artichokes are beautifully fried, but a steak is tough, served with unripe peaches. Such flaws are more forgivable at a true neighborhood osteria. With entrées reaching $42, they’re harder to swallow. Perhaps chef Todd Sprik, who recently took over, can render the food as swoon-worthy as the setting. Expensive.