Paprika Paprika 110 St. Marks Pl. , (betw. 1st Ave. ...

Paprika isn't just a spice Hungarian matrons load into their goulash. The East Village locale of the same name is a cozy little restaurant specializing in the dishes of the northern Italian region, Valtellina. Situated between Lombardy and Central Europe in the Alpine territory, the area showcases a cuisine that's both ancient and hardy, much like the landscape.

The food may be rustic, but owner Stefano Barbagallo and chef/partner Egidio Donagrandi transform it into something refined. Think fancy peasant food with ingredients such as buckwheat flour, dry salt beef, smelly cheese and fig-laden desserts?at reasonable prices. The space features a bar where you can taste more than 16 different types of Italian wines, including the Nuhar, the only Sicilian wine on the menu, "full-bodied, dried fruits, complex," and one of my favorites.

The menu rotates every season. If you happen to see it, try the brisaola for a light appetizer, which resembles prosciutto, only it's beef instead of pork. The pizzoccheri Valtellinesi con formaggio, verze e patate makes a great main dish. It's a typical Valtellina recipe that features Taglatelle pasta made with a mixture of white and buckwheat flour, shredded Savoy cabbage, a regional cheese called Bitto and potatoes. It's similar to Eastern European peasant fare, but lighter on the colon.

If you're feeling carnivorous, try the bistecca in padella con cipollotti e patate arrosto, al vino rosso. It's a pan-seared shell steak, the fancy-pants term for the tender cut of beef short loin known as club or New York steak, with braised cipollotti and roasted potatoes with rosemary in a cabernet reduction. If you happen to spot an oxtail dish on the menu, don't be discouraged. Though bony, this cut of meat is at its most flavorful in stews and soups. Finish off with Paprika's tiramisu, or stick with the panna cotta, the Italian version of flan.

Paprika accommodates everyone, from birthday parties to blind dates. Prices range from about $5 to $17. Stop in between 4 and 7 p.m. and get their prix-fixe sampler for a mere 13 bucks.