The new kid on the block is now almost 10, and 10-year-olds rarely remain cute. Since opening Chianti il Ristoranti a decade ago, owner David Zecchini has added two more Saratoga Springs restaurants, one of which, Il Forno Toscano, perseveres. Chianti, meanwhile, peers from its nicely landscaped corner at the south end of the village, murmuring a reminder that it’s still offering a style of Italian cookery that was trendsetting for the area when it first appeared and remains no less appealing.

There’s the food, of course, upon which we’ll dwell. But beyond that, and enhancing the dining experience, is the rambunctious charm of the place. Long gone are any traces of its former incarnation, which was as far from fine dining as it’s possible to get. What begins as a series of outdoor sculptures continues inside the restaurant as an almost kinetic decor, with hanging sculptures, shelves of glassware, exotic lighting, and a formal but comfortable array of tables and chairs.

Zecchini designed and helped build it this way, and it’s just intrusive enough to remind you that you’re dining in no ordinary place. So settle in, order a glass of prosecco, and have a look at the menu. Perhaps you’ll start with some raw beef.

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