The latest endeavor of former Rialto creator Michela Larson, and one of Esquire's Best New Restaurants of 2007, Rocca Kitchen & Bar has a lot to live up to -- and for the most part it does.

I dined at this South End spot for a company dinner in December. We booked the smaller of two private dining rooms, which was a tad too cozy for our 15-person event, but charming nonetheless.

Before we arrived I was surprised to learn that Rocca has its own parking lot, so we could carpool from our office. Such a simple thing makes for a pleasant surprise in Boston.

The main entrance is adjacent to the parking lot. If you walk through the cobblestoned entryway, then follow the curve of the bar, you'd find yourself in the Albany Room (see picture). The main feature of this room is the "hand-crafted Nakashima-inspired dinner table." If you need space for a larger party, you'd probably want the Harrison Room.

At the start of the evening our server was quick to accommodate all of our drink requests, and several of those ended up being a simple yet perfect cocktail that I couldn't get enough of: Vino Francesca. It's a rose wine infused with sage, lemon and honey, served over ice. If you like sage, you'll love this drink.

From the Tastings portion of the menu, they also served a couple of passed hors d'oeuvres: Pizzettas and Wild Mushroom Toasts. Both were good, though I probably wouldn't go out of my way to order either for a second visit... The mushroom toasts are exactly like a bruschetta I make at home. However, the pizzettas were doughy, light and full of fresh flavors, from the mozzarella to the prosciutto. Nice starters overall.

Once seated, we were each handed the full menu. We were able to choose from each of the four remaining courses -- Appetizers, Pastas, Entrees and Desserts. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it through the meal, but the portions are small. In particular, if you decide to have the pasta here, you'll want a taster or appetizer to go along with it.

I was somewhat disappointed with the appetizer I chose: Calamari Salad with potatoes, basil and tomatoes. That sounds fabulous, right? Indeed it is an attractive dish that's very light and fresh tasting, but I think that's why I was disappointed. It was so light that the flavors all seemed to blend together. Nothing stood out as a "great bite." Keep in mind that nothing in this dish is fried. In fact, you won't find much of anything fried in a Northern Italian restaurant; it's not common to that region. So if you're looking for a plate of fried calamari with cocktail sauce on the side, this is not the restaurant to get it.

However, it is the place to get a fantastic plate of Steamed Mussels with white wine, fennel and tomatoes. I'm just thankful my coworker wanted to share her order.

Next up was the pasta dish. Keeping in mind that Liguria is known for pesto, I had already made my mind up on this course before I even arrived, although so many options on the pasta menu were tantalizing.

The Handrolled Trofie is a form of gnocchi, twisted and wrapped around a few times. Rocca slathers it with a fresh basil pesto that is plate-licking good. I held back from doing just that -- it was a company dinner afterall -- but I'd come back for this dish in a heartbeat.

Finally the entree! I almost forgot this was coming. I ordered the Grilled Hanger Steak with Ligurian olive butter, rosemary fingerling potatoes and grilled green onions. I didn't have much space left to accomodate the small sides dishes with this, but I had no problem polishing off this rare, succulent steak. I enjoyed every juicy bite and made sure not to miss any of the olive butter. I don't even want to think about how many calories I consumed. (New Year's hadn't arrived yet!)

Also interesting and tasty, however, was the Roasted Whole Fish with fresh herbs, olives, potatoes and pine nuts. I'm a sucker for anything with pine nuts, so I almost ordered this, but again my coworker was prepared to share so I got to try it out and get my steak fix.

Here's a tip: If you've never tried a fish eyeball or fish cheek, you must try it. Rocca's whole fish is flaky, delicate and fresh in itself, but the cheeks were actually the best part. I never would have guessed!

Last but not least, I tried a dessert that would top the meal off with more pine nuts than I knew what to do with. I ordered the Pine Nut Crusted Tart with fresh figs and whipped cream. I did like this, but it was way more filling than I liked or would have anticipated; It's literally a pie crust with a thick layer of custard coated with pine nuts. The first few bites were good, but it became much too monotous for me. I turned my attention to the figs.

After scanning the table I think I would have rather tried the Apple Crostata or Smashed Almond Bark with dark chocolate dipping sauce, which did make some people practically lick their plates. Something to try for another visit.

Overall, I really loved a few of the dishes here, and the atmosphere was relaxing and warm. Toward the end of the evening the waitstaff did slip a bit, forgetting to bring some people's orders -- and forgetting about some people entirely -- but it was still a fun evening and a good spot for a company dinner. I'd recommend Rocca's Albany Room for a large dinner party anytime.

Happy Dining and Happy New Year!

Rocca is located at 500 Harrison Avenue in Boston's South End. To make reservations call (617) 451-5151 or visit OpenTable.com.