At Nanni's Ristorante in Rochelle Park, guests are politely ushered past a lavish and inspiring shrine to freshly created hot and cold appetizers. One look reveals that a visit to the Oracle of Delphi is unnecessary: Serious Italian cuisine is an immediate destiny.

The centerpiece of this shrine is a four-foot-high tower of antipasto all'olio d'oliva that stands guard over colorful platters of vegetables, pies perched on pedestals, and bowls of fresh seafood. The impulse is to linger and taste a bit of everything. Our attentive waiter offered to prepare a large plate of cold appetizer ($7.95) that included spicy ratatouille, fresh grilled eggplant, pickled squash, tangy roasted red peppers, marinated snow peas, artichoke hearts, cubed potatoes with onions, and wonderful slices of spinach and ricotta pies.

A hot antipasto ($7.95) appetizer plate crammed with stuffed eggplant and mushrooms, baked clams, and stuffed pepper and shrimp is an equally rewarding medley of tastes, textures, and aromas. Fresh deep-fried calamari from the cold waters off the Massachusetts coast ($6.95) is graced with lemon, wrapped in yellow cheesecloth, and fastened with green ribbon. The calamari is so tender that a fork easily halved it.

Large, firm, and deliciously tender stuffed artichokes ($6.95) are set adrift in a light chicken stock, while escargot are maneuvered into mushroom caps ($6.95) swimming in a disappointingly thin butter, garlic, and wine sauce.

Nanni's is an elegant establishment with a staff that is proud of its profession (if you listen closely, the waiters can sometimes be heard humming Italian songs as they go about their duties). The restaurant's large dining room is separated from the tasteful bar and waiting area by an immense etched glass wall. Kenny G music plays distantly in the background. The room's white and pink tables are accented with a mauve and navy interior and four large chandeliers. With a mixture of colorful modern art that echoes Toulouse-Lautrec and more classical scenes of Italy gracing the walls, the room is conducive to intimate table conversation.

As anticipated, entrees range from a plethora of pasta to beef, veal, and poultry selections. However, the menu also tempts guests with calf liver, frog legs, and fresh seafood. In addition, our server revealed an array of specials and stated that we could order anything on the menu and have it prepared and garnished in any way our palates desired.

Nanni's linguine special ($19.95) recaps the benefits of a bountiful sea. It is a savory entree that bursts forth with clams in the shell, a half-dozen bay scallops, two shrimp, and two South African lobster tails in a discernibly fresh basil and white sauce.

There are times when a simple entree is most gratifying, and at Nanni's it's the South African lobster tails ($23.95) broiled and topped with butter, garlic, and a light dusting of fine bread crumbs and romano cheese drawn together with a hint of wine sauce.

The tails were complemented with a beautiful large bouquet of fresh, just slightly undercooked spinach and a halved lemon.

Veal is a staple of Italian restaurants, and at Nanni's, a fine and somewhat refreshing version - one of eight - arrives with medallions flavored with a large whole meaty chestnuts, imported enoki mushrooms, wild bean sprouts, and a brandy sauce ($16.95).

One of the specials during our visit included a tasty thick fillet of salmon ($20.50) with fresh tomatoes, scallions, capers, garlic, and parsley. The potato croquette was prepared with fresh leeks.

Our waiter encouraged us to indulge ourselves with Nanni's refreshing desserts. Tiramisł ($5.50) is presented in an oversized dessert glass and accented with a silky, sweet amaretto and espresso sauce. Many tiramisł lack form and shape, but at Nanni's, it has a defined texture. Another dessert offering, mixed berries ($5.50) in season, surprised us. There were deep ruby red strawberries contrasted with yellow raspberries topped with cr&egraveme.

While many identify ricotta as an ingredient in Italian pasta dishes, the rindless cheese is found in several famous desserts, most notably the ricotta cake that Nanni adapts each night with various fruit preserves. Topped with powdered sugar, the cake is smooth, sweet, and an appropriate finale for a traditional Italian meal.

The modest wine list features selections from Italy, California, and France, beginning at $16 a bottle.

If you're looking to escape the worried, rushing world for a few hours and savor the tastes of Italy, Nanni's is a pleasant retreat. Maybe that's why the servers were humming.