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Buona Terra doesn't skimp on its fixed-price menu, and that's why Dana keeps coming back for more.

Tuesday Oct 14, 2008.     By Dana Kavan

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Drink of the week: A bottle of La Ginestra Chianti

Where you can find it: Buona Terra.

The damage: $20 for a bottle. Go on a Thursday night when you can score this affordable wine with an even sweeter dinner deal: three-course prix-fixe for $21.95.

Why here? Prix-fixe menus always sound like a bargain until you read the fine print. Many of these packaged dining deals limit which items you can order, inevitably pulling the filet or other high-priced entrees from the options, or pass off a scoop of ice cream, an iceberg salad or another mediocre plate as one of the courses. Another common cop-out? Hosting a prix-fixe on Tuesday, the loser of all dining days. But Buona Terra's prime Thursday night prix-fixe doesn't skimp. It lets diners have the full run of its menu, including specials and the $20-plus steak, and when it's dessert time, all the Italian goods—tiramisu, gelato, cannoli—are up for grabs. It even earns bonus points for taking reservations. It's one of those rare true finds (along with these) that you won't believe until you go. I was skeptical too, but now I can't get enough.

How it went down: Not to belabor the point, but I have one final gripe with most prix-fixes: When the cheapest bottle of vino costs $40, even with the fixed menu, a drinking couple is still going to drop nearly 100 bucks on their meal. This hardly constitutes a steal. Once again, Buona Terra sets itself apart with a well-edited wine list that offers plenty of affordable reds and whites by the glass or bottle.

Even though there are several varieties available for less than $30, my pals and I never even bother to look beyond the cheapest bottle—La Ginestra Chianti for 20 bones. It's the kind of wine you find in carafes, sitting on top of tables in Tuscany. It tastes bold and rich, with a peppery finish and a tart cherry flavor throughout. Even with all the layers of goodness going on, it remains highly drinkable and pairs well with Buona Terra's rich pasta plates, like the butternut squash ravioli in a brown butter sauce with an intense hit of sage.

Would I want to become a regular? Because Buona Terra lets you order anything on the menu, it'd be easy to return every Thursday for months and try something new; and yet, I find it's often my old favorites that keep me going back, like the truffle oil-topped beef carpaccio. I imagine the two-room restaurant, with almond-color and brick walls, vivid paintings and white cloth-covered tables, feels more serene on nights other than Thursday, but with all the perks of Buona Terra's prix-fixe, it's worth fighting the friendly, neighborhood crowds. Just order a bottle of Chianti and drink up while you wait.

Dana Kavan scours the city for drink deals so good you'll offer to buy a round and creative libations that outshine your average on-the-rocks concoctions. Want to give Dana tips on where to rack up a bar tab? Share your finds before her next night out.