At Olana — a new East Side restaurant — there’s one immediate disappointment. At an establishment named after artist Frederic Church’s magnificent Persian-style Hudson Valley landmark estate, it’s natural to expect some attention to interior design. But the dark beams, landscape murals, and red velvet seats with protruding handles on their backs give the place all the charm of a suburban Radisson. Fortunately, chef and owner Al Di Meglio, who worked for years at Osteria del Circo, keeps other disappointments to a minimum.

His menu here is Italian-influenced but loosely so, with a calmly unshowy focus on local ingredients. A starting cream soup of fresh peas ($11) is a lovely showcase for that ingredient; the brightly colored soup, chunky with lots of whole green peas, is poured at the table (a ubiquitous affectation here) over a bacon-flavored panna cotta , which melts and infuses the dish with rich smokiness. A delicate crêpe ($16) made with wintry chestnuts, filled with oozing fresh ricotta and doused in brown butter, is even richer, and best shared, but its nutty subtlety is a thing of beauty. On the opposite end of the richness spectrum is a tartare of striped bass ($17), a big loaf of silvery-pink, translucent minced fish, glowingly fresh and paved with a layer of sweet wine gel. The gel, and bits of grapefruit and mint, set off the fish’s clean flavor very well. Pastas can be ordered in two sizes; among them is a remarkable ravioli dish ($15/$24), green, triangular little dumplings filled with finely chopped, deeply savory duck and spiked with a hint of orange. They’re topped with attractive snippets of blood orange and lush, buttery wilted leeks. Tacconi, simple, rough-textured, postage-stamp-shaped pasta, is flavored with mint and sauced with chunky lamb ragu thickened with eggplant purée, an interesting, mild composition ($15/$24). Another way to approach the meal is through the eater-friendly, build-your-own tasting menu, under which plan each customer gets to choose any four, five, or six courses from the regular menu ($68/$81/$94, plus $28/$34/$40 for wine pairings).

Mr. Di Meglio’s expertise at combining fresh flavors serves him slightly less well in the main course realm, where large, obstreperous pieces of protein seem less receptive to his cleverness. Pork loin, even from a Berkshire pig, tends toward dryness, and dotting this grilled one ($27) with roasted potatoes and mushrooms, and even rose-scented applesauce, doesn’t help it much. A piece of flounder ($26), poached with citrus and Armagnac, had a funny texture — softly flaky on one side and firm, even chewy, on the other. The chewy side was also achingly salty, as though the fish had been partially cured. I left it over, preferring the lovely bed of coarsely mashed potatoes and savory chard. But a rolled, stuffed piece of rabbit ($31) is excellent, its surface roasted to a delicious crisp and its middle filled with sweet apricot and just enough foie gras to lubricate. Rabbit jus poured over it at the table adds an additional degree of depth.

Olana is a hotbed of table-side pouring and other rituals that show off the extremely friendly staff. Everyone from the water-pourer to the coat attendant seems genuinely invested in the customer’s happiness. (To be sure, this is a point in which the reviewer’s anonymity makes a big difference; I’m fairly confident I wasn’t spotted. Throughout the restaurant, other tables were clearly getting the same degree of warmth.) As everywhere, it’s important to remember that even the warmest staff doesn’t necessarily make infallible suggestions: I was eagerly recommended a $12 mousse-filled napoleon that was profoundly unimpressive. My own instincts served me better, with a pair of crisp, tightly rolled, somewhat salty crêpes oozing hot chocolate sauce spiked with Sambuca, accompanied with cocoa nib ice cream ($12). An individual, super-moist carrot cake served with cream cheese ice cream ($11) is also satisfying, with a subtlety that matches the meal. More than a few places nowadays tout their celebration of Hudson Valley ingredients, but Olana’s chef does it quietly and successfully, with dishes that outshine their dim environment.

Olana (72 Madison Ave., between 27th and 28th streets, 212-725-4900).