TASTE: Meet the New Boss, Different than the Old Boss

Jim Anile, Il Palio's new executive chef, has a surprisingly cool demeanor for having just taken on one of the most daunting jobs in the Triangle. But that's not to say that he takes his responsibilities lightly. Just the opposite - he's striving to introduce new tastes and new ideas to this Chapel Hill favorite.

The most remarkable change during his three-month tenure has been the introduction of five-course tasting menus - in addition to a relatively small list of regular items. Dishes for the tastings change daily, and sometimes there will be many different ones available for each course. There's a catch though: Anile surprises you with his choices for each course, but he will make accommodations for food allergies and special diets (i.e. vegetarian). Ingredients for the tasting menu are often selected from locally available foods from the Farmers' Market, making them some of the most interesting and versatile on the menu. "Most stuff in the tastings is so seasonal, it can only show up [in small chunks," Anile said.

The petite pasta tasting consists of four hand-made pasta dishes plus dessert, while the "Feed Me!" tasting includes four theme-less courses and dessert. Both won't put you out an inordinate amount of dough at $40 and $50, respectively. The over-21 set can add wine specially chosen by Il Palio's resident sommelier to complement each course for an extra $25 and $20, respectively.

I got a feel for Anile's creativity when he cooked up four special dishes for me at lunch. The appetizer consisted of yukon gold potato crisp layered with smoked salmon and clover honey mustard. The sharp, crispy potato contrasted nicely with both the smooth taste and texture of the salmon, and the zebra tomatoes added a nice tanginess to the dish. The almost-pureed carrot and ginger soup was both mildly sweet and tangy warmed to the perfect temperature.

My veal was tender and paired with a creamy goat cheese sauce with basil and sherry. The morel mushrooms were just strong enough to stand up to the veal. Dessert was heavenly with lemon marscapone mousse under a scoop of wild-berry sorbet.

As my lunch shows, Anile focuses on Italian influences, but he is not bound by tradition. His background working in restaurants from New York to California has contributed to his boldness and flare for making the most simple and complex dishes truly fabulous.

-Meg Lawson