Valley Weekend : RESTAURANT REVIEW : Sophisticated Italian at Down-to-Earth Prices : The attractive Trilussa in downtown Glendale focuses on flavorful pastas, pizzas and entrees.

Downtown Glendale has grown up considerably since I have been covering this beat. Seven years ago, locals could only rely on delis, Chinese takeouts, mom-and-pop Russian-Armenian cafes and a few moribund, velvet-lined Continental places. The dining scene was eccentric, not to mention way out-of-date.

It’s different today. The Glendale of the ‘90s is loaded with culinary options, and one of the new breed is an Italian trattoria named Trilussa, part of an upscale chain with branches in Beverly Hills, Honolulu and Rome.

Like the other Trilussas, Glendale’s is a pleasure to look at. It’s a big, airy place highlighted by a fresco of a bucolic Italian village on a wall near the front door. The white-tiled kitchen is enclosed by clear glass.

The one jarring design note, at least for me, is a shiny white Liberace-style grand piano. I’ve never heard it played on any of my visits, so I have to assume it sits idle most of the time.

There is, nonetheless, music, and frequently. As part of the internationalization of Glendale’s downtown, the variety of piped-in sounds would thrill an ethnomusicologist. You might hear “Besa Me Mucho” followed by “La Vie en Rose” (the French-language version) and the latest Italian pop hits.

Come hungry. As soon as customers sit down, Trilussa’s waiters ply them with slices of chewy Italian bread and focaccia lightly brushed with olive oil. They’re the perfect things to dip into the sauce that’s provided, a moss-green mixture of olive oil and crushed basil.

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The complimentary plate of salami and cheese is less compelling. On two occasions, I noticed the mortadella to be discolored around the edges, though the usual pinkish color elsewhere. (“We get it fresh every morning,” the waiter protested, when one of us pointed it out.)

If you’re on a bread binge, it isn’t a bad idea to try one of the bruschette . The simplest, bruschette aglio e olio , is also the most satisfying, just-grilled country bread rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with minced garlic. Another good topping is tonno e rugola, a heap of oil-packed tuna mixed with chopped arugula. This bruschette is a great light lunch in itself.

Not just the focaccia but nearly everything that comes out of the pizza oven is worth a try. The majority of Trilussa’s 20 pizzas have snappy, cracker-thin crusts, an intelligent amount of whole-milk mozzarella and nicely tart sauces. Pizza salmone may be on the salty side, due to a large portion of cooked smoked salmon and too much cheese, but pizza Siciliana is just about perfection: a cheeseless pie topped with anchovies, capers, olives, basil and oregano.

Pastas will appear al dente , whether they’re angel hair, spaghetti or penne . The Roman classic known as pasta alla carbonara is disappointing: The bacon in the sauce is OK, but there’s too much cream and way too much spice (nutmeg, I’d say). Penne al salmone comes with nice smoky bits of chopped salmon.

Trilussa’s Bolognese sauce has improved considerably since I tried it in the Encino restaurant. It’s a dense ragu of ground veal, and the taste of the meat is rich and satisfying.

The section of the menu called La Pasta Fatta in Casa refers to homemade pasta, in this case evidently from a home that prefers gummy ravioli and even gummier gnocchi. The ricotta and spinach ravioli have a tasty filling, but the pasta is just too doughy.

Gnocchi, of course, are the little potato and flour dumplings that almost no Los Angeles area restaurant gets quite right; only our most accomplished Italian chefs (namely Antonio Tommasi and Celestino Drago, of Ca’ Brea and Drago restaurants, respectively) seem able to make them work. Trilussa is no exception to the rule. Why does it even bother, I wonder?

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The entrees ( secondi ) are mostly based on grilled chicken breasts with the toppings usually applied to veal: capers, piccata sauce, etc. The only veal dish is punta di vitello alle erbe , tender sliced veal roast with herbs.

Mezzo pollo allo spiedo is a good rotisserie-cooked half-chicken with a side of great roasted potatoes in bite-size chunks. But the dish isn’t quite good enough to give Zankou Chicken, which is selling great roast chicken just a few blocks east on Colorado for under $5, anything to worry about.

Even so, prices are probably a big reason for Trilussa’s popularity. The top price for a pasta is $11.50 (pasta pescatora , or mixed seafood), and the pizzas are all under $10. Trilussa may be a grown-up restaurant, but grown-up doesn’t have to mean expensive. Expensive restaurants have gone out of style for now. Sophisticated restaurants with mass appeal, such as Trilussa, are making it hard for them to make a comeback.

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DETAILS

* LOCATION: Trilussa, 135 N. Maryland Ave., Glendale.

* SUGGESTED DISHES: bruschette aglio e olio , $2.95; pizza, $6.95-$9.75; spaghetti Bolognese, $8.50.

* HOURS: Lunch and dinner 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. daily.

* PRICE: Dinner for two, $26-$40. Full bar. Validated parking in adjacent structure. All major cards.

* CALL: (818) 552-4100.