Out of the corner of my eye I spied one of the city's top chefs walk into the restaurant and grab a seat at the bar. She was joined by a former restaurant-industry magazine editor. Across the dining room, in a dimly lit corner, a Cleveland city council member was enjoying a quiet meal with a friend. All around the room, in fact, small clutches of people were engrossed in conversation, laughter and intimacy in the easygoing sort of way that comes only from being at peace with one's surroundings.

It's one thing to say that you intend to build a neighborhood restaurant, but ultimately that decision really isn't up to the owner, is it? It's the neighbors themselves who decide which places will earn their business, their loyalty, their cash. And since opening its doors in December, Il Rione has been on the receiving end of all of the above and more.