Restaurateur makes it easier for diners to reach him

Las Vegas isn't Los Angeles -- praise be -- but the valley's growth has made traveling across town to a favorite restaurant more time-consuming than it used to be.

Giancarlo Bomparola feels your pain, and it's why he opened Siena Italian Authentic Trattoria, 9500 W. Sahara Ave., about six months ago.

The restaurant is a sister to Siena Deli on East Tropicana Avenue, which has been serving Italian dishes to Southern Nevadans for 30 years.

Like its east-side sister, the new Siena Italian Authentic Trattoria features Italian favorites made from fresh -- and, in many cases, made-on-site -- ingredients.

"We make all of our sausage ourself, and for people that have never been here ... they can feel the freshness," Bomparola says.

Regional items from across Italy are featured, including a catch of the day seafood special and homemade soups.

Bomparola describes the trattoria as a "real neighborhood restaurant," where guests may dine, enjoy happy hour specials and promotions, and listen to live music. (Learn more at www.sienatrattoria.com.)

When a new deli section is finished -- Bomparola hopes for a September opening -- guests also may purchase authentic Italian ingredients such as meats and cheeses, breads and baked goods.

Siena Italian Authentic Trattoria is open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to closing (usually about 11 p.m. or midnight), and Sundays from 10 a.m. until about 10 p.m.

Reservations are not required, but are recommended.

Starters: Tortino di riso (rice cake, Parmesan cheese and mushrooms in truffle oil), $11.50; melanzane parmigiana (Italian eggplant, tomato, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses), $7.75

Soups and salads: Mele e noci (baby greens, roasted walnuts, apple and Gorgonzola tossed with champagne vinaigrette), $5 and $9.75; minestrone, $4.75

Pizza: Stagioni (tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, artichokes, ham, mushrooms and olives), $10; cacciatore (sausages, bell peppers, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, tomato sauce), $11

Pasta: Cavatelli con salsiccia (spicy sausage ragout, herbs, tomato sauce and pecorino cheese), $13.50; ravioli burro e salvia (cheese-filled ravioli on a bed of marinara sauce, topped with a butter-sage reduction and Parmesan cheese), $14; tagliolini ai frutti di mare (homemade pasta tossed with shrimp, lobster meat, scallops, tomatoes and scallions in a seafood cream sauce), $19.95

Entrees: Pollo Marsala (boneless chicken cooked with a Marsala mushroom reduction), $14.50; misto carne alla griglia (marinated grilled homemade sausages, pork ribs, chicken and steak), $19.95

Desserts: tiramisu, $7; bread pudding $7.50; creme brulee, $7

Information: 360-3358

By JOHN PRZYBYS