LEBANON'S JEWEL, 1st place for Italian

When brothers Greg and Tony Allwein purchased and renovated the former Tap Room Restaurant just outside of Lebanon's midtown, they uncovered the vision for Trattoria Fratelli: brick walls, wooden ceiling beams and mosaic floor tiles.

There are just as many surprises when you encounter Larry Nauman and dig below the surface of this chef whose delectable cuisine has locals flocking through the doors of Trattoria Fratelli.

On the one hand, the 29-year-old loves hard-rock groups such as Rage Against the Machine and Pantera, lifts weights, shows his aggressive side during tag football and bashfully blames his youthful appearance on a recent haircut. But put him in the kitchen, and he performs a tender symphony, whipping up Trattoria Fratelli's regional Italian delights such as gnocchi con funghi, zuppa di patate e fagioli and ravioli di aragosta.

His inspiration was the home-cooked meals his father made. At age 12, Nauman began experimenting with food on his own, preparing entrees such as cannelloin and manicotti. "I went through a French phase a little later on," he says, laughing.

Trattoria Fratelli's menu reflects Nauman's own personal preferences, and he admits that he's lucky to have the creative freedom given to him by the Allweins. What he loves even more is when the waiters come back to the kitchen and tell him about the enthusiastic responses of the customers. "The food is always evolving. It's always exciting to do new dishes, and sometimes a person's request will then show up on the menu. Our more well-travelled patrons say it's like being in Italy."