Some restaurants are so romantic, cozy and spirit-warming that upon entry your anticipation soars, sometimes so high that it can't always be realistically met by the food itself.

Such were my experiences at Quartina Trattoria & Vineria in South Norwalk, which opened in May. Though it is at ground level, the restaurant has an intimate, cavelike feel, partly because of the large trompe l'oeil mural of a cozy wine cellar with barrels, painted on the scraped brick wall that greets you upon your arrival.

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Source: http://www.nytimes.com