BY LINDA SALISBURY

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

There's little that's ordinary about Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen in downtown Fredericksburg. The small, family-owned restaurant is on two levels in the basement of a historic building. Chef Scott Mahar prepares the meals from farm-fresh, chemical-free ingredients, and wines are carefully chosen.

My Dining Partner and I visited with friends to see what the buzz is all about.

Our friends started with an appetizer of mussels ($12), billed as a dish to share. The description was apt. The platter was heaped with nicely steamed mussels served in a broth of white wine, shallots and garlic and draped with a few slices of onion. While the garlic was not strong, the broth was a pleasant dipping sauce.

MDP and I shared the anti-pasto ($10), a combination of several kinds of cheese, two types of meat, a few olives, a roasted garlic and crostini. I particularly liked the goat cheese, but slices of an herb cheese and fresh mozzarella were also impressive. The garlic, with its slightly sweet flavor, paired nicely with the more tart cheeses.

Another friend ordered gorgonzola dip topped with sugar-coated pecans ($7.95). The dip was large enough to share, and I liked the tangy-sweet coupling of tastes.

MDP ordered a Caesar salad ($6), which was plentiful, but needed more flavor, he thought. One friend ordered the tomato bisque soup ($5), which was hearty and fell immediately into the category of comfort food.

When in Tuscany, or a Tuscan kitchen, I feel obliged to try a pasta dish, because the pasta is made fresh daily. I ordered a wild boar bolognese (a Tuscan favorite meat) sausage dish ($18) with tagliatelle (similar to fettucine, but wider and flatter). The sausage nuggets were lean and delicate, and bathed in a light tomato-based sauce. While the temperature of the dish could have been hotter, it was savory nonetheless.

MDP ordered the Tuscan seafood stew ($19), composed of a thin tomato broth, fresh herbs, fresh fish, mussels and shrimp. He was pleased that the seafood was not overcooked and with the abundance of ingredients.

One friend ordered the saffron-infused salmon ($17), served over rice. The fresh green beans were layered over the fish. She was delighted with the quality of her meal. Her husband ordered one of the specials: plank steak ($23). Although cooked as ordered, he said he would have preferred something else.

For dessert we tried hazelnut panacotta ($7) and a ricotta cannoli with candied pecans ($7). Although pricey, they topped off the dinner nicely.

Poppy Hill does not offer your ordinary menu--nor an ordinary Italian dining experience.

Linda Salisbury is the author of an award-winning adventure series for kids.