RANDY METCALF/ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT The restaurant North offers an Italian experience on the North side of Tucson.

Calling all ladies who lunch! Get in the car and drive the 15 minutes up north to North. And gentlemen, while you may not want to sit around over light Italian fare in the daytime hours and gossip, don't dismiss North just yet.

The restaurant, located in the La Encantada complex at East Skyline Avenue and North Campbell Avenue, doubles as an affordable lunch spot (dinner prices jet up a bit, but don't skyrocket) and chi-chi bo”te, clad with martini drinkers ready to mingle.

While the 21-and-over crowd may want to consider North as a trendy alternative to exhausted Fourth Avenue party nights, anyone can enjoy North's ambience and food, most of it anyway.

I started off with the calamari salad ($8), described as "crisp calamari with baby arugula and grilled lemons." The calamari rings were huge and meaty compared to the measly tentacles sometimes found on similar dishes. Plus, the breading was sturdy, which is better than the popular crumbly batter that sometimes falls off and leaves the calamari exposed.

The citrus flavors brightened up the salad, creating a light flavor, despite the fried preparation of the squid. Overall, I would order the salad again, but not before trying other interesting antipasti on the menu like a prosciutto shrimp salad ($10) or bruschetta with cheese, asparagus and prosciutto ($7).

On the recommendation of the server, I tried the flattened chicken, smoked provolone and sautŽed spinach sandwich ($8). The sandwich came with both an Italian slaw and potato salad. It lacked zest, however, and seemed to have too much bread.

But while you may want to steer clear of the flattened chicken, give the wild mushroom and truffled arugula pizza a try ($10). The large pizza had a thin, crispy crust and was generously topped with greens and mushrooms. Though the pizza also had muted flavors, this time it was to the dish's advantage.

North offers three standing desserts and three that change. The server verbalized the dessert menu, and a flourless nutella chocolate cake and pistachio gelato sounded too tempting to pass up.

The cake, rich and delicious, came with fresh berries. The pistachio gelato (Italian-style ice cream) came with candied pistachio shavings and was out of this world.

I couldn't help but notice that the booths around the restaurant were pistachio-colored too. Did the decorators and chefs collaborate?

It wouldn't surprise me, as the aesthetics of North seem to complement the food. The clean lines of the architectural furniture pieces mirror the fresh ingredients and simple but elegant food presentation. North's look flaunts an updated, hip vibe. Exposed brick walls contrast the windowed ones. The combination of pistachio, orange and white colors offer a cool retreat from the warm desert colors on the other side of the glass.

On a Friday or Saturday night, as the desert colors fade and the darkening sky provides the backdrop for late-night twinkling city lights, pointy-shoed ladies and suited men begin to arrive.

After dinner, North becomes more of a drink destination than casual bistro. If you can abandon "the usual" order for a night, give the martini and wine list a thorough look. North offers tens of wines by the glass, including an Oregon red, "Dolcetto" by Erath, blended specifically for the restaurant.

So dress up a little and vacation from University Boulevard to the North up north - just save the sandwich for Bison Witches.