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Prego's menu provides a definition of "trattoria"- a casual, informal café, serving fresh, simple foods found throughout Italy. Seating is provided in one large, salmon-colored room. Personnel are unusually friendly and accommodating. When host/owner Vicente Hernandez makes recommendations, you feel as if a friend has invited you over for dinner. He came up with the name "Prego's" in order to give the restaurant a name that is easy to remember. It means "Thanks" in Italian.

I would not expect a restaurant in this casual genre to invest in an elaborate wine list. Some good selections at good prices are available from the list, but I was not enamored of by-the-glass offerings.

Soon after seating, a prelude of sliced Italian-style white bread and chunks of fried risotto cake arrives.

Our party enjoyed all the first courses, and we found a bargain to boot. Eggplant Rollatini ($7.95) and Eggplant Parmigiana ($7.95) use thinly-sliced eggplant. In the former case, this is rolled around ricotta cheese, then baked; in the latter, the eggplant is coated with bread crumbs and layered with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. A rich tomato sauce enhances both. Funghi Ripieni ($7.95) are mushrooms stuffed with breadcrumb dressing. Cozze alla Santa Lucia ($9.95) simmers mussels in garlic and white wine with just a little tomato.

Tender Baked Clams ($7.50) bear a light touch of garlic.

All of these are available in a combination for $14.95, a special value. The portion size was easily enough for four adults.

Calamari Fritti ($9.50/for two) turned out just a little firm, but exhibited good flavor and crisp texture. A friend who is a regular here indicated that the calamari is usually more tender.

An evening special, Scallops Parmesan ($8.95), consisted of four medium-sized, tender scallops flanking a risotto cake, surrounded by a light cream sauce.

The entrée list covers quite a range, more than a half dozen each of pastas, meats, chicken and seafoods.

Fettucine Alfredo ($9.95) is based on homemade egg white pasta, covered with a rich egg yolk and cream sauce. Grilled Shrimp over Linguine ($18.95) used tender, deveined jumbos, flavored with fresh garlic.

Chicken Scarpariello ($12.95) is especially flavorful. White and dark meat, left on the bone, had been simmered in white wine, garlic and rosemary.

Three mussels and three clams flanked a fish filet in the presentation of Mahi Mahi Marechiara ($20.95), sautéed with white wine, garlic, and a light tomato cream sauce.

We tried several off-menu specials. Unlike at many area restaurants, these are not necessarily the most expensive entrees in the house, and you know the price before you get the bill. Ravioli ($14.95) were filled with small shrimp and scallops, ladled with a tomato cream sauce. Sea Bass ($19.95) had been combined with diced tomatoes and mushrooms in a light tomato broth. Rigatoni ($16.95) included scallops - just a little firm - plus leeks and pine nuts.

Vegetables - cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, green beans, and potatoes - were tossed with roasted garlic cloves. Some dishes also came with asparagus - rather strongly flavored.

Prego's is an especially good choice for families with young children. Although the items were not on the menu, the kitchen prepared special requests for young diners Payne (Spaghetti with Meatballs) and his brother, Jack (Buttered Noodles), each for $6.95.

Our waiter advised that Tiramisu ($4) and Chocolate Mousse Cake ($4) are both made in-house. We ranked the Tiramisu among the best we've had in the Triad, creamy and richly flavored. Good quality bittersweet chocolate characterized the cake, laced with chocolate syrup with ice cream and ladyfingers on the sides.

Servers helped each other with well-paced deliveries, and they checked back often for satisfaction. You would have to be a very disagreeable person in general, and then try real hard in particular, in order to leave Prego's dissatisfied.

Chef-proprietor Hernandez is from Naples. He moved to New York about 20 years ago, where he cooked in several restaurants before relocating to the South.

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 20 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420 or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com.