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GREENSBORO — Anton’s, now in the second generation of family ownership, has occupied this building since 1960. I have fond memories here. In fact, I drank my first legal beer in the third booth on the left.

This fall, Paul and Joan Shepherd joined Tom Anton at the helm.

The good news: Anton’s southern Italian comfort food remains intact. However, if you prefer more upscale cuisine, a new section of the menu installs dishes from the Shepherds’ Madison Park Cafe, reflecting French Provencal influences.

The not-so-good news: Things still look pretty much the same — terra-cotta-colored stucco walls under a black ceiling. Gradual upgrading is planned.

Most starters reflect French influences. Pate Maison ($6.99) blends ground veal, pork and chicken in a mild concoction, served with cornichons and black currant port sauce, plus toast points. Chilled Foie Gras ($14.99) is seriously good — buttery soft, generating light liver flavor, well-complemented by walnuts and cranberries, plus the same sauce as the pate along with marmalade.

Roasted Chevre ($8.99) consists of four slices of goat cheese crusted with cracked black pepper — rather intense — presented in warm olive oil with garlic cloves, shallots and roasted red peppers, served with grilled sliced bread.

Mussels Mariniere ($8.99) are the most tender I’ve encountered — steeped in the mussels’ natural juices augmented by white wine, shallots and garlic with butter and cream added.

A crusty, sliced baguette produces good flavor on its own, but it is even better soaking up mussel broth.

The house salad ($3.99) — iceberg and green leaf lettuces, plus a little carrot, red cabbage, onion, cherry tomatoes, and croutons — is almost dinner-plate sized. Get the mellow bleu-cheese dressing.

JP’s Spring Mix ($5.99) is more striking, wrapped in long cucumber slices.

Eggplant Parmesan ($8.99) arrives in a huge portion, breaded and fried. The eggplant flavor comes through clearly, undergirded by rich tomato-cheese sauce.

Lasagne ($9.99) with Bolognese sauce arrived warm, not hot, with lots of tomato-meat sauce. Unindicted co-conspirator Jerry rates this “still the best in town.”

Chicken Parmesan ($9.99) consists of two fresh tenderloins, breaded and baked, in homemade sharp marinara with lots of mozzarella cheese, plus a side of spaghetti and tomato sauce.

Meatballs ($2) — a favorite for years — combine ground pork and veal with oregano, thyme, sage, basil, garlic and sea salt.

Chicken Pie ($9.99), sans crust, is more a stew, simmering tender breast and thigh meat in luxuriant stock with pieces of fingerling potatoes and fresh carrots.

Beef Bourgignon ($11.99) produces excellent beef flavor from pieces of Angus chuck, braised in dark beef stock and red wine reduction flavored with bay leaf, joined by pieces of carrot and pearl onions in a bread bowl. Accompanying fingerling potatoes are the perfect starch match.

Beef Leonardo ($14.99), on the Italian side, adds mushrooms and Italian herbs and spices; my wife liked it even better.

Prawns Limousine ($16.99) are large, deveined shrimp — tender, served with tails on in tomato cream sauce. Although the flavors are first-rate, I wish the tails were removed.

Two off-menu specials earned high marks. Baked Scallops Imperial ($26) place three large, wild-caught scallops, some just a little firm, enhanced with crabmeat, roasted red peppers, cream cheese, egg, and bread crumbs — complex and rewarding.

Arctic Char ($21) — kin to salmon — is covered with panko bread crumbs and drizzled with parsley, lemon, butter and white wine, plated with horseradish sauce on the side, joined by braised red cabbage.

Other frequently served vegetables include Potatoes Anna — scalloped, with Parmesan and white cheddar cheeses, plus oregano, basil, and thyme — rather heavy, albeit classic French; and grilled asparagus — delightfully smoky; plus butternut squash.

We tried one dessert, Bread Pudding ($6), bearing nuances of cinnamon and lush peach.

Servers are attentive.

Here’s to another 50 years at Anton’s!

John Batchelor is a freelance contributor who has been reviewing restaurants for more than 25 years. You can reach him at P.O. Box 20848, Greensboro, NC 27420, or send e-mail to john.e.batchelor@gmail.com. To find his recent columns, visit GoTriad.com.