The Sewickley Cafe's charm is matched only by its trendy dishes

Sewickley's downtown main street makes a great movie backdrop, the stuff of Frank Capra - or Steven Spielberg in a nostalgic mood.

There's a strong sense of community in its quaint storefronts, corner gazebo, old-fashioned streetlights and converted Victorian homes.

Nowhere in Sewickley does that community come together as well as at the Sewickley Cafe, where neighbors meet and old acquaintances rekindle friendships. The cozy atmosphere is as inviting for a casual lunch as a weekend candlelight dinner - or even when picking up a takeout order.

While waiting for your table, glance into the glass display case where row after row of desserts, ordered from area bakeries, will tantalize your appetite. Acting the adult - eat your vegetables first, mother says - is never more difficult.

Just past this vision of sweet temptation, sizzle and steam rise from the galley kitchen.

Muted colors of khaki, mint green, subdued red and cool stone lend a peaceful background to the room. Ceiling fans spin lazily under the pressed-tin ceiling. Below, the noisy, upbeat crowd chatters and laughs through their meals, a sound as welcoming as the greeter at the door.

Canvas sacks and recycle bags clump under the tables - the international sign of BYOB. A wine-and-spirits shop a couple blocks down the street offers a last-chance stop for those who don't plan far enough ahead.

Tables are dressed with black linens, topped with sheets of brown paper. The theme matches the relaxed formality of the helpful waitstaff in khaki slacks with black polo shirts and long black aprons.

Garden seating supports the overflow of guests under a tent, complete with heaters for year-round semi-outdoor dining. The menu is broken up into categories of soups, "lite fare" of sandwiches and dinner salads, pasta and entrees. Each contains diverting dishes such as the Lobster Ravioli ($18.95) made with roasted red peppers in a goat cheese cream sauce and Asiago Scallops ($19.95), pan seared and crusted with Asiago cheese.

Sides, too, are a step above standard fare. Lumpy - in a good way - Artichoke Smashed Potatoes, wonderfully textured Wild Rice with Mixed Nuts, crispy green Sesame Seeded Snow Peas, Roasted Potatoes with Leeks and Bleu Cheese, Pesto Roasted Roma Tomato and tangy Lemon Asparagus are a few of the trendy, mouthwatering add-ons.

Soups are served hot and hearty. The Tomato Dill is more than a house specialty - it's a house legend. The combination of chunks of tomato in sweet, dill-infused cream is not only available by the cup and bowl, but sold by the quart for enjoying at home. It's the secret recipe of the grandmother of owner and executive chef Don Reinhardt, who reports selling 50 to 80 gallons a week.

Full of lentils, carrots and celery in a smoke-flavored brown broth, the Smoked Turkey Lentil fits the season. The New England Clam Chowder avoids the overcooked and over-thickened tendency of many chowders. The thin buttery liquid and fresh-tasting clams are a winning combination.

A choice of salad is offered with pasta and entree orders. The Spring Mix includes feta cheese in a nice mix of greens, dotted with tomato chunks and red onion rings. Ask for the accompanying balsamic vinaigrette on the side to prevent drowning in dressing.

House Salad includes slivered almonds, sprouts and julienned carrots with its mix of lettuce, greens and tomatoes. A very Parmesany Caesar Salad and a Spinach Salad are the other options.

One of the best entrees of the bunch is the signature Tuscan Chicken ($18.95). The savory sauce is worth swooning over. Its blend of flavors is derived from artichoke hearts, onion, portobello mushrooms and roasted red peppers in a balsamic glaze with incredibly tender chicken.

Chicken also is done right in the Cheese Ravioli ($18.95), tossed in a very light Asiago cheese sauce dotted with walnuts. A lovely dish, although on a recent sampling, the pasta was a bit on the chewy side.

Shrimp Puttanesca ($19.95) combines a seasoned marinara sauce with Kalamata olives, green onions, portobello mushrooms and fat saut‚ed shrimp with penne for a dish full of vim and vigor.

Bourbon-marinated mushrooms and onions top off the Kentucky Rib Eye ($23.95). Its richly charred surface encapsulates a juicy pink, medium-rare order, as requested.

But back to those desserts.

Rather than have your waiter rattle off the long list of treats that you're unlikely to remember, make the "cake walk" down to the display case and ooh and aah over the lineup.

More than a dozen cakes, pies and tarts on our latest visit included Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Chocolate Confusion, Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake, Chocolate Thunder, Cabernet Pear Tart, Bread Pudding, Key Lime Cheesecake, Oreo Smash and Colossal Carrot Cake.

Pick one. Better yet, pick a few and pass among your tablemates as a sampling feast. If the Sewickley Cafe has worked its gracious and sociable magic, you'll be more than willing to share.