TRE Piani has never failed to please in previous visits. This time a couple of our selections lacked the verve and thoughtful preparation that are trademarks of chef/owner Jim Weaver. From a culinary standpoint, we found that simpler proved better, and everything else was top notch.

   The three-story main dining room is big and bold and bright, with a lively atmosphere. The welcome of Maitre d’ Giancarlo Squitieri charms diners, and he provides discerning guidance through the impressive wine list. The service still sparkles, as did the prosecco ($8/glass) that preceded our meal. And the menu, featuring fresh, local products, remains a “locavore’s” delight.

   Most enjoyable was a seasonal salad of local watermelon with feta cheese, frisée and toasted almonds. The distinct but complementary flavors and textures of its ingredients gave it character. Sweet wedges of melon perkily bracketed the frisée, sharp and tickly on the palate, with accents provided by salty feta and crunchy almonds. A gentle balsamic reduction added another layer of flavor and aroma to this pleasing “farewell to summer” dish.

   Among the salads, the concept and local-sourcing of the panzanella salad ($18), with its Jersey shore seafood, should make it the star. At Tre Piani this dish, devised by Tuscan peasants as a prosaic way to use day-old bread, becomes extravagant and elegant. It features scallops and calamari sautéed with garlic and served in their broth with fennel, cucumber and basil, crowned with a cylinder of dry Italian bread. But this time the panzanella had lost its old magic, lacking the abundance of sweet, ripe tomatoes and broth to soften the cylinder of dry bread. The fennel lent intriguing anise overtones, but the clams lacked flavor, the calamari was rubbery, and the scallops dry and strong smelling.

   While the menu features local products, sometimes climate decides which “local” is best. Along with the basket of crusty Italian bread, served at room temperature, came a pint-and-a-half bottle of extra virgin Monello Monini olive oil from southern Italy: hazy-green, slightly pungent and well-suited to the densely crumbed bread.

   Special starters included smoked bell pepper bisque and warm duck confit with frisée, toasted almonds, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. Among the entrée specials were autumnal dishes: fresh pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and sage; pan-seared breast of duckling in a roasted-pear wine sauce, accompanied by sautéed local green beans and whipped Yukon potatoes. Heirloom tomatoes and zucchini blossoms, listed in two places on the summer menu, were no longer available, but fresh Jersey tomatoes could still be found as an ingredient in the grilled Cajun-spiced swordfish, with avocado risotto and fruit salsa.

   On the regular menu, entrée salads and light entrées included a grilled chicken paillard salad; two simple, vegetarian pizzettes; pan-roasted monkfish filet served with summer vegetables and roasted potatoes; and eggplant rollatine baked in a terra cotta pot with spaghetti, four cheeses and tomato sauce. Pastas range from fresh vegetarian to rib-sticking meaty versions: penne with fresh crushed tomato, garlic, basil and olive oil; pappardelle with wild mushrooms and mascarpone; tortellini alla Bolognese; and fettuccine with short rib, sausage and mushrooms in tomato sauce.

   Veal cutlet ($32) benefited from its coating of Parmigiano cheese, which gave it a crispy exterior and kept the tender meat moist under a delicate, fragrant tomato sauce. The veal came with rich, tasty whipped Yukon gold potatoes but might be better matched with pasta. Also on the plate was sautéed spinach so intense it made your teeth feel gritty. (We thought this odd sensation was due to the high iron content of spinach, but it’s actually the etching effect of the vegetable’s undissolved oxalic acid crystals.) The light, fruity pinot noir ($10/glass), suggested by Giancarlo, paired perfectly with the veal: a superb match for the delicate meat and the bright tomato sauce.

   The preparation of summer flounder ($34) calls for sautéing the mild fish with lobster, lemon, basil, cherry tomatoes and toasted almonds. The lobster was a tender and exotic accompaniment to the flounder but did not meld to create a whole greater than the sum of the parts. The flounder, despite the lemon and basil and tomatoes, was bland. The accompanying summer vegetable risotto was expertly prepared and a well-conceived accompaniment.

   From the dessert choices, prepared under the supervision of pastry chef Stacy Stimac, almond milk panna cotta ($11) was served with berries, vanilla syrup and a crackling honey tuile, a smooth and cooling concoction, its sweetness highlighted by the fresh, slightly tart berries. Nutella semi-fredo ($10) with chocolate hazelnut crunch and coffee crème anglaise was a trio of chocolate-peanut butter layers, stacked to visual and gustatory perfection. Both of these were paired perfectly with espresso, which provided the needed, sharp counterpoint. Other choices on the dessert menu include crème brulée, tiramisu, and a riccotta cheese tart.

   Tre Piani means three floors in Italian. Outdoors, at the ground level is a large patio, with seating areas for dining or enjoying a drink and small plates from Tre Bar, the restaurant’s affiliated wine bar. Indoors, fans turn slowly from 30 feet overhead, the perimeter is punctuated with fresh plants and French doors, and a bar fills the far end of the room. The wait staff is knowledgeable, skilled and personable. The wine list includes 37 whites, ranging in price from $28 to $350 (for Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blanc) and 55 reds at $32 to $220. About 50 wines are available for $50 a bottle or less.