It's been three years since Sergio's got a new owner and moved from the Ilima Hotel to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. And six months ago the Italian restaurant got a new executive chef — Marc Anthony. Formerly at Sarento's, Anthony has revamped the menu, adding his own specialties and tweaking existing dishes.

Anthony takes a loose approach to the traditional Italian meal.

Caesar's salad ($10.95 per person, prepared tableside; minimum of two) and shrimp with wasabi-cocktail sauce ($11.95) — not genuine Italian ristorante cuisine — are on the menu. There's also a carpaccio of the day, such as a fancy seared 'ahi ($12) with lemon-parsley vinaigrette, diced avocado, pickled red onions and Avruga caviar (made from herring roe) on one of my visits.

Anthony's liberties with the structure of antipasti, primi (pastas, rice and soups), secondi (meat, poultry and seafood main courses) and contorni (side dishes) might stun Italian purists more. He lists pastas as contorni, before secondi. Under secondi, large portions of pastas follow entrees.

But this subtle downplaying of pastas is a wise move, because at Sergio's they take a back seat to the meat.

Only two pastas — fettucine and pappardelle — are made in- house. The herbed flat noodles of pappardelle are topped with ragu al Toscano ($17.95). All the major farm animals (in the form of beef, veal, lamb, pork and pancetta) are in this Bolognese sauce dominated by strong, acidic tomato flavor. Anthony slathers spinach fettucine ribbons with a basic creamy Alfredo sauce ($11.95 side; $16.95 entree). And linguine con gamberetti dolci ($26.95 prepared tableside), with rock shrimp sauteed in roasted-garlic butter, was just plain bland. And the biggest disappointment of all: The pasta in all three dishes was overcooked.

After the mediocrity of the pastas, I wasn't prepared for what came next. The delicious flavors of lamb chops and veal shanks — simple hearty classics perfect for this time of year — won my admiration.

Lamb chops marinated in olive oil and fig-balsamic vinegar in the lombatine di agnello ai ferri ($31.95) were expertly grilled to a juicy, tender doneness. A full-bodied port-wine reduction sauce and mashed potatoes added more comfort to the plate.

Citrusy gremolata (minced parsley, garlic and lemon zest) brightened each forkful of the long-braised succulent ossobucco alla Sergio ($34.95). Saffron risotto provided a solid accompaniment.

Excellent desserts from talented pastry chef Mei Auyong, who previously worked at Sunset Grill and 3660 On The Rise, transcended the meal.

Warm banana-truffle cake ($7), its center soft and gooey, combined the best of moist banana bread and a warm chocolate souffle. Auyong's delicate, silky panna cottas ($6), which change flavors nightly, are an absolute must. A lavender-colored version, faintly perfumed with Okinawan sweet potato, wafted me away. A chef's special torte ($7) paired a pale mauve layer of light, smooth taro with a buttery, shortbread-like crust.

When Sergio's is good, it can be very, very good, but when it's not, it wavers between being a superior and average dining experience.

The approachable staff lacks the confidence and knowledge that could easily boost service. Bread arrived only when requested. They hesitated to say the Italian names of dishes and often returned to make sure they got orders correct. And unless asked, they don't inform guests that choices on the chef's tasting menu ($39 for four courses including dessert; $59 paired with three glasses of wine) are available a la carte.

Sergio's cozy lounge is a worthy place for happy hour small plates such as crispy pizzettas ($9 to $10) or appetizer snacks with a glass of wine, or just dessert. But the bar can make its own glitches — an Ultimate Martini ($6) arrived full of chipped ice bits, and even though I ordered a drink by name, it wasn't what I was served.

And if you don't want to be relegated to Siberia, be sure to request a booth when you make reservations (a must).

The restaurant isn't cramped for space. Past the entryway's bar lounge, a host led a friend and me to our table. We walked into an area as large as some entire restaurants, with a mural of a seaside village and windows overlooking trees and lights below. It seemed to go on and on.

Around a corner, the setting got more dramatic and romantic. We passed curved booths upholstered in brocadelike fabric and landscape paintings behind tiered seating.

Then we abruptly arrived at the last stop on the line — a claustrophobic chamber with six tables that felt removed from the rest of the dining room. Earthy, terra cotta walls bless the entire restaurant with a warm, convivial glow, but they couldn't alleviate the cold feeling of exile here. Not even the view helped.

On my visit, I asked if we could sit elsewhere, but I was told that the other tables were reserved. That emphasizes the benefits of making a reservation early, and specifying your preferred seating.

Once the food arrived, however, the scene lightened. It happened gradually. And by my last bite, I found that dining at Sergio's can end happily.

In fact, I would gladly sit anywhere at Sergio's as long as I could have one of Auyong's desserts.

Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.