Restaurant review : scenery delights, but food disappoints : via vai offers lovely views of the montecito foothills. But ordering is a hit, usually miss, affair.

What do you say about a restaurant that you want to like but that just doesn’t work? Here’s Via Vai in upper Montecito, open since October. It is set in the patio corner of a small, low-key

shopping center, with views of the Montecito foothills. And when the shadows fall across the hills at sunset, you find yourself in the loveliest of scenes. The restaurant’s operators--who

are also involved in the justly praised Pan e Vino across the street--boast a fine pedigree in the business; Chef Dario Furlati was also at Pan e Vino. And yet . . . Consider the waiter on

the patio. Cordial, knowledgeable as to the food and wine. Quite professional. Yet, after the initial orders, he’s rarely around. You have to get up and find him just to get a second cup of

coffee at meal’s end. Choosing from the menu is a bit like throwing darts at a board--blindfolded. The _ agnello scottadito_ ($12.95) is a tasty dish of tiny lamb chops, grilled with

rosemary and garlic, pink in the middle, beautifully charred on the outside. But the _ pollo_ ($8.50)--a half-chicken, grilled with rosemary and sage and garlic--comes overcooked and dry. _

Costine alla senape_ ($8.95), grilled baby back ribs marinated with mustard, are not much different. They’re nicely crisp on the outside but not tender enough to flake off the bone, and

without much flavor. A plate of _ cosciotto di maiale ai funghi_ ($10.50) brings a rotisserie roasted pork leg that is nearly inedible. It is dry and either overcooked or a lousy piece of

meat, even with a sauce of sauteed mushrooms struggling to save the situation. Yet a baked sea bass dish--_ branzino ai peperoni_ ($13.95)--can be beautifully tender and, laced with roasted

peppers, lemon and garlic, cooked perfectly. Probably the best dish I’ve eaten at Via Vai is _ piccata di gamberi_ ($12.95), an evening special. The succulent shrimp are sauteed in a sauce

of lemon and capers, the lemon strong, yet subtle enough so that it seems to sink into the flesh of the shellfish. A frequent side dish, roasted potatoes, is invariably mealy under the crisp

surface. Fresh tomatoes, used in a number of dishes, are either underripe or poorly chosen to begin with. Via Vai’s pastas are just OK. A _ pennette alla Siciliana_ ($9.50) has lots of

gently cooked fresh tuna, with the capers, olives, garlic, pecorino cheese and tomato sauce blending together well enough to give it some character. The _ fettuccini al carciofi con

formaggio e crema_ ($8.75), flat noodles served with artichoke hearts and cream sauce, may be what Italians think of as comfort food. Ditto the _ pappardelle al ragu_ ($8.50), a ragout of

meat sauce, hard to criticize but equally difficult to praise. A plate of _ antipasto della casa_ ($6.95) is excellent, with roasted vegetables and prosciutto-wrapped bread sticks. There is

debate among our group of Italian food lovers about the pizzas. We all agree that they’re nice and large for the price. While some like the thin crust, I think it is tasteless and dull. The

_ quattro formaggi_ pizza ($7.50), with its blend of four Italian cheeses, just doesn’t come together in the quality of its cheeses nearly as well as a couple of other cheese pizzas I’ve had

recently. A _ capricciosa_ ($8.50), featuring tomato sauce, mozzarella, artichokes, olives, red onion, oregano, mushrooms and prosciutto, sounds wonderful, but mine had nearly all the

topping loaded on one side and was watery. It’s fairly obvious that this is going to be a popular local spot, but if there was just a little more attention to food preparation. . . . Details

* WHAT: Via Vai. * WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to about 10 p.m. every day. * WHERE: 1483 E. Valley Road, Montecito. * HOW MUCH: Lunch or dinner for two, food only, $11-$53. * FYI: Reservations and

major credit cards accepted; beer and wine. * CALL: 565-9393. MORE TO READ