The bright, seasonal cooking of chef/owner Stephen Kalt evokes the sunny warmth of the Mediterranean. An emphasis on the food of Catalonia and the Basque country accounts for some of the more hearty and fragrant dishes, such as trout a la Basquaise, with a chunky sauce of celery, leeks, clams, and clam juice. Depending on the season, oversize pizzas may be topped with ricotta and white truffle oil or pumpkin and duck confit. For meat eaters the selections are equally satisfying. Spartina is one of the few TriBeCa restaurants that is both a serious dining destination and a friendly neighborhood hangout.