Take a native born Italian chef to the mountains and mesas of northern New Mexico, add an abundance of naturally grown wild mushrooms and the influence of Southwestern culture and what do you have? -- Villa Fontana, an internationally acclaimed restaurant featuring wild mushrooms in its creative Northern Italian fare. In this land of red and green chile, it may seem surprising to discover a world-class Italian restaurant. Yet that's exactly what patrons find inside the adobe walls of Villa Fontana. Chef Carlo Gilimberti who owns Villa Fontana with English-born wife Siobhan, recently attracted the attention of Luigi Veronelli, a major Italian food and wine critic. Europeans are very familiar with Veronelli's books as indispensable guides to the best food and wine. In Veronelli's guide to Italian restaurants in the USA, Villa Fontana was singled out as one of the "best of the best," ranking with a national elite dominated by New York and California. So how does a restaurant in Taos, New Mexico make the top ten nationally? With an inventive approach that takes inspiration from the heady creativity of Taos' famed colony of artists. Beyond the brilliant flavors of fresh ingredients enhanced a selection of specially collected and preserved mushrooms, at Villa Fontana, food is art. Take a playful appetizer of proscuitto di Parma wrapped around bread sticks to form a tee-pee, served with juicy slices of melon. Or delicate red potatoes carved to resemble the restaurant's signature ingredient -- mushrooms. Chef Carlo's creativity has found new outlets recently. Inspired by the many artists he has fed over the years, Carlo began painting two years ago. Displayed in the restaurant his oil paintings cover a range of subject matter. There are still life paintings of the elements in Chef Carlo's life such as wine, glasses fresh fruit and food, landscape paintings of adobe walls and courtyards, and even lively figurative paintings. Chef Carlo recently held a one-person show of his paintings at Villa Fontana. Taos' best known artists, including the area's most famous Navajo artist, R.C. Gorman, attended. In keeping with Chef Carlo's blend of visual and gustatory creativity, guests were treated to colorful hors d'oeuvres and beautiful paintings. Villa Fontana is open for dinner Monday through Saturday six days a week. Lcoated on highway 522 approximately five miles north of Taos proper, Villa Fontana overlooks mountains and mesa. The menu features standing favorites such as Fetucini dello Chef, fresh noodles with porcini, peas and ham; Crema di funghi Porcini, cream of wild mushroom soup; and Medaglioni di Vitello con Galleti D'Orati, medallions of veal, sauteed with chanterelles; as well as daily specials for rice and fresh. fish. For reservation information, call 505-758-5800. What major guidebooks have to say about Villa Fontana ... Villa Fontana ... It's two intimate dining rooms, with gleaming hardwood floors and well-appointed tables, starched linens and sparkling crystal, set a classic tone found in many of Europe's finest restaurants. Highly recommended. - FODOR'S 1993 GUIDE TO SANTA FE, TAOS, ALBUQUERQUE. Carlo and Siobhan Gisilimberti like to talk about 'peccato di gola' -- lust of the palate. The couple brought it with them to Taos when they left their home in the Italian Dolomites, near the Austrian border ... Meal are truly gourmet. Author's Choice. FROMMER'S 1993 COMPREHENSIVE TRAVEL GUIDE TO SANTA FE, TAOS AND ALBUQUERQUE. Awards ... AAAA Four Diamond for 6 years DiRoNa -- Distinguished Restaurants of North America. Veronelli Guide -- One of the top ten Italian Restaurants of the US Chef Carlo Gislimberti was knighted by the President of Italy in April 1999 in recognition for his work and contribution in promoting Italin products, and for serving on the Boards of GRI (Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani) and Ciao Italia. Specialties ... Dishes prepared with locally picked wild mushrooms, and by being the only restaurant in the sate of NM authorized to do so. See New York Times, January 5, 1995.