I’d been lobster-adverse my entire life and then in September — motivated by a trip through New England — I went a little nuts and decided to do a Friday Food Fight featuring lobster rolls. Man, did I love ’em. “Maybe it’s time to rethink this lobster thing,” I mused.

That’s why, instead of showcasing meat- and/or cheese-filled ravioli this week, I decided to go a little nuts again and get the lobster version. This gig lets me try new things — but that comes with risk. Will my ardor for lobster rolls transfer to lobster ravioli? Let’s find out.

I chose two moderately priced Italian restaurants: Stefano’s Italian Cuisine in the hinterlands of Seminole; and The Brother Trattoria in South Tampa. I’ve not been to either.

STEFANO’S ITALIAN CUISINE

I thought we’d walked onto a set of Everything Everywhere All At Once. It would take a half a day just to straighten out the picture frames. But my guess is that neo-ramshackle was a conscious design choice, and I have to say it was not without its charms.

Stefano’s is in a small strip mall way out west in Seminole. The place has a neighborly mom-and-pop vibe, with friendly, attentive service. We arrived at 6 p.m. and sat at a four-top near the back of the dining room. It was blessedly quiet, and even when the tables started to fill up, the ambient noise wasn’t a bother.

We ordered Lobster Ravioli ($26) to split, and selected Eggplant Parmigiana ($14), Bonnie’s choice, as a starter. Our server brought over a small basket of bread at not charge.

Appearance

There’s only so much you can do with white pasta in a white sauce in a white bowl. A few bits of parsley? Okay. The sauce was thick and glistening, suggesting ample use of butter. I thought, “This stuff is going to be rich.”

The Eggplant Parmigiana’s presentation was similarly understated, the red sauce sprinkled with a few bits of parsley.

All of the things that seduced me about lobster rolls — tender, succulent chunks of seafood, lightly dressed, encased in a bun — were missing from this lobster ravioli.

Because I’m a newbie, I don’t know the protocols for this dish, but would it be out of line to wish for, if not chunks, at least some bits of lobster? The menu says that the raviolis are “stuffed with fresh lobster meat and ricotta.” I don’t doubt that, but the lobster meat had been ground so finely and combined with cheese that the primary effect was a lobster flavor.

The lobster cream sauce added more lobster flavor. I found that I preferred the bites that I didn’t bathe in sauce.

All told, the dish tasted as rich as it looked.

Big ups to the eggplant parmigiana. The light breading provided a sumptuous crunch, which gave way to smooth innards. Sensible squiggles of mozzarella were topped by a delightful red sauce, which was more sweet than acidic.

THE BROTHER TRATTORIA

We arrived at 5:30 Wednesday under a pink-hued sky hoping that our dinner would come up roses.

Open since August, The Brother Trattoria is owned by a married couple, Ashton Sanchez and Chef Joel Sanchez. Both have long histories in the restaurant business. Think of the interior design as rustic modern: whitewashed brick walls contrast with black booths and tables. A pizza station with a bright-red oven oven occupies one corner. I was impressed with the lighting, which set a warm mood without being too dark. A few framed photos decorated the walls, all of them level.

The entire staff was amiable and eager to please, as it should be with new eateries. We ordered Ravioli Arogosta ($22), to split, with a starter of Prosciutto Melone ($18) and a Caesar Salad ($11). Our server, Miriam, hustled over a basket of bread with a small bowl of olive tapenade for dipping.

Appearance

Everything looked terrific. Salad, bread, tapenade, ravioli (with sundried tomatoes adding color, see photo at top) and, especially the appetizer: Healthy pieces of prosciutto encased slices of cantelope, with a bulb of burrata cheese nearby, and a few arugula leaves for more color.

Texture and Taste

I’ll start with the main attraction: The most noticeable aspect of this lobster ravioli was the presence of shreds and mini-chunks of lobster meat. This made for a complex texture and also provided a more organic flavor, milder than the competition’s. The sauce, while creamy, was not heavy, and I enjoyed soaking my bites with it. The pasta was impeccably al dente. The tomatoes gave the dish a kind of lightness, further mitigating the richness in what is intrinsically a rich dish.

I can safely say that the Prosciutto Melone was the single best thing I ate all week. The salty prosciutto danced merrily with the bright sweetness of the melon. Adding in a dollop of burrata and a touch of balsamic reduction made for bites worthy of the gods.

The Caesar didn’t try to be anything other than it was, and benefited from the ideal level of dressing (and it wasn’t over-cheesed). The bread was perhaps a little chewier than I prefer, but the tapenade was splendid; flecks of red pepper added a hint of spicy heat.

And the Winner of the Lobster Ravioli Ruckus Is …

The Brother Trattoria.

An easy call. TBT’s lobster ravioli was an elevated version when compared with Stefano’s’ more basic approach. The Tampa restaurant’s dish managed to bring an element of lightness to a heavy dish.

While the eggplant parm at Stefano’s was a first-rate appetizer, the ham-wrapped cantelope at TBT was something I’ll remember for a long time.

Our dinner at TBT certainly came up roses. Although I only ate one meal there, I recommend you check the place out.