Chiaroscuro

A pasta three-way.

This city’s seen a wave of Italian restaurants opening recently, but not many can claim a proprietor fresh off the plane from Rome itself. Since arriving in SF four months ago, owner Alessandro Campitelli (along with chefs Damiano Neris and Vanessa Muesella) has created a contemporary restaurant with chalkboard tables, iron arches wrapped with climbing figs and an inviting view of the open kitchen. Housed in the former space of Tartare and facing the Transamerica Pyramid, Chiaroscuro offers monstrously large salads, nicely chewy homemade gnocchi barely wrapped in lamb Bolognese, a trio of pastas and grilled prawns with chicory sauce that shine in their simplicity.

Chiaroscuro 550 Washington St., 415-362-6012

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