When I first visited Pigalle, the French bistro on North Second Street, I was charmed by the French windows, flung open to the sultry air, that gave it a faintly Parisian air. In winter, it closed back into itself, to the Burne-Jones scrolled walls, the deep red banquettes and the light that made everyone look wonderful. Pigalle is no more, but Karey and Joseph Scarpone, from the Napa Valley's esteemed Tra Vigne, have given this place a light renovation and a new name, Sovalo, a composite of their children's names. With California sensibility and Italian roots, they have created an exciting restaurant that truly runs with the seasons and all over the map of Italy. On the menu from my August visit (labeled Agosto, 2005) I found many dishes to savor: perfect pappa al pomodoro, that Tuscan soup that does wonders with tomatoes and bread; squash blossoms stuffed with salt cod; and pasta alle Sarde with raisins and fennel. I thought, what a great time to emphasize Joseph's talents, which borrow from all parts of Italy in their seasonality and respect for pure ingredients and flavors.

Returning for "Settembre, 2005," I found a completely different menu, with ingredients that tasted as if they were harvested that morning. And it was just as good a test for Joseph's capabilities. First, we tried a variety of breads that come with a small dish of bean dip, while regarding a wine list that is mostly Californian with a few Italian offerings, reasonably priced, from a $26 Markham Sauvignon Blanc to Brunello di Montalcino at $110. (If you should happen to have this Brunello at home, or any comparable wine, Monday night at Sovalo is BYOB, so don't forget.)

Anytime I have difficulty choosing between dishes is a good sign for me, and how could I ignore the chicken liver crostini or the mussels with sausage? I focused on the heirloom tomato salad, lightly anointed with olive oil and basil leaves, and bursting with late summer flavor. Joseph has taken it one step further, with a perfectly cooked, runny-yolked egg on top and translucent slices of speck on the side. It was just plain wonderful. My companion's puree of pumpkin soup matched my salad in quality — silky and only slightly sweet, with a dollop of hazelnut Mascarpone cream to add a voluptuous note.

With just the right amount of time between courses, the efficient young waitress brought us a pasta to share. Although I had cast a glance at the pappardelle with wild mushrooms and braised rabbit ragu, I no longer seemed capable of doing justice to four courses, so one pasta it was, and butternut squash ravioli more than filled the bill. Sage butter is a classic accompaniment for the creamy, delicate squash and a dash of chopped hazelnuts made it perfection.

With a defiant nod to Miles in Sideways, we were drinking a pleasant Carmenet Merlot, and I was blissfully digging into a risotto made with Lancaster apples, its toothsome texture overshadowed by the sauteed sweetbreads, chanterelles and shaved fennel lavished over it. What an amalgam of tastes and textures and originality all in one dish. My partner was more than pleased with halibut, white and firm of flesh, bedded on a parsnip puree and offset by a salad of Marvel Stripe tomatoes. It, too, has chanterelles sprinkled over it, with abandon. I marveled that Joseph could use such fine ingredients with abundance and still maintain a comfortable price level. The hanger steak with purple potatoes that I recall quite fondly, weighs in at $19.95. Wishing that I were more of a trencherman, I ignored the duck breast with white corn, faro and duck confit, and the snapper with cranberry beans, and turned to dessert.

The lightest things on the dessert menu were vanilla panna cotta and gelato. The panna cotta, quivering beneath its blueberry sauce, was delightful, and so was the gelato — a choice between almond or fig that night. Gelato, to me, is one of Italy's greatest accomplishments. The coffee was good and hot, and we were reluctant to depart these pleasant surroundings. They have a nice selection of sweet dessert wines, like a Castellare Vin Santo, and some nice Ports and Grappas as well.

Joseph Scarpone has a sure hand in the kitchen. His dishes are well-thought (like the egg on the tomato salad) and representative of the regions of their origin. His insistence on local, seasonal products is purely Cal-Italian and produces the pure flavors that he seeks. Sovalo is already a success, and I can't wait for October's menu.

SOVALO 702 N. Second St., 215-412-7770

• Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5-11 p.m.
• Appetizers, $6.00-$9.50, entrees $15.95-$22.95
• Wheelchair accessible.
• Smoking permitted in bar area.
• Reservations recommended.
• Credit cards accepted.