Co-owners Trevor Greenwood and Randy Quarry bring aesthetics and great taste together

1/9

The strong, square lines of its chairs and tables--solid enough to withstand a barroom brawl or a swashbuckler's fight--echo Branzino and Cafe Juanita, while the Byronic chandeliers are reminiscent of Barolo and Via Tribunali and the lace curtains on its windows must have come from the same nonna who tatted them for Spinasse in Capitol Hill.

2/9

Warm and clean at the same time, Cantinetta is instantly likeable.

3/9

Cantinetta opened in January, immediately became a neighborhood gathering point, and flared into success, partly due to the experience of co-owners Trevor Greenwood and Randy Quarry, who know from Queen City Grill and Via Tribunali how potent is the combination of familiar food and a good-looking space.

4/9

Even the recent heat wave couldn't keep the locals from packing in, and you could practically feel the air conditioner grunting from the effort it took to bring the temperature down 10 degrees.

5/9

They've hired a photogenic pack of waiters to work the room.

6/9

Two stubby links of lamb sausage, studded with hazelnuts and chopped sage, could have used a bump of pork fat to smooth over any graininess from the lean meat.

7/9

The pairing of the lamb with quickly sauteed fresh nectarines, plums, apricots, and--just to keep things interesting--black olives was brilliant.

8/9

Like every ambitious chef who's spent time in Italy, chef and Seattle newcomer Brian Cartenuto divides his menu into antipasti, primi (pastas), secondi (entrees), and contorni (sides).

9/9

A success: gnocchini with basil pesto and sauteed cherry tomatoes. There are a lot of people in town pan-frying potato dumplings right now, but Cartenuto is the first one to barely brown the gnocchi so you taste not just the crisped edges and the frying fat but the delicate potato flavor underneath.