Jonathan Vlasic might not be a household name yet, but I am predicting that with Pittsburgh restaurant goers, he soon will be.

Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Alla Famiglia's chef and owner Jonathan Vlasic dishes out one of his favorites, Steak Alla Peppar, in a carmelized onion and roasted garlic veal sauce served with grilled asparagus. Click photo for larger image. Alla Famiglia 804 E. Warrington Ave. Allentown 412-488-1440 Hours: dinner, 4-10 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Basics: A talented young chef using fresh herbs and produce to prepare Italian-influenced cuisine. This storefront location with 34 seats is essentially an eat-in kitchen with lots of charm. Friendly service. BYOB. Reservations recommended, essential on weekends. Prices: Appetizers, $7-$14; entrees, $18-$55 including salad and pasta; desserts, $6-$8. Summary: No smoking. Wheelchair accessible with one step into dining room; restrooms not accessible. Metered parking in adjacent lot. Major credit cards accepted.

Vlasic is the new owner of Alla Famiglia Restaurant in the Allentown neighborhood. This cozy 34-seat storefront venue was the creation of David Ayn, Pittsburgh's legendary dean of Italian cuisine. Ayn composed the original Alla Famiglia menu, which was awarded four stars when Mackenzie Carpenter reviewed the restaurant for the PG in June 2003.

Vlasic's menu is greatly expanded and reflects the chef's fascination with layers of subtle flavors. Gradually replacing the mostly Sicilian influences of olives and lemons and tomatoes are cabernet wine reduction sauces and caramelized onions and seared fish accompanied by fresh berries and melon. The new Alla Famiglia is also ditching the plastic table covers for fresh red-and-white-checked linen ones.

One Ayn holdover is the waiter, Errol Segal. Segal is a fixture without whom Alla Famiglia would lose a large part of its warmth. When we departed the restaurant, he walked us to our car just as he would have had we been guests in his own home.

The trio of garnishes for bread is pure Ayn. The seasoned olive oil, fresh goat cheese and olive spread and garbanzo bean and cheese cecinini along with an assortment of MediTerra's artisanal breads appease the appetite while diners peruse the long menu.

But beware: Just when you think you have decided what to order, the waiter arrives to recite an extensive list of the day's specials. Then he adds that if there is anything you might wish that is not on the menu, the chef will be happy to accommodate. This is a chef with a huge desire to please his customers.

The amazing Mushroom Trifolata ($8), which features assorted wild mushrooms with raisins and currants in marsala cream, makes you want to lick the bowl. The same is true of the Fried Mozzarella ($7), which is topped with marinara sauce and grated Pecorino.

Much of the menu is the invention or the re-creation of the new chef/owner. His Escarole and Beans with Dominic's Hot Italian Sausage ($8) is a delightful interpretation of the old "greens and beans" standard. The bright green escarole, which is cooked only when the order is placed, is complemented by ample garlic, lots of spicy sausage and a smattering of cannellini beans.

Our 5-year-old guest was more interested in a hamburger than in fish or veal, so for him we ordered a meatball appetizer ($8) -- but this is not even remotely related to an ordinary meatball. The fist-sized ball had a center of mozzarella cheese, was topped with melted provolone and was swimming in a fresh marinara sauce of chopped tomatoes. Although it was probably not conceived with a 5-year-old in mind, it was the perfect dinner for our young man.

All dinners come with mixed salad and fusilli bucatini pasta with tomato vodka sauce. Portions are large, so appetizers are an over-the-top addition. I find that they are best enjoyed as substitutes for entrees. Mussels steamed in wine and basil ($9) or Day Boat Scallops seared with oregano and lemon ($14) would make fine entrees for smaller appetites.

But Alla Famiglia never was and still isn't a place for timid eaters. The Double Veal Chop ($55) or the 24-ounce Delmonico Steak ($50) push the outer limits of portion control. The amazing veal chop is wrapped in prosciutto, grilled with fresh sage, topped with melted provolone cheese and finished with a fabulous cabernet and mushroom veal reduction sauce. If you love veal but cannot face the imposing size of the chop try the Veal Escalopes ($29) with sauteed mushrooms and spinach and the same wonderful sauce as the chop. Or choose the escalopes preparation of your choice from a list that includes piccata ($25) and marsala ($26).

The long list of pasta entrees has some surprises. It is hard to fault Capellini alla Marco ($27), which is pasta with shrimp, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, baby green peas and currants in cream sauce. The Tonno al Salmoriglio ($19) is a tasty combination of yellowfin tuna, olives and anchovies with fresh oregano and basil. There are also vegetarian pastas on the list.

The chef's true love is seafood, and here he excels. Working with unusual fish such as golden tile, walleyed pike and mangrove snapper, Vlasic exercises his imagination and takes bold chances. One of his recent daily specials was a seared mangrove snapper topped with fresh sage and butter, briefly roasted, and garnished with shrimp, crab, mussels and clams in a bouillabaisse sauce.

The salmon is all Alaskan and wild. I loved the King Salmon ($28), which is bathed in whole-grain mustard cream sauce with pinhead-sized green peas and colossal jumbo lump crab. The Swordfish alla Ghiotta ($32) is also seared before oven-roasting and is dressed in tomato, pine nut and caper sauce and garnished with four giant asparagus spears. The fish was moist and flavorful, not at all overwhelmed by the sauce. The Lake Erie Walleye, topped with an assortment of fresh berries and melon tossed in olive oil, was a perfect summer entree.

Desserts are made by the chef with some help from his Italian mother. Tiramisu ($8) is the classic version, flavored with espresso. Mama's contribution is a fruit pie ($6; with a filling that changes daily) and is the most popular item on the dessert menu. They frequently sell out before the end of the night, so I have learned to ask the restaurant to put aside a fruit dessert for me when I arrive. Lately, selection has included fresh raspberry chiffon pie and blueberry cobbler.

The informality of the dining room is part of the charm of dinner. Exposed brick walls and an open kitchen assure that not only the sights but also the sounds of the kitchen are ever present. When the chef pounds a veal scallop, you hear it, and when he throws something into the pan to sear it, the flames light up the room. Vlasic is known to frequently converse with diners as he prepares their meals.

With Julius LaRosa singing "Eh Cumpari" on the stereo, our waiter broke into a singalong, and the neighboring table joined in. The scene reminded me of an old black-and-white Italian movie I once saw: the family gathered around a long table, eating, laughing, singing and waving raffia-cradled bottles of chianti.

The only downside of the at-ease atmosphere came from a dishwasher who grabbed stacks of soiled pans and threw them noisily into the sink just beyond the diners. He was equally intrusive when bringing clean plates and pans to the stove area. Instead of placing his clean wares on shelves, he throws them, making more racket than a five-alarm fire.

Alla Famiglia is BYOB. The uncorking fee is $5. In the old days, the wine you brought would be poured in tall water glasses, but Vlasic now offers stemware to his customers. The glass shape and size influences the taste of the wine more than most people realize, he says, so the new glasses are a nice addition.

Vlasic, an Ambridge native, began his culinary career at age 12 with a dishwashing job at the Edgeworth Club in Sewickley. After graduating from Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in 1999, he worked at the Montour Country Club and eventually landed in St. Petersburg, Fla., at a Renaissance Resort. At 28 years old, Vlasic already shows signs of brilliance in the kitchen. How nice for us that he has returned to Pittsburgh. I look forward to following his career, for I expect great things. He certainly has begun with a bang.