Talk about impressive credentials. Born in Sicily, Angelo Bernardo DiGirolamo got his start in the food business when he was barely a teenager and for nearly two decades ran Bernardo's an Italian restaurant in Boston's North End...

All of which bodes well for the dining scene in East Arlington, where DiGirolamo launched his latest venture last fall. Ristorante Olivio, named after a dear uncle, de-emphasizes red sauce Italian cooking in favor of a lighter touch, such as sauces made with wines and vinegars. Meats and seafoods are plentiful, and fresh vegetables feature prominently.

DiGirolamo, who is both chef and owner, notes proudly that he's involved in "every dish and recipe", save for a few desserts supplied by an Italian import company.

Assortimento di Olivio ($9.95), an antipasti sampler, is a pleasing blend of tastes: fried eggplant, risotto cake, Gouda, salami, and grilled zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, and broccoli rabe. Polenta ($7.95) with sauteed wild mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and Gorgonzola is richly buttery. Capesante al vino bianco ($9.95), sea scallops in a lively combo of onions, garlic, peppercorns, sweet peppers, and white wine, is excellent

Homemade artichoke-fontina ravioli is the centerpiece of ravioli di carciofe ($13.95), a colorful mix of sweet corn, spinach, tomatoes, sage, Parmesan, and butter. Risotto con funghi del bosco ($14.95) is loaded with wild mushrooms, thyme, and Parmesan. Its only flaw is slightly gluey rice.

A weak spot is salmone in padella ($17.95), pan-seared salmon matched with mussels, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. The menu promises garlic wine sauce, but it's either missing or so mild that the dish lacks a dominate taste and a bed of angel hair pasta is watery and bland, as if it went straight from the pot to plate. But we have only raves for polla bona bocca ($16.95), thin boneless chicken breast filled with prosciutto and Fontina, breaded and pan-fried in sweet Marsala wine.

Desserts include fantastic lemon sorbet ($5.95) in a hollowed-out lemon;decadent espresso tartufo ($5.95), a chocolate-covered orb of coffee ice cream; and pudding-like tiramisu served elegantly in a wine glass. Fragrant with rum, it disappeared in seconds.