Michele Iovino and her husband, Guiseppe Marsico, had a dream. Michele, who had been raised in her parents' restaurant, Girasole, and in her uncle's restaurant of the same name in Atlantic City, knew exactly what she wanted: a "nest" with a sparkling marble bar, dark woods and an intricate tin ceiling. She and Guiseppe found their spot in the southernmost reaches of South Philly, and they went to work. A playful pottery fountain hangs on one wall, yellow end-of-day fixtures light the bar like dripping egg yolks, and beige linen covers the tables, each of which sports a votive and a tiny vase of flowers. Ecco! A ristorante honoring her family's Neapolitan heritage, with some excellent touches of her own.

The staff, which consists mainly of charming, dark-eyed young girls, made us feel right at home. They poured the wine we have brought and promptly delivered an amuse bouche, Italian style: a small tomato, glowing with summer, stuffed with tender white crabmeat and doused with an orange vinaigrette. Sweet crab, sweet tomato, sweet orange — a dish you could only have in August. The crusty bread comes from Michele's father, who bakes it at his little spot, Mimosa, at Ninth and South streets.

We moved on to the specialty of the house. Melenzane zucchini al forno, simply stated, is eggplant baked with zucchini, tomatoes and basil, topped with mozzarella cheese. It's a form of eggplant parmigiana, but the slices of eggplant are not breaded, the tomatoes are fresh and the whole thing melts together into a symphony of summer flavors. I have never had octopus as tender and flavorful as Michele's version — grilled chunks bathed only in garlic, parsley and olive oil with a liberal dash of lemon. Even the octophobic would be seduced by this dish. Their soups are innovative as well, and though the lentil was sapid and creamy, I was more interested in one of borlotti beans and mussels, or just plain asparagus. There's a whole cold winter stretching ahead of us for just such experimentation.

Skipping over some of the more traditional pastas — seafood; gnocchi with tomatoes and mozzarella; homemade pasta with potatoes and celery — we opted for fettucine il Nido. It turned out to be a melange of peas, asparagus, diced tomatoes and artichokes, tossed with truffle oil and silky, homemade fettucine. I loved the way the glistening fresh vegetables absorbed the earthiness of the oil. It is another summer treat, and something not encountered at other Italian restaurants around town. One of our group was on Atkins, and gravitated toward a simple chicken breast, slowly cooked with julienned vegetables. It suited her perfectly, and would frankly suit anyone, diet or not. The fish du jour was tilapia, a basic fish elevated by the "meuniere" style: dusted in flour, sauteed lightly and scattered with capers. Here, they add juicy tomato chunks to gild the lily. It was accompanied by plain sliced potatoes tossed in oil, but they were anything but plain. All the food at Nido seemed to have been kissed by a sure but simple touch that emphasizes individual tastes. Though they feature a great many fish dishes, they also have the standard meats — osso buco, lamb chops, veal chop and sirloin steak — and I have no doubt that all of them are treated with the same meticulous attention.

The two desserts that we sampled were not simple, however. The ricotta cheesecake was dense and delicious and dressed with a little cream. It was an outstanding version of this classic. Then, we tried crocantina, something with which I was unfamiliar. It's a rich semifreddo that seems to be composed chiefly of chopped nuts, and I couldn't stop eating it. A gratis glass of limoncello on the side made things taste even better.

You might say, "Another Italian BYOB?" But you would be wrong, for Nido is definitely different. The food shows thought and appreciation of old recipes and seasonal preparations. The welcome is extremely warm, and I was struck more than once by the uncomplicated quality of the entire place. It's like a corner of Italy, ingredient-driven and true to its roots.

Nido 1540 Ritner St., 215-755-0860

• Sun.-Thu., 5-10:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5-11 p.m.
• Appetizers, $4.50-$9.50; entrees $10-$19
• BYOB.
• Not wheelchair accessible.
• Smoking is permitted at the coffee bar.
• Reservations accepted.
• American Express and Visa cards accepted.