Italian mainstay La Tomate turned 30 last year, and to mark a new chapter, the restaurant hired an Italian native — its first head chef to date — to modernize and breathe new life into the menu. Domenico Apollaro, who moved from Europe to open D.C.’s Lupo Verde in 2014, left his chef position there last year.

La Tomate founder Natalina Koropoulos scooped him up about a month ago to add more authentic flavor and sophistication to her aging two-story Italian restaurant. He’s already changed about 50 percent of the existing menu, sprinkling in new starters like suppli (saffron risotto balls with lemon zest and squash veloute) and Romagnolo-style grilled calamari with squid ink vinaigrette.