It may be unfair to assess a restaurant on a soft opening or the first big weekend. But there’s something about those early days — like watching a toddler take his first steps — that imbue a food venture with deliberate romanticism. The physical space, the dynamic on the line, the relationship between waitstaff and guests: All of it marries method and magic in varying degrees.

Pastaio is in its infancy, but the contour of its maturation is already evident in its streamlined menu. This is Adam Baffoni’s brainchild (yes, your chicken came off his family farm) and he’s approached it methodically. The space, right off of Westminster, has a tempered aesthetic tied to a moderate budget.