"Anything could happen here," said Mitrotti, whose talents go beyond the kitchen, as evidenced by his Michelangelo-inspired frescos on the walls and his engagement in politics, philosophy and spirituality. "It's unpredictable, which is part of the charm and experience of dining here."

Cafe Sistina is unlike any other local Italian restaurant in decor and in cuisine. For 15 years, Mitrotti has taken his recipes and Italian passion and poured them directly into this King Street "chapel."

"This is my heritage," he said. "I won't compromise the food and I won't have an assembly line preparing it, either. Italian food requires passion and love, and not just tomato sauce and garlic."

Mitrotti's homemade Bolognese sauce is a case in point. Made fresh every day, the traditional Northern Italian meat sauce is prepared with beef and pork, all slowly simmered with finely chopped carrots, celery, onions, garlic and basil . The sauce is then drained of its fat and simmered again with fresh tomatoes.

Once done, it's ladled over a steaming bed of spinach fettuccine and finished with freshly grated cheese. This is simple, Italian comfort food at its best.

The same could be said about the salciccia al Chianti ($12.75), a recipe that Mitrotti acquired from his nonna's (grandmother's) kitchen back in the Old World.

Quarter-inch-thick slices of homemade Italian sausages are sauteed with onions and garlic then tossed with penne pasta in a wine-tomato sauce.

"Everything is made-to-order," said Mitrotti, who hopes to begin his cooking classes early next year at the restaurant. "Nothing is ever mass produced."

This includes the pillowy ravioli ($16.25), which is stuffed with porcini mushrooms then blanketed with a light cream sauce with hints of melted Scamorza (mozzarella). The cream sauce is subtle enough so as not to overpower the earthy flavor of the porcini, nor disguise the smoky essence of the cheese.

Another classic dish is the veal piccata ($16.75), thin slices of veal scallopine are sauteed in butter and capers then showered with freshly-squeezed lemon zest just before serving.

One of the newest menu items is a marinated shrimp appetizer that's prepared over a hot griddle until the shells are crisp.