Durham has a couple of well-known Italian restaurants (Gocciolina in North Durham and Mothers & Sons downtown), and a new one is about to be added to the list: Cucciolo Osteria.

Cucciolo’s owner, Jimmy Kim, previously ran the Triangle-based Korean food truck Mixed, selling it recently to focus on the new restaurant.

Italian comfort food is what he remembers from his childhood and growing up in Switzerland. He later attended Duke University, which is what led to him establish roots in Durham. After Kim’s cousin successfully opened a few Cucciolo Italian restaurants in South Korea, Kim decided to expand that concept to the Bull City.

“Our goal is to cook simple dishes the right way, using good ingredients (which is not as easy as it sounds),” Kim explains about the menu. “We have no interest in carrying a large menu either…we just want to make sure that all and any food we serve at Cucciolo is high quality that customers enjoy.”

And that’s exactly what I did when I got to sample three of their signature dishes in the test kitchen last week. While I can’t vouch for the entire menu yet, I was impressed with the attention to detail and flavor profiles presented in the Truffle Tajarin, White Ragu Tajarin and Cacio e Pepe. The complex sauces, which were created in-house, make each dish unique and prove that pasta can be so much more than basic comfort food.

The fresh pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. (Each dish is cooked to order in a saucepan, adding water as they go, so to create the perfect texture upon serving). The spices are aromatic and the cheese is rich and creamy. (They make the Ricotta in house.) Of course, fresh pasta plays a large part in making these dishes taste so good. Cucciolo will make their own fresh Tajarin, which is an egg yolk pasta, hand cut very thin. Once they are well settled, they plan to introduce more fresh pastas, such as Tagliatelle, Pappardelle, Orecchiette, Lasagnette and more. The price on the pasta dishes ranges from $11 for the Cacio e Pepe to $17 for the black truffle dish. Most average around $12-$13.

For starters, I tried some of the toppings for the Bruschetta, such as basil tomato with homemade ricotta, which will be served on Ciabatta, so that each slice will be much bigger and thicker than Bruschetta you often see served on a tiny baguette.

The menu is set up mostly for people to share appetizers and order their own pasta dish along with perhaps an entree to share, like Porchetta. You could splurge on the filet mignon beef carpaccio for $17, or enjoy a starter salad or Butternut Squash Arancini for $8. A few mainstay desserts will be offered as well. The space that Cucciolo now calls home sat vacant for years–it was not a restaurant (it was not anything), so construction, permits and inspections have been slower than expected. But finally, it is so close you can almost taste it. Keep an eye out for this new little gem that will be tucked away off of 601 W. Main Street (down from The West End Wine Bar). Reservations will be available Monday, July 30.

The vibe of the restaurant is more casual than upscale, but a bit of both. The large Carrara marble bar, seating 15-17 is perfect for a quick bite with a cocktail and/or wine and the intimate restaurant with maple top tables are great for all occasions.

Open nightly for dinner (closed Tuesdays), the restaurant planes to introduce lunch service once they have settled into the dinner service routine.