Little Italy: Wandering along India Street in Little Italy one quickly realizes the overwhelming number of restaurant choices.  If you want to go beyond the familiar spaghetti and meatball fare, La Villa is your place. The restaurant belongs to  a group that began in 2000 with Trattoria Itrulli in Encinitas and now includes other venues in Little Italy: Buon Appetito, Tazza D’Oro, Sogno di Vino and The Market by Buon Appetito. It’s a Buzz favorite for many reasons.

First, they finally got their website up and running and now you can see the menu of innovative dishes from chef Chris O’Donnell.  He uses locally sourced seasonal ingredients to create–without fussiness–interesting and approachable food with a rustic Italian touch.  O’Donnell enjoys changing the aspects of some of his dishes almost weekly which can be a frustrating for diners who come back for a favorite only to find it revamped within weeks.  At times, even the kitchen can’t keep up with a tweaked dish. One recent night the wild mushroom pizza changed that day to include fresh morels and other ingredients, but the kitchen  delivered the original version first, then rectified the error.

There’s patio seating, (with heaters and even a cozy corner sofa), a chef’s table in the bustling kitchen (seats 12 or so, but just two can dine there too) and an interesting wine list that includes a small (and growing) selection of half bottles.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Reasonably priced, real half bottles, not carafes masquerading as “half bottles.” Among the choices you’ll find a 2008 Schramsberg sparkling wine ($27) and a delicious 2009 Storybook Estate Zinfandel ($26).

Cocktails go well with my favorite (thankfully unchanged) avocado bruschetta–toasted baguette slice with a smear of avocado, topped with sliver of hard-boiled egg and dotted with capers ($10). A recent meal included that Storybook along with a fresh morel, baby chard leaves, ramps and a sprinkle of fresh English peas pizza ($18), a perfectly cooked (that means not chewy) grilled octopus tentacle salad ($14) and squash agnolotti with fresh favas and squash blossoms delicately plated and lightly accented with tomato sauce and pesto ($17). Fish, meats and chicken preparations vary as noted above–sometimes more often than one might wish–all good however.

The front of the house offers effortless and helpful service.  A recent wine dinner seated the 65 plus diners at tables of 8 to 10 people. A smart idea that allowed a table to be completely served at once, thus the kitchen was able to work smoothly with the wine service and no one was left wondering when their food would arrive. Food paired well with the wines and more dinners are in the offing. Full disclosure: Though I know the GM and chef, I pay for my meals. La Villa, 1646 India Street, Little Italy, 619-255-5221, open daily from 11:30am.

Point Loma:  Word on the street about the construction in the long vacant building on the corner of Nimitz and Rosecrans that Vons once occupied:  It will soon be Ralphs.  Expect the new store to open about May 10.

Coming soon at the corner of University and Fourth:  yet another pizza place, Project Pie.  Their recently opened first location is in the lower part of the MGM Grand in Vegas.  The local connection of this fast casual place comes with the James Markham, who created Knockout Pizza here in San Diego.  He sold those stores and went on to other ventures including Pieology in Fulllerton that he sold to his business partner.  3888 Fourth Avenue, Hillcrest.

Coming soon in Liberty Station, a revamp of the space that was Joao’s Tin Fish Bar & Eatery located  in the same block as Con Pane Rustic Breads & Cafe, Ace Hardware and Slater’s 50/50.  Look for Roseville Cozinha to open early November with Michaael Alves as the owner and executive chef.  Born and raised in Point Loma, his Portuguese heritage reflects his love of fishing and cooking (cozinha means kitchen in Portuguese).  Alves, with the consulting help of his childhood pals Pete Balistreri (Tender Greens executive chef), Craig Jimenez (formerly of Craft and Commerce) and Maurice DiMarino (certified sommelier for the Cohn Restaurant Group)  Alves will offer house-made salumi, local fish, meats and Neopolitan style pizzas from a wood stone oven.  Tony Gemignani  (nine- time world pizza champ in Naples, Italy) tutored Alves in that special culinary art.  Note that Alves is a licensee of the Tin Fish group and will move the Tin Fish concept to the DaKine’s spot he owns in Liberty Station where the menu will feature fish tacos, burritos and more.

One of the best places to find any and all spices, herbs, blends, rubs and more used to be only online: Penzeys Spices.  Now they are in San Diego at the corner of University Avenue and Richmond in Hillcrest.  You can find everything from A to Z starting with salt free adobo seasoning (garlic, onion,black pepper, Mexican oregano, cumin and cayenne red pepper) and ending with zatar (zahtar) that popular Middle Eastern blend (sumac, thyme, sesame and salt).  There is pepper in every color,  grind and blend from Szechuan to India.  Best part, you can buy small amounts from under an ounce to a pound, depending on the item. Penzey’s, 1274 University Ave, Hillcrest, 619-297-2777, Hours: Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat.: 10:00- 6:00pm; Tues and  Thurs.: 10:00- 8:00pm, Sun.: 11:00-5:00pm.