Let’s address the elephant in the room: The Bay Area has happily entered its fermented-everything era, and miso is everywhere. Case in point, miso has even taken over a corner of the menu that, until recently, seemed to be immune to blazing trends: the high-end pasta dish.

In recent months, creative and surprising pasta dishes featuring the popular umami bomb have been popping up all over the Bay Area. But look closer and you’ll notice miso is just one example of the many ways Bay Area chefs are getting playful and adventurous with pasta.