Los Angeles chef Steve Samson is a pasta maestro who’s known for his resolutely Italian food at Rossoblu, where he specializes in regional dishes like tortellini en brodo and tagliatelle Bolognese with “not too much tomato sauce.” The food there is about Samson’s taste memories, about having a mom who’s from Bologna and about the childhood summers he spent there with his grandparents. It’s about hewing to tradition.

But Samson wants to make something clear with Superfine Playa, the vibrant California-Italian restaurant he’s opening with his wife, Dina, on Wednesday. “I have absolutely nothing against tomato sauce,” he says. One terrific dish at Superfine Playa is spaghetti with baby tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. One reason this is on the menu is because Dina knows there might be guests who come in and want a vegan pasta.