ONE VERSION OF the story goes something like this: As a young starlet, Sophia Loren was asked by a reporter about her famous figure, since she was born into poverty and brought up skinny.

Becky Stein/SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Valenza in Brookhaven (serving carpaccio, above) says most of its menu represents the northern regions of Italy, but some of the pastas and other selections can be all over the map. Valenza is in the former M!x location next door to Haven.
Becky Stein/SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Florida grouper with glazed baby vegetables at Via.
Becky Stein/SPECIAL (ENLARGE)
Canneloni at Allegro.
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"Everything you see I owe to spaghetti," was her purported reply.

She's not alone. We all owe a lot to spaghetti, and Parmigiano Reggiano and Sorrento lemons and ravioli and bruschetta and gelato and gnocchi and mozzarella and osso bucco. A list of the types of pasta could take up an entire section of the newspaper. Wine. Formaggi. Salumi.

The claim that most European cooking has roots in Italy is highly debatable, but one thing can't be disputed — Italy's contribution to world cuisine is prolific. Italian food is perhaps the most loved across the globe, and often the most misinterpreted beyond Italy's borders.

Nowhere is that more evident than Atlanta, where save for a handful of local old-school favorites like Alfredo's and Nino's the city's population has been reticent to embrace the cuisine of the country shaped like a boot. Interpretations here range from Chef Boyardee-ish embarrassments to cheesed-up pasta palaces. Standout exceptions are Sotto Sotto, Antica Posta and Ecco.

But presto! All of a sudden, Italian joints are popping up everywhere across the city, each with its own take on cucina Italiana. Here are three.

VALENZA

1441 Dresden Drive, Suite 100, 404-969-3233, www.valenzarestaurant.com.

The owners of Haven in Brookhaven, Michel and Tonya Arnette, have replaced their clubbish M!x (next door) with a cozy, comfortable Italian eatery. If you were one of the many people politely bellying up to M!x's bar for the latest version of a vodka creamsicle, you'll notice an easy presto-change-o set change — from a brooding bar backdrop to earthy tones, weathered wood and candlelight.

And the menu, from young chef Matthew Swickerath, is rewarding. No retro-fit switch here — this is Italian on a budget, but well worth the time and dime. The young staff works hard to provide, even if most of them don't know the difference between cappellini and carpaccio.

Molto bene: The restaurant claims most of the food represents the northern regions of Italy, particularly Piemonte in the northwest, where white truffles and risotto reign. The many pastas on the menu, as well as burrata (from Puglia — Italy's heel) are proof not in that pudding. Still, the offerings have the homey, precisely seasoned goodness of the dishes of Northern Italy. Agnolotti is filled with tender meat from short ribs, seasoned with the natural juices from the pan and shavings of grano padano. The risotto, made with the Cadillac of rice, carnaroli, is creamy and luxuriant with ample mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Fritto misto has the perfect mix of batter and brawniness, with calamari, lemons, fleshy bits of halibut and capers sprinkled about for salty seasoning. And the rabbit, served with tomatoes, mushrooms and olives, is a true standout — tender meat with a succulent, indulgent flavor served over a dreamy polenta. The wine list, short but sweet, has some beautiful offerings — and save but for a few sparklers, is all Italian.

Poco male: Desserts such as the panna cotta and peach crostada are too sloppy and lack real flavor; more like culinary school failings than something, after such stellar courses elsewhere on the menu, I'd come to expect from this kitchen. Burrata is a nice addition to any menu, but here lacks the creamy insides of this incredible cheese from Puglia — it's really more like eating a very soft mozzarella than a true burrata. Still, with fresh tomato and micro basil, it's hard to beat.

ALLEGRO

560 Dutch Valley Road NE (inside Belvedere condominium complex), 404-888-1890, www.allegroatlanta.com

Arlecchino is the comic harlequin of the Commedia dell'Arte who, while lustful and funny, was always hungry. A tiled version of this Italian prankster graces the dining room wall of Allegro and seems to be whispering a colorful, diamond-checked benediction. Managing partner Alberto Fedeli (with help from silent partner and Figo Pasta owner Sandro Romagnoli)has given the restaurant a sophisticated look of dark walnut tones and a pretty backlit bar, but with playful accents like Arlecchino, as well as bold blocks of red and gold color adorning dining room pillars.

His chef, Joséé Rêgo, is poised to be the next Emeril if the Food Network ever discovers him. Like Emeril, he's Portuguese — born in Angola and raised in Lisbon until 12, he then moved to southeastern Massachusetts. And like the Bam! Man, Rêgo is a grad of Johnson & Wales University Providence (and was a student when I was a chef instructor there, though I never taught him).

In Atlanta, he worked for Riccardo Ullio at Sotto Sotto and Fritti for three years. Rêgo's style is like his personality — big, bold and full of flavor. That's mostly good, but sometimes ticklish, since when he misfires, he does it in a big way. Early on some dishes lacked the subtle finesse they needed, especially desserts. But Rêgo is constantly tweaking, and he has enough hubris and plain sense to go back to the skillet when needed. By my second visit the entire staff had figured me out, and Rêgo would bring dishes to the table to ask me directly what I thought of them. Reminiscing about our culinary days, it was like a homecoming of sorts, even if my cover was blown.

Fantastico: Almost anything Rêgo braises or procures from the sea is sinfully enjoyable — gamberoni (jumbo shrimp) are served with tomatoes and herbs with hints of olive oil; tiny pillows of raviolini are filled with a super succulent braised beef rife with wine and a trace of truffle oil, then shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano. Tuna carpaccio is transparently thin and pink, sliced on the plate with thin slivers of briny Ligurian olives and micro arugula (see how subtle he can be?). Spaghetti with clams and spicy guanciale tossed with a light tomato and basil sauce is as close to Portuguese as this menu gets, and is a perfect example of how simplicity reigns. Modern, less traditional touches come from a salad of roasted beets and caramelized apples mixed with greens and crowned with a small patty of semolina-encrusted goat cheese that pops with tangy flavor; honeyed pears diced with pecorino and black pepper are the perfect mate to a glass of Valpolicella. Zuppa Inglese exudes another mod take, with the layers of sherry-soaked cake and cream wrapped with a scrumptious cage of thin chocolate.

Inadequato: Butternut squash risotto needs a little more umph from the crumbled Italian sausage in its midst, and a milk braised pork shank was disappointing — a little stringy and lacking full-on flavor.

VIA

262 Pharr Road, 404-214-5404, www.viarestaurant.net

The sweeping accents of blue and white throughout this mod restaurant seem more like Greece than Italy, but the menu, from Richard Roettgen, is a modern, flexible interpretation of all things Mediterranean, too, so go figure. Roettgen has worked briefly with some of Atlanta's finest chefs, including Shaun Doty (who consulted on Via's menu), and Guenter Seeger, and their precise approach is evident. Follow through is sometimes an issue — what sounds exquisite on the menu doesn't always make it to the table that way.

Fresh and simple is one of Roettgen's calling cards, and most of his dishes, even when flawed, possess a simplicity that is usually the mark of the much more experienced. Service is flawed in the same way; the staff lacks solid knowledge, but is earnest and unendingly polite. The place looks more like a bar than a restaurant, with high-definition televisions glaring and head-thumping techno music blaring.

Magnifico: Roettgen's shrimp and grits are happily interpreted Italian style with plump, pop-in-your-mouth shrimp over creamy, well-seasoned polenta and a spicy coppa jus (think spicy, oily stuff). Something as uncomplicated as a Caesar salad is fresh with the flavor of pecorino and bits of pancetta and tiny slivers of olives are buried in fresh leaves of romaine. Ricotta gnocchi runs the gamut from too mushy and undercooked to unfortunate gumminess, but the Gulf shrimp, baby carrots and Brussels sprouts leaves tossed into its fray are worth it. Desserts here are engaging, with a rich chocolate mousse topped with an espresso creme anglaise and a tiny quenelle of chantilly cream flecked with vanilla bean. And zeppoli (Italian doughnuts) are almost too fun to eat, but force yourself — they're light, pint-sized and perfectly fried, even better when dragged through chocolate and strawberry sauces.

Negativo: Pizzas taste as if the crust came from a back shelf in the freezer; the quattro formaggi is a muddy mess of mozzarella, ricotta (why?), pecorino (double why?) and taleggio, the woodsy flavor of which is unrecognizable under the mantle of cheese and red sauce.

KEY TO RATINGS
Outstanding: Sets the standard for fine dining in the region.
Excellent: One of the best in the Atlanta area.
Very good: Merits a drive if you're looking for this kind of dining.
Good: A worthy addition to its neighborhood, but food may be hit or miss.
Fair: The food is more miss than hit.
Restaurants that do not meet these criteria may be rated Poor.

Pricing code: $$$$$ means more than $75; $$$$ means $75 and less; $$$ means $50 and less; $$ means $25 and less; $ means $15 and less. (The price code represents a meal for one that includes appetizer, entree and dessert without including tax, tip and cocktails.)