Perbacco has the markings of an old-school Italian spot: the starchy white tablecloths, the notable absence of music, and waiters in ties saying, “Clearly, you hated it” to every empty plate they see. But while this FiDi restaurant acts like it’s tethered to another era, the food isn't drowning in red sauce. Unlike many similar institutions in the city, Perbacco in the FiDi leans into dishes from the Piedmont and Liguria regions of Italy. There's a tomato sugo gnocchi so soft that they barely put up a fight in your mouth, and meyer lemon spaghetti dotted with generous chunks of Dungeness crab. The larger proteins are just as well-made as the pastas, and deserve a spot on your table, too. Short rib basically slices itself at the sight of a knife and fork and halibut flakes apart like a pile of loose paper. The combination of interesting pasta and a dining experience that nods to the past is useful no matter where you are in the city, but especially so in a neighborhood with a tendency to empty out after 5pm. It also explains why Perbacco is busy most nights. At your table, you’ll probably overhear the nervous chatter of a first date, kids negotiating their vegetable intake with their parents, and what a friend group has planned after the show they’re going to see. Thankfully, there’s almost always a free two-top, but to avoid any heartache, try to make a reservation on weekends.