Take a walk in downtown Hollywood, and you can't help but notice signs of a tight economy -- vacant storefronts, empty seats, liquidation sales. But on the bright side, new businesses do keep moving in -- about 14 in the past six months, including Aldo Restaurant & Bar on Hollywood Boulevard.

The 220-seat restaurant opened in March after the departure of Saratoga. Aldo made some renovations but did nothing drastic. It has a few sidewalk tables, a handsome bar in dark woods and two soothing dining rooms, with candlelight and white tablecloths, the space brightened by captivating modern art (for sale), most of it painted by the owner's friend, Benny Narkis of Paris and Aventura.

Chef-owner is Napolitan native Aldo Vespero, whose culinary career in South Florida has spanned more than 10 years -- from his chef roles at Capriccio in Brickell, Bice in Delray Beach, Bocca di Rosa in Coconut Grove and La Bussola in Coral Gables to ownership of AcquaPazza in Sunny Isles.

Aldo features classic Italian fare such as baked eggplant, veal scallopini and seafood soup brimming with grouper, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari, complemented by a reasonably priced wine list with a good selection of Italian varietals. If you love fresh pasta, you'll appreciate that Aldo whips up 10 varieties -- all served by professional, accommodating staffers quick to keep water and vino flowing.

A friend and I came here first for lunch, and we were happy with a simple chicken Marsala, the classic sauce rich and deep but not overly sweet, and house-made fettuccine with a hearty Bolognese sauce. The place was practically empty, so no surprise that Aldo has decided to skip lunch for now and serve dinner only.

We practically had the place to ourselves on a Saturday night, too, though we were there early, before prime hours and live music by a saxophonist. Dinner was more inconsistent -- with some highs and a few flaws.

Among the hits: a starter of perfectly grilled slabs of tender juicy calamari with baby arugula, onions and cherry tomatoes in a perky lemon mustard sauce. Another starter featured two grilled jumbo shrimp wrapped in pancetta to add smoke to the sea, set atop a mound of slightly bitter sautéed broccoli rabe -- a table-pleaser.

We were initially impressed by a Caesar salad, with an excellent creamy dressing on fresh greens and even a few anchovies for garnish, but the croutons were stale -- a detail easy to fix.

A long list of pasta dishes, risotto, meat and seafood contribute to the main event. My husband loves risotto, and he was happy with Aldo's well-executed rendition -- the arborio rice creamy but not mushy, spiked with sliced crisp asparagus and a hint of Parmesan and truffle oil.

Our server recommended a grouper special, but that dish was less successful. The fish didn't taste super fresh. We did like the accompanying fresh pasta in a homey red sauce studded with bits of calamari.

Everyone's meal ends with sweet Italian standards. We've avoided ubiquitous tiramisu for ages but decided to try Aldo's. It was scrumptious -- potent yet whispery light with layers of mascarpone, espresso and lady fingers. Zabaglione is another delicious treat, the warm custard garnished with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Not to worry. You can walk off your calories with a stroll and check out something new in downtown Hollywood.

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