Claudio Pirollo’s culinary DNA is laced with two traditions. Though he was born in Etterbeek, Belgium, his parents were Italian immigrants, both hailing from the small village of Cassino in the Frosinone province perched halfway between Rome and Naples. The family generally ate his mother’s Italian cooking at home, but Pirollo fell just as hard for Belgian food. This cuisine inspired his cozy Franco Belgian bistro Et Voila!, which he opened 15 years ago on MacArthur Boulevard in Palisades. It’s become a beloved neighborhood favorite with a following that extends well beyond its ZIP code.

Now Pirollo is honoring his Italian ancestry at Claudio’s Table, a modern-minded trattoria a block away from Et Voila! that takes over the corner space that formerly belonged to DC Boathouse, a neighborhood American Greek restaurant that shuttered in 2020. The 2,700-square-foot newcomer holds 75 seats spread across an L-shaped dining room and a back bar looking into the open kitchen of executive chef Alessandro Pirovano, a former executive sous-chef at Fiola. Currently, the restaurant is open for dinner Tuesdays through Sundays, and lunch Wednesdays through Sundays; there are no plans to do brunch. Takeout is available; delivery is not.

The menu opens with several snacky, shareable bites, such as tender, golden-fried arancini stuffed with saffron-kissed risotto and a gooey scamorza center, a couple apps, and a pair of straightforward salads.  

Whether you order it as an appetizer or an entree, you must try Pirollo’s pizza, with which he became obsessed over the past few years. He considered putting a Marra Forni pizza oven in front of Et Voila! during the pandemic, and attended two sessions of the company’s Pizza University to learn the craft. “For me, pizza is as complex as foie gras is in French cuisine,” he says. “Every chef has their own way to cook foie gras. The same is true for pizza.”

Char-spotted, bronze-rimmed rounds come out of the 700-degree Marra Forni oven in two minutes flat. Crusts are sturdy but foldable, able to handle toppings without drooping and dripping. A quintet of choices, including the best-selling margherita and a white pie dotted with sausage, broccoli rabe, and three cheeses, including smoked mozzarella. The pro move is the red sauced cheese pizza finished the moment it comes out of the oven with tender pink folds of prosciutto, arugula, thick Parmesan shavings, and a glistening drizzle of olive oil.

Because the chef doesn’t want Claudio’s Table to be a “simple pizzeria,” he devotes an even larger chunk of menu real estate to pastas, all crafted in-house with the exception of bucatini and spaghetti sourced from renowned Neapolitan brand Gentile. Made with semolina flour and plenty of eggs, Pirollo’s pastas are golden yellow, as supple as they are toothsome, both workhorses and showpieces. A beehive of spaghetti alla chitarra tossed with tomato sauce gets finished with basil oil and lemon zest to lighten and brighten the dish. The best-selling casarecce—stubby twists great for grabbing thick sauces—is well paired with short rib-powered ragu, a hearty and heartwarming affair.

A handful of entrees complete the savory side of the equation. If you have the space, prioritize the lamb loin sitting on ratatouille-esque caponata studded with eggplant, pine nuts, and raisins; the plate is completed with dollops of creamed almonds and glossy lamb jus.

The meal ends with the choice of a few classic desserts, including cannoli and olive oil cake. Tiramisu is a standout. Dusted with cocoa powder, the sides leopard-spotted with cross sections of lady fingers, it’s neither too sweet nor too rich. Based on a recipe from Pirollo’s mother, who taught him how to make it when he was a child, it’s a full circle moment for a chef finally getting the chance to honor another side of his culinary roots.

Claudio’s Table, 5441 MacArthur Blvd. NW. (202) 920-7500. claudiostable.com.