Few of us can be objective about our own endeavors, so while Bruno Iezzi wonders about the fate of his newest food venture, Bruno's Forno, I see no reason for worry.

For one thing, man cannot live on Chinese or Vietnamese food alone. When any of the Maunakea Street pedestrians goes looking for something different, well, how many other Italian pasta restaurants are in Chinatown?

I've known Iezzi's work since he was a partner in a Wahiawa restaurant with a menu that was half Italian, half Korean. A stickler for details where many others aren't, it didn't take long for him to figure out he was better suited as a solo artist. And, I'm beginning to think he's a genius.

His spaces are small, as economical and efficient as can be. But he's no small thinker. I mean, how many other restaurateurs would imagine going into a space without a kitchen and no intention of building one? Somehow he's making it work with the idea of freshly made, single-serving trays of lasagna that just need a short stint in a convection oven (”;forno”; in Italian) to arrive warm and ready to devour. That's it. Simple and delicious.

I think many would-be restaurateurs err by overreaching, when it is far better to serve up a few dishes in which one excels.

Bruno's restaurants radiate from a single kitchen at his original Mix Cafe at 35 Beretania St. There, he offers rustic sandwiches and simple pasta dishes, which feeds his second Mix Cafe at 1025 Alakea St. It's also the space where he bakes the ciabatta for his sandwiches and does some of the prep work for Bruno's Forno.

The bread is the best I've had in Hawaii, at its crackling best when toasted to a brittle crisp on the outside.

Just like the bread, Iezzi turns out his own pastas made of unbleached flour. Ever the tinkerer, he did a lot of testing to come up with pliant sheets that could withstand refrigerating and reheating.

His lasagnas ($8 to $8.50) comprise four layers of pasta, lovingly prepared, interspersed with lovely vegetable purees, usually a mellow tomato sauce representing a puree of plum tomatoes, carrots, onions and garlic. The result is a well-balanced sauce that is neither too sweet, nor too acidic as many tomato sauces - both commercial and homemade - tend to be.

I expected to see spears of asparagus sitting on top of asparagus lasagna, but instead, a creamy puree of asparagus sits between sheets of pasta for full flavor with each bite. Additional richness comes from a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on most of the pasta dishes.

Although the trays look like a one-meal serving, looks can be deceiving. Each represents a pound's worth of food, and Iezzi doesn't skimp on quality ingredients. I've found over several visits that I can typically finish only half. No biggie. The other half can be taken home and reheated. Iezzi's instructions are to cover with foil - to prevent drying - and heat for about five minutes at about 350 degrees. The oven is preferred over the microwave.

The most popular lasagnas so far would be the ground-beef Bolognese and the rich portobello, or funghi, lasagna.

The dishes can be accompanied by a Mix salad ($8) of arugula, red leaf lettuce, grape tomatoes and pecans served in bags, a space-saving measure. Simply open the bag, pour in the balsamic vinaigrette dressing, shake and eat. The grab-and-go bags are also convenient for those stopping in for takeout en route home. Desserts of tiramisu ($4) and mocha mousse ($3.50) are served in cups, ready to go.

Also available are sandwiches, such as one of salmon and arugula ($8.50), and one featuring portobello ($8). Porchetta ($8) also is on the menu but it's not to be confused with Mix Cafe's version. Taking a cue from his Maunakea Street address, Iezzi combines Chinese-style roast pork with bok choy.

Where other chefs might find the oven concept stifling, Iezzi continues to experiment. Breakfast was born when he learned he could create perfect sunnyside-up eggs, layered over his tomato sauce, baked and sprinkled with basil and mozzarella ($6.95). Other egg dishes incorporate cheese and ham or salami ($6.95) or vegetables and cheese.

The operation is new and not yet ready to accommodate dinner traffic, but you can look forward to dinners in coming weeks, of seafood “;bags,”; such as salmon ($13.75) fillets layered with onions, asparagus, tomatoes, fennel and lemon slices, and baked in parchment paper.

Other ideas awaiting trial include tapas to go or to accompany meals. I find it all very inspirational. I started envisioning Bruno's Forno franchises and a line of supermarket refrigerated or frozen pastas. That's if Iezzi can stand to allow his food to be served minus his personal touch.

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Nadine Kam's restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously and paid for by the Star-Bulletin.