Gone are all the conduit pipes that made the former Conduit restaurant space a little chilly and odd, as restaurant spaces go. For the opening of Plin (280 Valencia Street, more recently Brass Monkey), the latest project from chef Alexander Alioto, the look of the place has been made a whole lot simpler, with a couple of elaborate chandeliers. Alioto, who's the son of Nunzio Alioto III (owner of Alioto's, now in its 90th year on Fisherman's Wharf), was most recently the opening chef at Seven Hills, a little neighborhood spot at 1550 Hyde on Russian Hill that he opened with a partner in 2010.

Alioto also happens to be connected to one of the most notable political families in San Francisco, as second cousin of recent former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier, and also a cousin of former San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto. And his dad, Nunzio, is a certified Master Sommelier and consulted on the wine list at Plin.

As Alioto tells SFist, the desire to open Plin came out of a desire to do something a little more ambitious with his cooking. While Seven Hills has won raves for its pasta, most of it handmade under Alioto's care, he was looking to expand his repertoire in a bigger kitchen. "We had about this much space for plating," he says, indicating a two-foot square. "[At Plin] we're going to do more intricately plated things, more sous vide things, just more elaborate things overall."

The name "Plin" refers to the Italian slang term for "pinch" that's used in referring to hand-pinched pasta, like agnolotti al plin.

The menu (prices TBA) doesn't look too elaborate, but includes sections for meat, fish, veggies, and pasta — including Alioto's signature Raviolo al Uovo (an egg yolk, ricotta, and spinach-filled raviolo served with brown butter), which he learned to make at a restaurant in Northern Italy; his delicious agnolotti with ricotta and basil and parmesan cream sauce; and his Grandpa George's sausage with spaghetti. Also there are more trendy things, like a confit heirloom tomato salad, and chicken liver mousse "lollipops." And, there's a full bar and cocktail program too.

In addition to training in Europe and spending years working the front of the house at his family's Wharf restaurant, Alioto spent some time in the kitchens at the Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, and spent a short stint at the French Laundry. See Jonathan Kauffman's 2011 review of Seven Hills, as a reference point.

Check out our slideshow of the revamped space, and you can see it for youself when they open to the public tomorrow, Friday, August 1.

Plin - 280 Valencia Street between 14th and Duboce - Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on Sunday.