A Mano: Townsend Wentz's Italian BYOB opens on Fairmount Ave.

Townsend "Tod" Wentz has opened the doors of A Mano, his informal, 50-seat Italian BYOB dinner house at 23rd Street and Fairmount Avenue, whose seasonal menu covers all of Italy.

Wentz will remain at Townsend, where he was named chef of the year in 2014 by Craig LaBan and was a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's best new restaurant. Townsend also was Philly Mag's restaurant of the year in 2014.

Executive chef Michael Millon - a Lansdowne native who has worked with Wentz for 10 years and has worked at the Michelin-starred A Voce in Manhattan and years ago at Bistro du Midi in Boston - runs the show.

Millon's opening menu is inspired by northern Italy, reflecting the season. The idea is to head south through Italy, culinarily speaking, as winter's crops give way to spring's and summer's.

It's open Tuesday to Sunday, starting at 4:30 p.m.

Tonight's menu was in flux this afternoon but includes roasted cauliflower (golden raisins, Calabrian chili vinaigrette, pine nut, mint) among appetitzers. Pasta includes buckwheat cavatelli (black trumpet mushroom, cabbage, sage and fontina). On the mains list is braised pork shank (taleggio polenta, lightly pickled fennel, pilacca). Main dishes are priced at $25 to $32. It's cash only.

Interior is light, simple, and airy, with hardwood floors, green banquettes, mirrors, windows that open wide to both streets, and ladder-backed chairs and banquettes.