Willie Pelletier isn’t the type of guy you would easily peg as the owner and chef of an Italian restaurant.

For starters he’s French-Canadian. And before opening the ultra-cute, brick-front Tioli’s five years ago, he ran a spicy little eatery on the Caribbean Island of St. John until a hurricane blew it away. Clad in shorts and flip-flops, he now lives on a yacht in San Diego Bay and strikes you as someone who would know more about tuna fishing than making meatballs.

But Pelletier’s forte is clearly rooted in the kitchen, having also cooked in places such as San Francisco, Boston and Martha’s Vineyard. Ask him where he comes up with his zesty Italian recipes and he points to his head saying, “Up here.” Inquire further about the origin of the restaurant’s name and he quips, “Take it or leave it” — i.e., TIOLI.

The eatery appears as though some old Italian grandmother lovingly orchestrated the décor. Red-and-white checkered tablecloths coincide perfectly with the peasant-style art, antique wall mirrors and nearly 220 sets of kitschy salt-and-pepper shakers sprinkled about. It’s a homey Roman atmosphere on the surface, but with some atypical dishes listed on the menu.

Things like French Onion Soup and Baked Brie with Honey Dijon, for example, belie the ethnic motif — as did the Pillsbury-style dinner rolls that came with our meals. And my companion’s cup of creamy Exotic Mushroom Soup seemed as though Pelletier’s French gourmet roots had gotten the upper hand.

But the Tioli Pizza proved otherwise — a four-slice appetizer layered delicately with a few cheeses, including Gorgonzola, plus some very spicy sausage crumbles and colorful bell peppers. Fresh sprigs of basil and dried herbs completed this masterpiece.

A lively salad comprised of arugula and red-leaf lettuce took on a more contemporary flair with candied walnuts and a full-flavored raspberry vinaigrette. It’s a far cry from typical antipasto, but enjoyable nonetheless.

My companion chose his entrée from a large menu board of daily specials that our attentive young waiter perched precariously on a chair near our table. The result was an attractive arrangement of savory homemade ravioli that may have lacked any relevance to Italy, but captivated his palate to the very last bite. The thin pasta pillows were filled with tender sautéed mushrooms (and more Gorgonzola) and topped with a silky sun-dried tomato cream sauce.

I arrived with simpler intentions; thus opting for a voluminous serving of Linguine with Meatballs, along with one of the smoothest Merlots I’ve sampled in a while (Camelot by Kendall Jackson). Though satisfying, the marinara sauce and meatballs could have withstood a greater dose of parsley, rosemary or oregano to earn “Mama Mia” status. But non-Italians and native San Diegans, I’ve learned, generally don’t fuss over these missing key ingredients.

Pelletier’s other “take-it-or-leave-it” creations include a spicy Linguini Picante that grabbed the attention of Bon Appetite magazine several years ago in an article displayed near the entrance. Or try their over Meatless Lasagna, Chicken Florentine, Veal Scaloppini or the Catch of the Day, which, according to the menu, is “prepared on Chef Willie’s whim.”

Among the sweet endings made in-house are assorted cheesecakes, tiramusu, crème brulee and a granola-based, triple-berry cobbler that matched the warmth and uniqueness of our convivial French host.