Proverbs. Who needs ’em?

Actions speak louder than words? Not in IM flirtation. And what do birds and your hand have to do with a bush?

One exception: A watched pot never boils. Especially when it comes to much-hyped new restaurants like Belltown’s Tavolata. Just when you thought Union chef Ethan Stowell’s long-awaited Italian spot was never going to open, it has.

Stowell and partner Patric Gabre-Kidan (former Tom Douglas pastry chef) traded Union’s haute cuisine for homier fare and painstaking attention to detail — from a 30-foot chandelier and reclaimed wood tabletops to pillowy pasta made on-site.

So go on, try a bowl of spicy Italian sausage rigatoni, semolina gnocchi, or broiled oysters. And while a full menu is served until 1 a.m., you may want to get there as quickly as you can.

Because while good things come to those who wait, it’s the early bird that catches the worm.

Tavolata, 2323 Second Avenue, between Bell and Battery Streets (206-838-8008).