The empty space that was once the short-lived Ocho Kitchen has a replacement tenant: a second location of Mi Piaci, the North Dallas Italian restaurant from Ocho owners Sonia and Brian Black.
Slated to open in August, this second Mi Piaci will be an exact replica of the first, but in a more intimate and casual venue. The menu will be identical as will the chef (Joel Harloff), service, preparation, plates, forks, spoons and other details.
It will not, however, have the scenic pond the North Dallas branch has.
This second Mi Piaci will serve house-made bread, house-made pastas, house-cured meats, house-cooked risottos, and house-made gelatos and sorbets. "If we can't make it in house, we import it from Italy," says Brian.
Ocho opened in October 2012 as a departure from the Blacks' usual Italian, with a Mexi-American menu created by famous chef Eric DiStefano, of Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Co-owner with the Blacks was Benjamin Crosland, whose family owns the property.
By December, day-to-day chef Ross Demers was out. Harloff's hire was announced in February of this year. The restaurant shut down the first week of June.
The second location of Mi Piaci will duplicate the menu from the first.
