Eater Dallas stopped by what will soon be Zio Cecio, the new Italian restaurant from Chef Francesco Farris, formerly of Arcodoro/Pomodoro. (So yes, you got us: it's October 18, and as you can see, they're not quite open, despite what they had originally anticipated.) Farris gave us a tour through his restaurant, from the small dining room accented with Italian-imported fixtures to his new open-style kitchen with built-in pizza oven: "It is like being at home, in the kitchen with a big island, just like eating at my home."
Farris told us his diners can expect a "fantastic, fresh" menu, which will go wherever his mood takes him. He also told us when he would open. Sort of.
"I always say Friday," he said, when we asked when the restaurant would begin serving. But ah! A joke: "There are so many Fridays in one year. Four in each month." You got us, Chef Farris. No, seriously folks, he says the employees and menu are ready, they're just waiting on a couple of inspections. "We are ready to jump from the cliff, and hopefully we find no stone, rocks."
Of course, they're also waiting on construction to finish inside, where we caught Chef Farris helping install a bar and adjusting the lights between his kitchen and the dining room. He did stop for a few minutes to chat properly, however.
On the name, Zio Cecio: "Zio is uncle in Italian. That's what nephews and family, they call me. Also of course, I'm getting old, it's a form of respect. Uncle, they use with an older person. But mostly it's for my nephews. And Cecio is a nickname, most of my family and in my town, they call me that way. And some of the people here in this country, they know me with the nickname of Cecio. Which is cool. If you go to my town, you ask for Francesco Farris, there are few too many with the same name. You ask for Cecio, everybody point to me. Which is good and bad."
And on the menu: "The thing they can expect is something fantastic, fresh. We're working on daily and season. And also something moody-wise. Whatever is my mood, that's what I make. The menu is mainly based on freshness. Using the best of the most organic, local ingredients."
When Zio Cecio opens its doors, we'll let you know.
· Zio Cecio [Facebook]
· All Zio Cecio Coverage on Eater Dallas [-EDFW-]
