Cibugnu Should Open in Late June, Details Revealed

Cibugnù (aka chi-boo-nu) is slated to open around the last week June. The 'from scratch' Italian restaurant, located in the former Leonardo Trattoria space, will feature young chef Octavio Ycaza (and his Philip Lopez rivaling lustrous chef hair) in the kitchen. Ycaza is a Rio Mar and Tony Moran's alum, who pleased this year's NOWFE crowd with his housemade ravioli.

The restaurant aims to be a snazzier affair than Leonardo? but it's still unknown if Cibugnu has the same owners at this time. There's an emphasis on housemade pastas, which diners can watch being made from the kitchen's window, while flatscreen televisions in the dining area run "behind-the-scenes" style video footage of the kitchen staff interspersed with Italian films. It's a little bit Sliver, and a little bit Fellini, brah? There will also be a vintage meat slicer on view, so the charcuterie-crazed can watch Ycaza's housemade minted lamb mortadella get the razor-thin treatment.

Here's how the press release describes the upcoming restaurant's decor:

cibugnù is contemporary and inviting with exposed red brick and rustic tile floors that are juxtaposed with a New Orleans-style metal tile ceiling and stained wood accents with dashes of bold red that pop throughout the space. One of the focal points is a dominant back wall, which will be dedicated to diagrams of pasta shapes reminiscent of Cook's Illustrated drawings with an approachable and educational air to them.

Expect an opening around June 26 with dinner hours only in the beginning and lunch hours to come. Projected Hours: Wed-Thurs 5:15 to 10 p.m. Fri-Sat 5:15 to 11 p.m. Sundays 5:15 to 10 p.m.

· All Cibugnu Coverage [-ENOLA-]