Dish Flash: Mia Figlia Now Open in Edgebrook
We at Dish are always on the lookout for dining trends, and an odd one just materialized: restaurateurs with Tizi Melloul on their resumés. After Pork Shoppe and The Portage, the newest restaurant from a Tizi vet is Mia Figlia (5304 W. Devon Ave.; 773-792-8300), which opened July 2nd near the Edgebrook Metra stop.
“It’s straightforward Italian food,” says John Boudouvas, a chef/partner at Mia Figlia, who was the opening chef at Tizi but always had a passion for Italian. “But we didn’t bust out the Bible to have every single dish out there.” The menu includes some classics such as lasagne and eggplant Parmesan, but also some atypical Italian dishes. Boudouvas recommends the handmade whole-wheat trofiette with broccoli, chicken, and tomato-basil sauce. He estimates a customer would spend $25 on an appetizer and an entrée.
Boudouvas and the other partner in Mia Figlia, Armando Lopez, named the restaurant after their daughters—Boudouvas has two and Lopez has one. (Mia Figlia means “my daughter” in Italian.) They were lamenting missing father-daughter dances because of working Friday nights—even though they liked the restaurant business. “This love is taking away from our daughters,” Boudouvas recalls saying. “Let’s name this restaurant after our daughters.” So they did—collectively. “This labor of love is for the loves of our lives,” Boudouvas says.
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Great Place to eat. Kid friendly. Wonderful atmosphere!
Chef Armando Lopez, who brought Francesca's Intimo, Shrimp Walk, & Nite n Gale on the north shore to great success, and highest grossing in the north shore, as well as Francesca's Famiglia in Barrington, is the Partner and CHEF at Mia Figlia. Running the kitchen like a well run machine, his talents exceed any others. Making the guests feel at home, and greeting them as much as possible is his personal touch to make Mia Figlia a place you want to visit regularly. He was educated at Kendal College, and then to Italy to hone his talents, he is among the top Chefs anywhere.
Check it out! It is worth the trip. Ask for Chef Armando! He'd love to say hello!