Tavolo Italia

Frankel said he noticed that there were not many Italian restaurants in the Frisco Square area. So Frankel and his business partner, Jim Lannom, decided to open their own.

[caption id="attachment_132892" align="alignright" width="218"] The eatery takes its own approach to its Ceasar salad ($6).[/caption]

Frankel said he has a personal connection to Italian cuisine given that his wife’s stepfather is Italian and so are her half-sisters. Frankel and his wife also like to visit California’s Napa Valley, where they collect wine, which Frankel also wanted to incorporate in the new restaurant.

Frankel and Lannom expanded the Tavolo space and hired Dallas design firm Jones Baker to design the interior of the restaurant.

Inside Tavolo, works by Italian artists adorn the gray walls, and chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Tables and chairs are all made of wood.

[caption id="attachment_132893" align="alignright" width="220"] The polenta croccante ($8) includes mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes.[/caption]

The menu has seven appetizers, four salads, a dozen pastas, five pizzas and three dessert options. Frankel said the restaurant is not competing with big chain Italian restaurants.

“Our goal is to be better than that, and the food had to really be awesome,” Frankel said. “Rather than hiring a cook that could make some pasta we wanted a high-end chef. We want to create a chef-driven experience.”

[caption id="attachment_132894" align="alignright" width="220"] The ricotta- and spinach-filled Pansotti ($13) includes toasted walnut cream, parmesan and fresh herbs.[/caption]

So after an extensive chef search, the owners hired Chef Andrew Powers, who has worked at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Caneel Bay Resort in the Caribbean and the W Hotel in Dallas.

One of Powers’ dishes is his version of a Ceasar salad ($6), which is served in a tower stacked between baked parmesan cheese with balsamic dressing drizzled around it.

[caption id="attachment_132895" align="alignright" width="220"] The interior of the restaurant was designed by design firm Jones Baker.[/caption]

Another dish Frankel said is for newcomers is the Polenta Croccante ($8), a crispy polenta wedge with sage butter, cremini mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon zest and parmesan cheese.

There are a variety of pizzas to choose from, including classic pepperoni ($12) and the chef-inspired Gran Paradiso ($13), with black truffle cream, toasted pine nuts, ham, cheese, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes.

All menu items are made from locally grown ingredients.

The restaurant also features a wine list that includes champagne, white and red wine at a price point that ranges from $28-$77.

“I think we nailed it,” Frankel said. “We’ve created something I think is super special. We have the look, the food, quality service. We want to create a ‘wow’ experience.”