22 W E S T W O R D F o o d & D r i n k 2 0 2 5 westword.com Think mortadella made with Colorado bi- son rather than pork, and prosciutto using trout rather than ham fl own in from Parma. Johnny Bechamel’s 81 South Pennsylvania Street Projected opening: Fall It’s been almost ten years since chefs Spencer White and Alex Figura, along with co-owner Lulu Clair, debuted Dio Mio, their fast-casual pasta joint. Since then, it’s remained a favorite in an ever-shifting RiNo. In 2022, the team doubled down on its presence in the neighborhood with the ad- dition of Redeemer Pizza. Earlier this year, it made a quick detour to Urban Cowboy in Uptown, where it opened Little Johnny B’s — replacing Roberta’s, the initial offering in the Public House of the hip boutique hotel. The name was a nod to the “boss of sauce” that the group was already planning to bring to Wash Park: Johnny Bechamel’s, which will put that sauce on both pizza and pasta. Ma’s Kitchen 1514 York Street Projected opening: October Amid the ongoing Colfax construction are some bright spots, including the new sign hanging at the former home of the original Ta- cos Tequila Whiskey (and, most recently, Rolling Pin Pizza). Ma’s Kitchen is a new concept from the owners of Okinawa Jap- anese Cuisine next door. Its specialty: dim sum and noodles created by chef and co-owner Xi Nuan Zheng, who has experi- ence working in hotels in Singapore and has trained with skilled dumpling and noodle chefs in China. Risica 3463 Walnut Street Projected opening: Fall Andrea Frizzi operated Italian restau- rant Il Posto in an intimate space in Up- town for a decade before it moved to RiNo in 2017; last year, he shuttered Il Posto after a seven-year run in that neighbor- hood. Later this year, though, he’ll be back with a brand-new venture inside the Edit building in RiNo. “Risica comes from the phrase ‘chi non risica non rosica,’ meaning if you don’t take a risk, you will regret it,” the chef explains. The restaurant will be an “energetic” Milano-style pizzeria with charcuterie, oysters and small plates such as classic carpaccio, crudo, patate pasticciate, crostini, arancini, stuffed cal- amari, burrata made in-house and “a very spirited bar,” Frizzi says, with plenty of wines by the glass and simple cocktails priced at $12 or under, with a focus on Aperol spritzes. Soon, you’ll be able to get a preview taste when Frizzi launches a Risica pop-up on delivery apps, including DoorDash. ■ Most Anticipated continued from page 18 Boombots is soon to be the newest spot from the owners of Odie B’s. BOOMBOTS PASTA SHOP
