Hugo

There's an opening date for Hugo now. That's the “sophisticated Southern” restaurant planned for the former Pho Paris space in Oakley. Their web site's up, too, where you can check out the menu. Sounds good: wild mushrooms with pork belly, endive and parmesan, or pork loin with butter beans, southern greens, golden raisins and bourbon.

Similar in a way to SouthView at Newport, though I think it sounds more culinarily serious.

Sean Daly's the chef/owner. He's one of several chefs with this story: went to Cincinnati private high school (Summit), went to culinary school, spent time in another city, then came back to open a restaurant with some private financial backing. (The others I'm thinking of are David Falk, whose restaurant Boca is across the street, and also went to Summit; Jonathan Dwight, of Fresh, and Julie Francis of Nectar, who went to Seven Hills.) Only notable because I imagine there was a day not so long ago when parents who'd just spent their money on a private high school education would have been pretty upset if their kids wanted to head for the kitchen.
Hugo will serve dinner Tuesday-Saturday. 3235 Madison Avenue, Oakley, www.hugo-restaurant.com