Once again, the WacoFork wire pointed me in the right direction and I found something interesting.
On Wednesday, the question arose on Twitter whether or not Mama Baris in Hewitt had closed. The answer is that it is closed temporarily as the Baris family is renovating the space and plans to reopen in early May as Amici's Family Restaurant.
Amici's will feature the locally beloved Baris menu, but with the addition of steaks and seafood. I spoke with Mary Baris at lunch today and she told me the idea is to provide a fancier setting for family meals.
While other restaurants in West Rock Center thrive on beverage sales, Baris said she won't be seeking a liquor license for Amici's, but patrons will be allowed to bring their own wine with no corking fee.
Meanwhile, Metro, another member of the Baris family, has discontinued food service, but will continue to operate as a downtown bar.
I like that this family is willing to try different things in order to meet the tastes of the diners in our town. Baris is going on its 16th year at the Valley Mills location. It's going strong too as I struggled to find a parking spot at 11:30 this morning. Don't tell anyone, but I eventually found an inconspicuous spot next door.
