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Published Thu, Feb 02, 2012 03:00 PM
Modified Thu, Feb 02, 2012 03:03 PM

North Hills restaurant Mia Francesca might get sisters in Triangle

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By Andrea Weigl - aweigl@newsobserver.com

This outpost of a Chicago chain opened a few days after I left on maternity leave so I feel like I should acknowledge it here.

Mia Francesca Trattoria opened Oct. 21 at North Hills mall on the first floor of the Renaissance Hotel.

The chain started by chef-owner Scott Harris in Chicago in 1992 has about 22 locations from Scottsdale to San Diego, Madison, WI to the greater Chicago area.

General manager Adam Moore says they hope to add four to five more locations in the Triangle in the coming years.

The restaurant serves rustic northern Italian fare with a menu that changes monthly. The 8,000-square-feet space can seat 280 people inside and on its patio.

The chef is Adam Smith, who has worked at Carolina Country Club, Firebirds and Restaurant Eden in Durham. (N&O restaurant critic Greg Cox gave 2-1/2 stars to Restaurant Eden, which was owned by Smith. It has since closed.)

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