Fabio Viviani says the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York reminds him of his native Tuscany, in central Italy. "It doesn't look like Tuscany, but it has the same feel," said Viviani, a chef, restaurateur and cookbook author who rose to fame in the United States as an exuberant contestant on the reality TV show "Top Chef." "The farms, the animals, the fields, the wineries -- it's a region very much like where I'm from."

That's what lured Viviani to open his newest restaurant, Portico, at the del Lago Resort Casino in Tyre, just off the New York State Thruway near Waterloo. Portico, an Italian steakhouse, will be the signature high-end dining option in the casino, which is scheduled to open Feb. 1. The restaurant will likely have its official opening withing the following two weeks, after a soft opening period.