Carmelo's, an Italian-American restaurant from owners Billy Grise and Mitch Arens, is officially open for business on Madison Avenue in Covington. Located in a historic building that has served as everything from a strip club to office space, the restaurant has been stripped down to the bones, revealing brickwork and plaster patches that are reminiscent of an Italian villa (and the kind of aesthetic the Olive Garden has been trying to replicate for decades).

At a recent media preview, chef Arens let us try several of his dishes, including a luxurious garlic soup ($9) made with pureed potatoes, leeks and garlic; a 101-layer lasagna ($27) – made with, yes, 101 layers of noodles, bechamel sauce, red sauce and cheese; and a generous portion of oxtail and osso buco ragu ($26).