Al Dente’s chef/owner Karim Sellam tells us that he plans to re-open the Italian eater in the Ix building, right next to Blue Wheel Bicycles “next week for sure.”

As you may recall, Al Dente found itself homeless when Escaf�’s owners decided to install their new place, The Upstairs, in the upstairs space that Al Dente occupied.

However, Sellam appears to have no regrets about having to move. In fact, he says he’s excited to have actual parking, an outside patio area, and hopes to become a “destination” restaurant. (Indeed, sometimes we wonder how Mall restaurants manage to separate themselves from the pack…what with 60 eateries on the Mall now.) In addition, he’s cooked up a lunch menu for folks in that part of town, a kind of choose your own pasta and sauce deal. Of course, Sallam says it’ll be Al Dente as you knew it at night.