Since 2010, Bruno Seafood and Steaks has been a prime dining destination – many would say the prime dining destination – in northern Wake County. It’s no exaggeration to say that the name Bruno is practically synonymous with fine dining in that neck of the woods. So when owner/chef Bruno Peros opened a second restaurant called Trattoria Italiana by Bruno in Wake Forest, it was an instant hit, right?

Not exactly. Both times I visited recently, a year and a half after the restaurant’s opening, just a handful of the restaurant’s 20 available tables were occupied. And one of those visits was prime time on a Saturday night. Peros, who worked in some of New York’s top steakhouses (including Peter Luger and Sparks) before moving South to open Bruno, thinks his latest venture’s name is a big part of the problem.