Chef Nick Lama opened his Italian restaurant Avo (5908 Magazine St., 504-509-6550; www.restaurantavo.com) May 20 in the former Martinique Bistro space. A great-grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Lama describes his food as "regional Italian cuisine with an emphasis on fresh and local ingredients.

"I'm trying to get ingredients that have been grown as close to here as possible," Lama says. "I think that's the thing with good Italian food ­— it's food made with local ingredients that are fresh and prepared in a very simple way so the ingredients really stand out."

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