‘Classic Italian with Orlando

As chef Tung Phan's French-Vietnamese success story, Camille, steps into its new space in Baldwin Park, DomuLab's next concept, Danilo's Pasta Bar, will move in, bringing with it more of everything — from hours open to meals served to portion sizes. But the prices? Those will be going down.

"The space at The Neighbors — an actual bar — lent itself beautifully to chef Tung's elegant, fine-dining concept," says Johnny Tung, who along with brother Jimmy and partner Sean "Sonny" Nguyen, created DomuLab as an incubator to host resident pop-ups. "But it also works well as a pasta bar. And because of the natural flow of The Neighbors, we will be able to serve customers seated elsewhere, as well."

Danilo's, says Tung, will be far more casual, too, with staggered reservations, walk-up availability and takeout options.

"We’re also going to be open for lunch, too. Weekends at first, and if it makes sense — more."

DomuLab, which along with Camille, was named the Critic's Pick for Best New Restaurant in the 2022 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards, is now proven as a place where chefs can test their concepts in a safe nest as the seasoned restaurateurs offer guidance in developing something that can eventually fly on its own.

DomuLab and Camille: Best New Restaurants in 2022 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards

A vote of confidence from this trio, with several Michelin-selected restaurants between them (Tung, along with his brother, Jimmy, was also a 2023 James Beard Award finalist in the Best Restaurateur category) should be an electric boost for chef Dj Tangalin, whose concept celebrates his love of and familiarity with Italian cuisine, though it's likely we’ll see some Asian-inspired specials, too.

Tangalin, born and raised in the Philippines’ Baguio City, grew up around the ideology of cooking with what's available.

"We raised our own livestock, we harvested our own eggs, we foraged. My love of the land and what you can grow on your own has always been a part of what I enjoy in terms of cooking, " Tangalin told the Orlando Sentinel.

Years later, during a 12-year stint in San Diego at Italian concepts small and large, he found his principles overlapped with those of his Italian-born employers, for whom hyper-regional cuisine is a point of pride.

Named for Tangalin's father, Danilo Sr. and his son, Danilo III, the menu will feature a range of dishes, apps to dessert, as well as a larger, family-style, prix-fixe offering. An early peek sees dishes including salsiccia e polenta (homemade pork sausage, mascarpone, parsley roasted tomato), ravioli (eggplant filling, basil, arrabiata) and vongole (linguine, clams, garlic, chili flake, parsley, saffron tuille). Tung says prices will start around $15, making the new resident a more affordable, accessible concept.

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Tangalin is a graduate of New Jersey's Academy of Culinary Arts whose post-grad tenure on the West Coast garnered him the 2018 EATER distinction of Reader's Choice Chef of the Year, as well as Reader's Choice for Restaurant of the Year and Best Bar and Food Combo as head chef of Bivouac Ciderworks.

Here in Orlando, Tangalin's resume includes time spent at AVA MediterrAegean before joining local star Lordfer Lalicon at Kaya. He's also consulted for Doshi. With this much Michelin Guide cred in the tank, mentor Johnny Tung is confident the Danilo's concept will take flight and is grateful to locals who have embraced the space where chefs can hone their craft in a low-risk environment.

"The idea of having a culinary incubator that takes away the cost and headache of trying to open a brick-and-mortar is so valuable," Tung said. "We’re excited to be piggybacking off the success of Camille, so grateful that people in Orlando — who have so many choices when it comes to dining — have such open arms for new things. We want to continue to showcase different types of cuisines at DomuLab and highlight chefs with varied interests and strengths, as well as offer casual dining options and different price points and experiences."

Seeing what's local reflected in the menu, says Tangalin, is part of what Danilo's will be looking to achieve.

"Think traditional pomodoro, formaggi, pesto," he says. "Classic Italian, with Orlando-local and seasonal twists."

Danilo's will be open for dinner during the week and lunch on the weekends and will offer guests the option to dine in or takeout. A family-style, prix-fixe menu will also be available at the 8-seat counter. Follow @Danilos_Orlando on Instagram for updates on opening and reservations.

Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: [email protected]. For more fun, join the Let's Eat, Orlando Facebook group.

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