Sohovich lauches new restaurant

Soho's and Blossom owner Bill Sohovich is getting ready to launch a new restaurant: Billy's

Sohovich, the owner of Blossom and Soho's, has leased a building in the Southridge Centre off Corridor G, a space once occupied by the barbecue restaurant Smokey Bones.

He is set to open his new restaurant, Billy's, right after Labor Day, in the spot near a Red Lobster, an Olive Garden and a Quaker Steak and Lube.

It's quite a departure for the man best known for serving up osso bucco and beef carpaccio to the lawyers and lawmakers who dine mostly within a mile of so of the state Capitol.

"I'm a downtown man, I am," says Sohovich, 56. "My heart and soul is there. I fought coming up here for a long time, what with the traffic and everything, but, man, this is like hitting the lottery. I walked in and I just knew. This was just it."

What is "it?"

Well, don't call it "home cooking" or "comfort food."

Sohovich plans to open soon after Labor Day.