New restaurant coming to city

Published 8:00 pm Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Paper covers the window – for another month at least – and there’s a fresh coat of dark red paint on the walls, but the biggest changing coming is in the kitchen: Italian fare will soon be on the menu for Brookhaven diners with a Natchez restaurateur planning to open the Pasta Junction in town.

The new restaurant will be located in the Inez Hotel building in the site occupied until recently by the Iron Horse restaurant.

Soon-to-be Pasta Junction owner and manager Mike Mascagni formerly helped operated Lil Dagos’ in Natchez with his brother. Mascagni recently sold his interest in that restaurant to his brother and has been working to launch his own solo operation for about five months now.

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Mascagni said the new Brookhaven restaurant will feature traditional Italian cuisine as well as more Americanized pasta fare.

He plans to open during the first or second week of April. For the initial weeks he said the restaurant will be open for dinner Monday through Friday and for lunch and dinner on Saturday.

Later, he’ll open up for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. Based on his experience with Lil Dagos’ in Natchez, Mascagni said he plans to ease his Brookhaven crew into a lunch and dinner schedule.

“When we first opened, we always felt like we were a meatball behind,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m comfortable my staff is trained and ready.”

He’s been working to redecorate the interior of the building. Thus far, he’s applied a fresh coat of paint to the walls and has some upgrades planned for the kitchen.

He’s left the ceiling untouched, citing its aesthetic qualities. Framed black and white photos of Brookhaven’s past will decorate the walls under Mascagni’s current plans.

“I think people really like looking at those kind of pictures,” he said.

A Natchez native, Mascagni has previously worked in Brookhaven at King’s Daughters Medical Center.

He described himself as a hands-on owner who learned the business waiting tables while in college.

Elsewhere in Brookhaven’s restaurant scene, Mitchell’s Steak and Seafood restaurant has closed its doors. The restaurant, owned by Donnie Mitchell along with Broma’s and Poppa’s, has been in business since 2006.

When reached for comment Monday, Ken Dixon, executive chef of the three restaurants, said he couldn’t immediately discuss future plans for the Mitchell’s building.