Restaurants Revisited: Double Trouble at Valentino's and Italian Bistro

Find out how Valentino's and Italian Bistro are doing after their Restaurant: Impossible transformations.

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Robert Irvine on Restaurant: Impossible

Though  Robert Irvine can't anticipate the exact state a restaurant will be in when he arrives for a  Restaurant: Impossible mission, there are a couple of things he's come to expect at every overhaul: one failing restaurant and one last chance to save it from the brink of closure. His latest mission, in Summerville, S.C., caught him by surprise, though: Upon meeting Robert, Frankie Valentino asked him to transform not just one of his family's Italian-focused eateries, but both of them. The Valentino family owns both Valentino’s and Italian Bistro, and both businesses were in dire need of support if they were to have any hope of a future. Sure enough, in true Irvine fashion, Robert completed this double-duty mission with roaring success. Read on below to hear from Frankie and find out how both restaurants are faring today.

According to Frankie, business at "Valentino's is currently up by 30 percent and the Bistro by 20 percent." He adds that "the new design is working great" and "it looks brighter [and] modern."

Frankie notes that he and his dad continue to work at both Valentino's and Italian Bistro, but that his own "primary focus is at Valentino's."

As for his role in the business, Frankie explains, "I have definitely taken charge of my employees and we work as a team, but I have put my leadership skills to work."

More from Restaurant Revisited:

WhaBah Steakhouse (March 18)
Dog & Pony Ale House (February 11)
Zoog's Caveman Cookin (February 4)
Dog & Pony Ale House (February 4)
Mystic Treats (January 28)
Knife and Fork Gastropub (December 15)
Double H Ranch (December 8)
Mama E's Wings & Waffles (November 24)
Papa C's Eastside Cafe (November 3)
Mama Lucrezia's (September 24)
Green Beret Club (September 17)
Spicy Bar and Grill (September 10)
El Bistro (September 3)
Uncle Andy's Diner (August 27)
Paul's Bar & Bowling (August 6)
The Fork Diner (July 23)
Portu-Greek Cafe (June 11)
Bama Q (May 28)
Cave Inn BBQ (May 21)
Urban Roots (April 9)

Next Up

Restaurant Revisited: Maniaci's Italian Bistro

Find out how Maniaci's Italian Bistro is doing after their Restaurant: Impossible renovation with Food Network's Robert Irvine.