The Bekiaris brothers are best known as the owners of Prime 82 Restaurant and Bar in Norwich, but their next restaurant draws on the legacy of another well-known local restaurant.
Volaré Mexican Fusion Restaurant is expected to open this summer, ideally the end of June. While the exact menu is still under development, appetizers will cost $9-$14 and entrees will be around $20-$30, co-owner Mario Bekiaris said.
Volaré’s home is in the former Modesto’s Restaurant building, on Rte. 32 in Franklin, near the Norwich border. Modesto’s, which closed in 2019, was a beloved local favorite. On local Facebook pages, people can be seen time to time speculating on all the construction work outside. Mario Bekiaris finally got a coming soon sign because of the huge pre-existing interest, he said.
As hundreds of Prime 82’s regular customers were also Modesto’s regulars, they wanted to see another Mexican restaurant in the area. Mario Bekiaris expects Volaré to have a good start when it opens, he said.
“The support from everybody drives us,” he said. “Me and my brother have been in the hospitality industry pretty much all our lives. We thrive on this stuff.”
Volaré to continue some of Modesto’s style of food and management
Modesto’s was well-regarded. Owner Modesto Moran was hands-on and always there, and the community knew the owner. This is similar to how Mario Bekiaris and his brother, co-owner Alex Bekiaris, have run Prime 82 for over 20 years, Mario Bekiaris said.
“If somebody needs something, or something happens, it’s not just talking to a supervisor,” he said. “It’s directly dealing with us.”
Volaré will continue Modesto’s style of combining Mexican and Mediterranean cooking. Possible dishes include chicken molé, tacos, burritos and fajitas, along with pasta and fish, Bekiaris said.
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What to expect when Volaré opens
The restaurant is in the middle of a remodel. One part people may remember from Modesto’s is the bar. While that bar had eight seats, Volaré will have a large bar, seating 40, Mario Bekiaris said.
While the building has two floors for dining space, Volaré will eventually expand with an outdoor dining space, which will include games and a fire pit, Mario Bekiaris said.
Opening a Mexican fusion restaurant isn’t a big jump. The chef at Prime 82 is Mexican, and is helping with developing the menu, Mario Bekiaris said.
As Prime 82 and Volaré are roughly five minutes away from each other, both restaurants will share some staff. As Prime 82 currently has around 50 employees, a similar amount of people will be hired for Volaré, Mario Bekiaris said.
Prime 82 and Volaré can help each other attract business, by telling the Courtyard by Marriott hotel guests of Volaré, and the potential for cross promotion, Mario Bekiaris said.
For anyone coming to one of the Bekiaris brothers’ restaurants for the first time by coming to Volaré, Mario Bekiaris hopes they will enjoy the space and atmosphere, and know that the owners are always willing to help the customer, he said.
