Vendetta to Replace Red Palace

Saints, a photo by celesteh on Flickr

H Street Great Street officially confirms what I've grown to strongly suspect recently. An Italian restaurant known as Vendetta will replace Red Palace. Since before the closure of Red Palace I've been hearing rumors that it would become an Italian restaurant. I wasn't sure if Joe Englert was involved in the new project or not (he's been a busy guy over the past few years), until I read this Globe and Mail piece on January 7th. In the piece, Englert explains that he plans to open:

Vendetta, an Italian soul food joint with indoor bocce and, he adds with a laugh, “an all-star collection of plaster saints on the back patio.” So still irreverent, but tonier.

Vendetta was a concept Joe Englert floated years ago, but had more recently described as being on hiatus, and maybe coming to a different location (the original location is now slated for a non-restaurant use). As soon as I read the quote above I knew that Vendetta was going in at 1210-1212 H Street. Who's craving Italian?