The unique transformation of a restaurant—from Cibo to Nami—is nearing completion.

When an existing restaurant is given a new identity, its owners tend to shut down during the transition. After all, there is a different name to establish, a refreshed menu to perfect, a renovated look and more. It’s a lot to deal with while tending to customers.

So when the time came for Dudley Ashley to transform the established downtown Monterey Italian restaurant Cibo into Nami, specializing in steak and seafood with an Asian twist, he thought about closing—“for a minute.”

Instead, the veteran restaurateur—Pangaea Grill and Sur in Carmel are his—kept Cibo open, serving Italian favorites while testing new menu items. At the same time, he floated Nami’s website before the public, teasing those who came across it with promises of a scaled up addition to downtown.

Without photos of the upcoming menu and renewed decor to share, the website featured stock images representative of an Asian fusion steak and seafood place, with a sleek look and sweeping views of the ocean. Of course, poised at the intersection where Alvarado Street meets Portola Plaza, the actual restaurant offers no such panoramic vistas. The images serve as placeholders.

But Ashley saw in the advance publicity the opportunity to stir interest, create intrigue. The Cibo signs came down, leaving a momentary blank slate. As the transition drew closer, the Nami name appeared on exterior walls. All the while, Cibo’s menu remained in place.

Nami is becoming, slowly but steadily.

“People have been calling, stopping by,” he observes. They were interested in what was coming—the dishes, the vibe, the look. “I like that.”

In a way, his approach is an extension of a plan he began to follow shortly after purchasing the location. Situated on a prominent corner, the old restaurant was open only for dinner and late night drinks. Ashley recognized that it looked dead during the day, so he opened for breakfast and lunch in order to catch the attention of passers by and get them accustomed to it as an option.

He sees great potential in the spot. “Honestly, that corner is a better location than the other restaurants,” he says.

Ashley promises a dining experience unique to downtown Monterey. At the same time, he credits Cibo’s original recipes for making his strategy of remaining open for the most part, even as he and his team began the transition.

“The old Italian recipes are really good,” he explains. “I didn’t have a need to close.”

In tribute to Cibo’s standing, Ashley plans to include a legacy section on the new menu, a selection of Italian classics among a listing of new and creative flavors.

At the same time, he cannot mask his enthusiasm for what’s to come.

“It’s going to be the most exciting dining in downtown Monterey,” he says. “It’s going to be a great menu.”

If things go as planned, the Nami menu will be in place by the end of January.

301 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 246-8409, namimonterey.com.