Brian Dioguardi, owner of Baldy’s Barbeque in Bend, said Friday he plans to open a new restaurant near the Fred Meyer store on Veterans Way in southwest Redmond, with a soft launch to come at the end of the month.

The new restaurant location, which replaces Saigon Village Restaurant, will allow Dioguardi to keep a custom-made smoker inside the restaurant and dedicate part of the kitchen to experiments with barbecue sauce.

Dioguardi said he has worked in the food industry for 17 years, and the new Baldy’s “has really … kind of rekindled my love for the restaurant business.” He said he is excited to try out a few new dishes, including stuffed burgers and freshly smoked fish.