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A rustic neighborhood Italian trattoria from a James Beard nominee and a new sushi concept from a legendary restaurant company are just two new restaurants on our radar.
West Palm Beach, FL
Opened: January, 2016
James Beard Award-nominated chef Clay Conley (Buccan, West Palm Beach) has opened a rustic neighborhood trattoria, Grato, where a wood-burning brick oven and rotisserie help turn out simple classic dishes, including pizzas, roasted fish and herb-marinated chicken. Hearty pasta dishes include Rabbit Ragu over homemade mustard orecchiette; Paccheri (shown here) with a meaty Sunday gravy; and Braised Lamb with herb penne. Prices are set to draw in families and create a clientele of regulars. “I live in this community, and for a while I’ve dreamed of opening a place that I could bring my family and friends to on a regular basis,” Conley says. There’s even a kids' menu with a Peanut Butter and Jelly Panini and Conley’s own house-made Spaghetti O’s. The space features tall ceilings, exposed beams and oversized windows. Carrara marble, dark woods, rattans, leather, whimsical chandeliers and hand-hewn appointments help create a warm vibe.
Chicago
Opened: February, 2016
It’s been 14 years since Chicago family-owned multi-concept operator Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants Group opened a new restaurant. Gina Stefani, daughter of the group’s namesake, rejoined the family business two years ago and has just debuted her first project, MAD Social, in the city’s West Loop neighborhood. Executive chef Mariela Bolaños (most recently sous chef at DineAmic Group’s Bar Siena) created what Stefani describes as a globally influenced, New American menu. Small plates dominate the menu, and just about everything, large plates included, menus for less than $20. The cross-cultural compositions include items like Duck Confit Tacos with sriracha aioli, tangy cucumbers and napa cabbage; and Ropa Vieja braised beef tenderloin with crisp plantains, sun-dried tomatoes, hollandaise and cherry pepper relish. The 1900s warehouse-inspired dining room and bar seat 85.
Los Angeles
Opened: February, 2016
Matteo Ferdinandi and his partners are channeling the Italian countryside in downtown L.A.’s Arts District with the much-anticipated opening of Officine Brera (named for the Brera district of Milan). Chef Angelo Auriana’s menu focuses on wood-fired meats. The 110-seat restaurant features masculine contemporary and industrial appointments including soft leather seating, hot rolled steel dining tables, reclaimed wood flooring, exposed steel beams, concrete and Ann Sacks tiles. The center of the action is an exhibition kitchen set behind a 35-foot glass wall, where guests have full view of Officine Brera’s “line of fire:” the wood-burning grill, oven and rotisserie. The menu includes rotisserie fowl and poultry, slow braised hunter-style meats, grilled meats, tartare, risotto, baked pastas and grilled and oven-roasted fish. A bar menu focuses on snacks.
Los Gatos, CA
Opened: January, 2016
Michelin-starred Manresa chef and owner David Kinch and partner Andrew Burnham just opened their first casual bar and restaurant, The Bywater. The little spot is named for and inspired by the New Orleans neighborhood of the same name, where Kinch grew up and cut his culinary teeth. The duo tapped chef de cuisine David Morgan, formerly of the acclaimed August in New Orleans and more recently of Cyrus in Healdsburg, CA to collaborate on the menu. “It’s casual, eclectic, and brings a bit of the food, drink and atmosphere of New Orleans to this part of Northern California—music and all,” says Kinch. The kitchen is making classic French and New Orleans-inspired dishes such as Chicken Liver Mousse with Tomatillo Jam and Red Snapper Courtbouillon, as well as southern staples such as Fried Green Tomatoes and Po’boys, all reimagined with ingredients from Northern California. Eclectic New Orleans cocktails include like the Sazerac, Gin Fizz and Milk Punch.
Albany, CA
Opened: January, 2016
Located in the East Bay, Cafe Eugene hopes to lure locals and inspire city dwellers to cross the bridge with its Pacific Northwest-inspired menu. Jon Guhl and Ryan Murff, with two successful restaurants already up and running in the area, say they’re bringing comfortable, yet technique-driven food to suburban Albany. “We’re aiming to be a neighborhood spot that attracts a regular crowd, but intriguing enough for guests to make a special trip,” says Murff, whose Oregon roots are visible in items such as Baked Steel Oats with honey baked pear and cardamom coconut milk (brunch). Lunch and dinner feature Clam Chowder Pot Pie and a “Build Your Own Toast” in which guests can choose toppings such as house-cured salmon with cream cheese; sardines with marinated chilies and boiled egg; and melted sharp cheddar cheese with sweet pear butter. Bloody Marys are a house specialty and include a crudo version with mescal, tomato, pasilla, cucumber, serrano, orange, lime and pomegranate; and the Scandi version with aquavit, tomato, dill, radish, apple cider and beet juice. Warm cocktails include Northwest favorites like the Spanish Coffee and some of Murff's creations like the Diplimatico with espresso, Melletti Cioccolato, Guatemalan rum, soft cream and cinnamon. The vibe is funky and eclectic and features vintage Tiffany stained-glass fixtures.
Aspen, CO
Opened: January, 2016
The downtown Aspen dining scene has a new player. The David Burke Group’s Aspen Kitchen takes “an artisanal market-to-table” approach and features the resort town’s only dry-aging room. 30- and 55-year, dry-aged saltbrick beef is showcased in a glass-fronted box lined with bricks of glowing, backlit pink Himalayan rock salt. Executive Chef Matthew O’Neill injects whimsy into his locally sourced menu. Dishes include small plates such as House Ricotta with squash marmalade and pine nuts; and Chickpea Fries with fennel pollen and harissa mayonnaise. Mains include Poached Rabbit Cavatelli with wild mushrooms, creme fraiche and shishito gemolata; and Harissa Braised Lamb with glazed turnips and crispy sweetbreads. Desserts include Toffee Monkey Bread for Two with banana caramel and maple pecan ice cream. The cocktail program was inspired by the ski-town spirit and includes offering such as the BlackBerry Lime Rickey, made with local Woody Creek Vodka, fresh blackberries and prosecco. Fireside seating on a three-sided rooftop terrace overlooking Aspen Mountain and downtown’s historic buildings makes for a truly spectacular setting.
Los Angeles
Opened: January, 2016
Chef Kevin Meehan and former Providence wine director Drew Langley, long-time buddies who met back in ‘01 when they were working for the acclaimed Ludo Lefebvre at Los Angeles’s L’Orangerie, have opened a bricks-and-mortar version of Meehan’s roving private dinner party pop-up, Kali Dining. (The guys’ paths also crossed at luminous L.A. restaurants Bastide and Citrine.) The Kali idea: “Michelin-level cuisine, wine and hospitality, reimagined and stripped of the white tablecloths and tension of a formal environment," says Meehan. The a la carte menu includes Rockfish Crudo with citrus, green olives, pink peppercorns and nasturtium; and Heritage Grain Risotto with black garlic and San Joaquin cheese. Mains change seasonally but examples include Squab with Carrots, Honey and Lavender; and Cavatelli with local peppercorns, crème fraîche and fried wild arugula. Langley’s wine list focuses on affordable varieties from California’s Central Coast, while cocktails showcase locally-sourced spirits, house-made shrubs and farmers' market finds. Tableside tea & tisane service wrap things up nicely. Comfortable banquettes and oak tables topped with wire banzai trees deck out the 65-seat front-of-house.
Louisville
Opened: November, 2015
This century-old space, once a grocery store, reflects its historic Louisville environment. Its creators—a diverse trio—include chef Bobby Benjamin, My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan and lawyer Jon Salomon—hope Butchertown Grocery will serve as "Louisville’s living room." They’re serving lunch and dinner, but also a laid-back brunch, midnight snacks and Southern-style drinks in the upstairs lounge. It has an impressive lineup of sipping whiskeys (naturally), and the cocktail selection is smart and sophisticated with items like the Little Joe From Kokomo featuring run, lime, cinnamon, bitters and mint. There’s dedicated charcuterie space in the open kitchen, and a chef's table nearby. A favorite entree, executed beautifully by chef de cuisine Tina Dyer, is Rotisserie Chicken with lemon, roasted garlic, roasted carrot and Kalamata tapenade. A little stage in the lounge hints at a performance from My Morning Jacket and other acts.
Chicago
Opened: January, 2016
Rich Melman and the other creative minds at legendary multi-concept company Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises just opened a new little sushi spot, Naoki Sushi. Naoki Sushi is actually located within the LEYE culinary lab concept, Intro, at The Belden-Stratford apartments and hotel in the city’s desirable Lincoln Park neighborhood. Led by Naoki Nakashima, LEYE’s long-time sushi chef, Naoki Sushi promises a playful mix of contemporary and classic Japanese items and sushi in a laid-back setting. “I want to make sure our guests have fun, feel relaxed and enjoy great ingredients,” says Nakashima. The menu showcases traditional nigiri and sashimi as well as other sushi items that are more composed and include additional flourishes and ingredients. Japanese main plates, cocktails and sake round out the menu.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Opened: February, 2016
Agave Taco Bar is a fast casual incarnation of Ft. Lauderdale chef/restaurateur Ivan Alarcon’s widely praised El Agave Azul. The Taco Bar showcases Alarcon’s family recipes, including Sopes del Jefe (a handcrafted corn cake with pork belly), Empanadas de Masa Azul (blue corn vegetarian empanadas) and micheladas, a Mexican-style beer-based cocktail with lime juice, peppers and spices. A Botanas menu serves up snack-sized items. The indoor-outdoor restaurant is decorated with items from brought from Alarcon's native Monterrey, Mexico, including hand-blown lanterns, pottery and artwork.
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