Trinity Place, a stylish culinary Fort Knox with a Dublin attitude, opened in the food-scanty financial district in June. The 250 seater burrows into vault level of the historic U.S. Realty Bank at 115 Broadway. Managing partners Jason O'Brien and Katie Connolly, who hold the same title at Dublin 6 Wine & Dine, are both Dublin natives, as is Donal Crosbie, top toque at both Trinity Place and Dublin 6. Dublin-based designer Brian McDonald refashioned the original bank vault door as an entrance and outfitted the interior with a rich mahogany bar, oversized red silk lamp shades, and handsome brown leather booths to mirror the look of Dublin's most fashionable pubs. Apps ($7 to $14): citrus/olive oil cured salmon with fennel salad; roasted cara melized onion tart with Gruyère cheese and crème fraîche. Mains ($18 to $32): braised beef short ribs with quark spaetzle and white wine braised cabbage; pan-roasted organic chicken breast with Parmesan potato puree, baby carrots, and green olive jus. Desserts ($5 to $8): sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream; New York cheesecake with walnut crust and citrus salad.
Douglas Rodriguez, the culinary mastermind behind Miami's Ola and Ola Steak, Philadelphia's Alma de Cuba, and Scottsdale's Deseo, hones in on coastal Latin flavors with the July opening of De La Costa at 465 East Illinois Street. Design standouts of the 200 seater are a glass encased exhibition kitchen, a custom seviche bar, and an airy solarium outfitted with private cabanas and views of the Chicago River's Ogden Slip. Joining chef/partner Rodriguez is chef de cuisine Adam Schop (who migrated from Zinc Bistro in Scottsdale, AZ) and general manager Ron Garcia, from Ajax Tavern (Aspen). Pastry chef Tim Ketch mark hails from Masa's restaurant (San Francisco). Apps ($9 to $14): salmon seviche with warm horseradish, green apple granité, sage salt, and citrus vinaigrette; rum cured marlin taco with pickled chiles and iceberg lettuce. Mains ($20 to $29): Argentinean churrasco steak with Dungeness crab salad, roasted asparagus, and basil chimichurri. Desserts ($7): "chocolate cigar" of almond/chocolate cake enrobed in semisweet chocolate mousse; dulce de leche cake.
The chic, muy contemporary Mexican Trece opened in June at 4513 Travis Street, formerly home to Sipango. Owners are Robert Colombo (local restaurateur and founder of the Dallas-based La Reve Consultants Corp., developers of hotels and restaurants), Billy Solomon (who was Colombo's partner at Sfuzzi until they sold it), and pro golfer Tommy Armour III. Executive chef Amador Mora, a native of Mexico, spent the past 23 years at The Mansion on Turtle Creek, most recently as chef de cuisine. The 175 seater boasts a year-round patio lined with towering palm trees and a stylish Tequila lounge displaying 120 varieties in six-foot-tall, backlit cabinets. Apps ($7 to $16): tortilla soup with ancho chile/tomato broth, pulled chicken, pico de gallo, queso fresco, and avocado crema; homemade corn crêpes filled with Maine lobster, queso ranchero, grilled onions, and verde and roja salsas. Mains ($16 to $35): roasted poblano chiles stuffed with shrimp, spinach, and goat cheese in tomato essence broth with broiled onions and cilantro; mesquite grilled sirloin with five chile/agave glaze, potato/cheddar casserole, and roasted onion/cilantro pesto. Desserts ($8): chocolate/coffee mousse–filled gorditas with Tequila/vanilla bean ice cream; white chocolate/pecan cheesecake with orange jelly sauce.
Husband and wife Quinn and Karen Hatfield, recently co-chefs and managing partners at San Francisco's Cortez, opened their first solo venture in June, the elegant 50 seat Hatfield's at 7458 Beverly Boulevard. Karen is pastry chef and maître d', and Quinn the chef. So-Cal chic-meets-French country aptly describes both the interior (cream colored walls, polished cement floors, tabletops sprouting potted lavender and wild flowers), and market dictated cuisine. Apps ($11 to $18): braised rabbit/foie gras terrine with black onion seeds, tarragon emulsion, and oven-dried cherry salad; charred Japanese octopus with red wine/olive puree, roasted fennel, sweet orange rind, and saffron/vanilla braised hearts of palm. Mains ($25 to $32): olive oil poached Alaskan halibut with herbed asparagus, pickled ramp vinaigrette, and duck cracklings; pan-roasted hanger steak and horse radish crusted short ribs with spring onion confit and smoked potato puree. Desserts ($9 to $11): caramelized vanilla custard tartlet with peach butter and boysenberry granita; wild strawberry phyllo napoleon with Greek yogurt mousse and pistachio puree.
Michael Chuong (recently executive chef at Prestonwood Country Club) joined forces with partner Ann Goodnight to debut a chic Asian spot, 289 seat An ("to eat" in Vietnamese) at 2800 Renaissance Park Place in September. The French colonial interior, replete with mahogany wood and rattan dining chairs, is an apt period setting for Chuong's menu of French accented Southeast Asian fare. Apps ($9 to $12): escargots in phyllo with duxelles and garlic/lemongrass butter; ahi tuna tartare with onions, capers, Dijon mustard, taro chips, quail egg, and salmon caviar. Mains ($18 to $28): miso glazed cod with caramelized pork belly, soy meunière sauce, steamed baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, and jasmine rice; lemongrass pork chop with applewood smoked bacon, candied shallots, fava beans, Yukon potato roll, and truffle/Madeira sauce. Desserts ($7 to $9): white chocolate bread pudding with ginger English cream; tropical fruit trifle of coconut cream layered with fresh mangos and berries.
Bill Foley, owner of Corner House Grille and CEO of the Jackson, Florida–based Fidelity National Financial, debuted The Craggy Range Bar & Grill, a casual American spot with a global bent at 10 Central Avenue in June. Executive chef Zachary Bernheim also oversees the Corner House kitchen. Chef de cuisine Richard Cannady is a Corner House alum. The 190 seater strikes a refined rustic pose thanks to warm woods, corrugated metal, and soothing earth tones throughout. Apps ($5 to $12): green chile chicken/rice soup; fried calamari with lemon basil aïoli and chipotle/lime sauce. Mains ($8 to $19): five-spiced rotisserie duck with Chinese plum sauce; ginger/peppercorn crusted tuna with mango/lime sauce. Desserts (averaging $5): banana/pineapple parfait of banana ice cream, pineapple sorbet, macadamia nuts, and hot fudge; crème brûlée with chocolate tuile.
