Shaun Doty, formerly chef/owner of MidCity Cuisine and recently executive chef at Table 1280, opened an eponymous restaurant in October at 1029 Edgewood Avenue (former home to Deacon Burton's and Inman Park Patio). Johnson Studio designed the 90 seat Shaun's, creating a chic lodge look with warm white painted brick walls, ivory wood paneling, banquette seating, and an oversized wooden communal table unearthed at a local antique shop. A lively open kitchen turns out Doty's signature creative American cuisine. Apps ($8 to $12): Belgian-style beef tartare with beer-battered sage leaves; wild mushrom salad with parsnips, fried duck egg, and speck. Mains ($14 to $24): Berkshire pork schnitzel with Vidalia onion salad, parsley, and Thomasville Tomme (aged raw cow's milk cheese from Sweet Grass Dairy in Thomasville, GA); braised lamb shank with buckwheat gnocchi and beet tsatsíki sauce. Desserts ($7): warm pecan crêpes with dulce de leche sauce and whiskey ice cream.
October ushered in Michael Mina's steakhouse, Strip Steak, in the Mandalay Bay. Tokyo-based design firm Super Potato created an opulent look for the 210 seat interior to match the luxe-loaded menu, using rich jewel tones, cherry wood for the tabletops, and teak wood and granite for the flooring. The design showstopper, however, is in the kitchen, where two wood-burning grills with four chambers each allow chefs to cook over different types of wood simultaneously. Executive chef Benjamin Jenkins was formerly at SeaBlue (another Las Vegas Mina venture). Pastry chef Lincoln Carson comes from Picasso and Daniel Boulud Brasserie (both in Las Vegas). The menu pivots around bone-in prime beef and American-style Kobe beef, with Mina signature dishes thrown in for good measure. Apps ($14 to $30): cracked and chilled lobster with avocado/lime puree and cherry tomatoes; crispy duck confit with frisée/morel mushroom salad. Mains ($27 to $55): wood-fired wet-aged Kobe-style rib eye cap; whole fried chicken for two with truffled macaroni and cheese. Desserts ($10 to $14): clementine creamsicle with clementine cream beignet, orange granité, and vanilla bean chantilly; oven braised golden pineapple with chocolate fritters and chocolate/lime sorbet.
Arthur Backal, CEO of New York City–based Backal Hospitality Group, teamed up with Tony Fortuna, owner of The Lenox Room (New York City), to launch the 175 seat Backals at 2 Weaver Street in October. New York City–based designer Ed Libby revamped the former home of Heathcote Tavern, using a vibrant palette of orange, mango, and cinnamon, vaulted ceilings, and an ornately carved fireplace to create an invitingly tawny setting. Consulting executive chef George Masraff, formerly of Tavern on the Green and Windows on the World, created a progressive American menu and consulted on the wine list and the interior. Apps ($9 to $17): duo of caviar with creamy scrambled eggs; endive salad with Roquefort, pepper cress, and grapes. Mains ($19 to $38): caramelized diver scallops with truffled polenta; Moroccan-style lamb shank tagine with couscous and preserved lemon. Desserts ($8): Granny Smith apple strudel with caramel ice cream.
Susanna Foo, chef/owner of Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine (Philadelphia) and Suilan by Susanna Foo (Atlantic City), launched her third venue in October, a family-friendly dumpling house, Susanna Foo Gourmet Kitchen at 555 East Lancaster Avenue. The 200 seat contemporary Asian interior has gleaming wood floors, a rich palette of gold and red, and Chinese artifacts handpicked by Foo during her travels. An open display kitchen and an area dedicated to family-focused cooking classes give the space a high-energy vibe. Robert Boone, whose résumé includes stints at Charlie Trotter's (Chicago) and Norman's (Coral Gables, FL), helps Foo run the kitchen. Apps ($7 to $19): crispy curried chicken dumplings with Chinese mustard/apricot sauce; Mongolian lamb "pillows" with braised Chinese eggplant sauce. Mains ($15 to $28): Sichuan "bouillabaisse" with shrimp, salmon, tuna, and scallops; braised beef short ribs with star anise, mashed potatoes, and Shaoxing wine. Desserts ($6 to $8): coconut crème brûlée with pineapple/mango salsa.
October ushered in an informal French spot, Zinc Brasserie, at 741 First Colonial Road. Owners are executive chef Todd Jurich and sommelier Marc Sauter, co-owners of Todd Jurich's Bistro in Norfolk, and investment banker Jerry Flowers. The centerpieces of the 200 seat interior are the solid zinc 27-foot main bar and eight-foot raw bar imported from France. Cozy leather banquettes, antique mirrors, hand-crafted stained-glass light boxes, and original artwork by the restaurant's designer, Norfolk-based Lee Walker Shepherd, round out the look. Jurich is joined by chef de cuisine Peter Evans and pastry chef Connie White. Apps ($5 to $13): escargots with mushrooms, Gruyère, and garlic/pastis butter; warm goat cheese/beet salad with Sherry vinaigrette. Mains ($17 to $27): filet mignon with béarnaise sauce; olive oil poached wild Pacific salmon with new crop potatoes and green beans. Desserts ($6 to $8): truffle mousse tart with homemade coconut ice cream.
