In April an old Masonic temple morphed into a smart bistro-brasserie hybrid aptly named Temple Downtown Restaurant & Lounge, the signature dining destination in The Renaissance Providence Hotel. Denver-based developer Sage Hospitality Group is also responsible for Denver's soon-to-open The Corner Office–Restaurant and Martini Bar in The Curtis Hotel. New York City–based Myriad Restaurant Group consulted. Executive chef Patrick Clancy, who has plenty of high-volume experience thanks to a stint at the Boston-area chain Not Your Average Joe's and leading the kitchen at Providence's Cheesecake Factory, shifts gears at Temple with an ingredient driven menu that pays homage to Providence's regional culinary influences. The interior accommodates 168 in a sexy cultish setting that pairs Masonic iconography with amber hues, dark woods, candlelight, and intimate semicircular booths (prized among them is the "naughty" booth, outfitted with a discreet entrance and private server). Apps ($8 to $12): fried calamari tossed with pecorino, fresh herbs, and extra-virgin olive oil; pretzel-crusted crab cakes with Creole mustard and New England baked beans. Mains ($15 to $24): local wild striped bass with capers, pine nuts, green beans, and brown butter; braised lamb shanks with spring vegetables, gremolata, and parsnip puree.
After four years as executive chef at Lindbergh's Crossing, Evan Mallett and his wife, Denise, purchased the restaurant from previous owners Tom Fielding and Scott O'Connor (who are opening a wine shop in Provincetown, MA) and reopened as Black Trumpet (29 Ceres Street) in March. The new lower priced menu retains some signature dishes as well as expanded "tapas" offerings. Pastry chef Jasmine Inglesmith was part of the Lindbergh's Crossing crew. Apps ($6 to $15): cumin-crusted spring lamb loin with kamut and carrot puree; black beluga lentil soup with curried basmati rice. Mains ($16 to $28): slow cooked beef short ribs over a potato galette with fava bean ragoût; roasted pork shoulder with mashed yuca and calaloo in piquant adobo sauce. Desserts ($8): three-chile Valrhona Guanaja chocolate cake with guava coulis; pear/almond financier with Champagne/mango sabayon.
Greg Brier, owner of Aspen, launched the moody and intimate Amalia (named for Sigmund Freud's mother), adjacent to the Dream hotel, in February. Complex decorative layers (hand-painted wall covers, a collection of luminous portraits adorning ceiling rather than walls, and ornate fixtures) suggest a Baroque European palace dressed to make today's edgy club scene in the bi-level, 136 seat space. Ivy Stark, famed for her mastery of modern Mexican fare at Dos Caminos and Rosa Mexicano, sails off on a decidedly coastal Mediterranean direction. Sweetly named John Miele, who worked recently at Aureole, is doing pastry. Apps ($10 to $19): roasted red pepper soup with dried black olives, smoked baba ghanoush, and yogurt; warm duck confit—stuffed dates with dried fig mostarda, Serrano ham, frisée, and Sherry reduction. Mains ($24 to $38): roasted Mediterranean sea bass with fork mashed potatoes, rock shrimp, saffron, and roasted garlic; lamb osso buco with barley risotto, harissa, and tangerine gremolata. Desserts ($9): salted almond/milk chocolate napoleon with Turkish coffee gelato, yuzu caramel, and cardamom kumquats; warm bananas with kataifi pastry, honey/tangerine custard, frozen lemon yogurt, and sesame caramel.
In February Dan Butler, chef/owner of Toscana Kitchen & Bar and Deep Blue Bar and Grill (Wilmington, DE), opened his third venue, Brandywine Prime Seafood and Chops, in the historic 300 year old Chadds Ford Inn. Partner is Paul Bouchard (also Toscana's general manager), and managing partner is Michael Majewski (most recently general manager at Deep Blue). The 220 seat space underwent a painstaking two year renovation, unearthing original stone walls beneath crumbling plaster, restoring antique flooring, but leaving the hand-cut timber ceiling joists bare. Twenty-first century touches include an illuminated raw bar and a glass enclosed meat-aging case. Joining Butler are chef de cuisine Keith Rudolph, who comes from Georges' (Wayne, PA), and pastry chef Jeanette Behrens, a 10 year veteran of other Butler venues. Apps ($6 to $14): lobster seviche with marinated bell peppers and truffle popcorn; little neck clams with bacon vinaigrette and shredded fried spinach. Mains ($20 to $25): pan-seared striped bass with preserved lemon/black pepper risotto, haricots verts, and tomato consommé; coffee-crusted venison loin with goat cheese gnocchi, chanterelles, Port wine reduction, and arugula coulis. Desserts ($6 to $9): dulce de leche cheesecake; warm apple crisp with cheddar pâte brisée crust and thyme/caramel drizzle
Raleigh-based Urban Food Group (Frazier's and Vivace, among others) shines a spotlight on classic Southern fare with the February debut of South at 4351 The Circle at North Hills Street. Managing partner Jeremy Sabo, executive chef for all UFG venues, is running the kitchen. Vivace pastry chef Erik Akbari handles the sweets. Chocolate brown booths and banquettes, exposed brick walls, and streamlined canvas chandeliers lend the handsome 150 seat interior an updated clubby vibe. Apps ($6 to $12): lump crab cake with sweet corn relish and red pepper coulis; hearts of romaine salad with cornbread croutons, country ham, and buttermilk dressing. Mains ($14 to $25): roasted chicken with dumplings, root vegetables, and thyme pan sauce; local shrimp with stone-ground grits, bacon, leeks, tomatoes, and pan jus. Desserts ($7 to $8): kiwi sorbet with citrus soup and vanilla oil; chocolate brioche bread pudding with pralines and cream ice cream.
Everyday fine dining is the theme at the The Foundry on Melrose, which opened in April at 7465 Melrose Avenue (formerly Caffe Luna) and is the first solo venture for Eric Greenspan, former executive chef at Patina. The cozy 45 seat interior pairs an Art Deco aesthetic with industrial design elements, balancing antique light fixtures and sconces recycled from vintage heat registers with wood and steel accents and polished concrete flooring. An intimate piano bar seats another 10 while the year-round outdoor patio with a retractable roof, shady olive tree, and a fireplace accommodates another 45. Consulting on pastries is Sergi Montane, a Los Angeles newbie and émigré from Spain's hottest kitchens. Apps ($9 to $13): Maui onion soup with poached bone marrow and Gruyère fondant; fava bean puree/quail egg yolk ravioli with fava beans, fava greens, and Parmesan foam. Mains ($23 to $27): beef short ribs with garlic puree, onion/pickle hash, and frisée; poached halibut with leeks, ramps, crispy polenta, and orange confit. Desserts ($9): wild berry mousse with fried strawberry muffin chunks, mascarpone ice cream, and Sichuan peppercorns; coffee cake with sweet black sesame, halva, and chocolate covered espresso beans.
February ushered in the exotic Marazul to 2200 Westlake Avenue (part of the 2200 development project and close by the Pan Pacific Hotel), serving newfangled Nuevo Chino Latino fare. The 100 seat interior of warm woods and cool glass creates a clean backdrop for the vibrant menu. A seasonal patio accommodates an additional 100 guests, and the Rhum Bar (which boasts a 40-plus list of rums) seats 58. Executive chef Bruce Dillon recently worked at Florida outposts of The Bice Group restaurants, and his sharing menu travels throughout the Indo-Asian territories, the Caribbean islands, and Cuba. Small plates ($5 to $10): jerk pork pot stickers with guava/plum dipping sauce; avocado/crab egg custard with kaffir lime oil. Large plates ($11 to $16): grilled skirt steak with red onion marmalade, chimichurri sauce, and Latin hash (garnet yams, Okinawa purple potatoes, boniato, Spanish onions, and thyme); marlin in coconut/tomato sauce with pickled onions and coconut sticky rice.
Chef Kevin Davis, who logged five years at the helm of The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Seattle, and his wife, Terresa, formerly an accountant for Tom Douglas Restaurants, nabbed a prime space (formerly Vivanda Ristorante) in the famed Pike Place Market and opened the 95 seat Steelhead Diner in February. Stainless steel, low-backed vinyl booths, and a counter-lined open kitchen capture the convivial mood of a traditional diner, while the menu, highlighting Northwestern bounty, is fueled by the encircling market. Apps ($7 to $10): rillettes of alder smoked salmon with shaved fennel salad and sorrel emulsion; hearts of romaine salad with citrus vinaigrette and roasted pine nut gremolata. Mains ($14 to $33): Pike Place "kilt lifter" fish and chips with homemade tartar sauce; slow braised beef short ribs with Red Mill stone ground grits and rustic winter vegetable pan stew. Desserts ($7 to $9): quadruple layer chocolate cake; apple pan dowdy with cinnamon ice cream
