Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
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"Nick aNd i always look at what 's treNdiNg, aNd most of the time, the iNNovators questioN the existiNg, ideNtify it, aNd try to do the opposite." —grant achatz who respect the ingredients and bring in the best quality products. GA: Nick and I always look at restaurants and what's trending, and most of the time, in whatever medium you're looking at, the innovators question the existing, identify it, and try to do the opposite. And within our little bubble, Alinea has founded itself on cutting-edge technique and ingredient manipulation, and it's done very well for us. But what is new? What is the opposite of that? Maybe it's an experience that's not as long or as refined in the same way. Maybe the cooking techniques are a little more rustic or different. What has the process of launch- ing Tock been like? NK: We've got a world-class engineering team, and we're rebuilding everything that we pioneered with Next and Alinea and Aviary [with our ticketing system], and then these 15 other restaurants that are using it. We're going to relaunch it in May or June with a redesigned interface, and we literally have hundreds of restaurants that want to use it. It's a worldwide thing. GA: I was skeptical of the concept when Nick presented it, because unlike food, where I'm pushing to go outside the box, my [thinking was] if you wanted a reservation for a restaurant, you picked up the phone and you spoke to a person. But what it's done for me is that now it's really about breaking down the existing model of a restaurant, and not just in terms of reservations. It's opened my eyes to a lot of ways we can make the experience better for the guest, whether it's how they're seated or how they're contacted. How has Chicago's dining scene changed since Alinea opened? GA: You're seeing more restau- rants change the way they interact with guests. There are a lot of chef 's counters and chef 's tables because guests want to interact with the people who are cooking the food— they want that intimate connection. You have more open kitchens, more sushi counter-style dining, where people can see the action, talk to the chefs, hear about their thought processes. NK: I also think the quality here has gone up. Even if you want to open a fried chicken place, you gotta get the food right. GA: What's also trending is that there are a lot of specialty focuses. Like Brendan Sodikoff opening High Five Ramen, and all they do is ramen. Their goal is to make the best ramen, and that's it. Whether it's fried chicken or whatever, it's that specialty mentality. How has your partnership evolved over the years? NK: It sounds bizarre, but we didn't know each other when we built Alinea. I felt like I was going to help Grant build his dream restaurant and then I would go away. We did a good job working together, but it was compartmentalized. Then, of course, there is that part where he almost died in the middle—you tend to get to know someone at that point. Obviously, I didn't go through it the same way as Grant, but I have a far greater appreciation of what we have and what we do because of it. The coolest part for me is that we make about 500 people happy every night. There's worse work out there than walking into Alinea and 30 percent of the people are from out of the country, all there to celebrate and have a great time. 1723 N. halsted st., 312-867-0110; alinearestaurant.com MA Prime & Provisions is dedicated to "serving steaks the way it was done long ago." Team Players Two resTauranT parTnerships are Taking ChiCago's Culinary sCene by sTorm This summer wiTh highly anTiCipaTed new ConCepTs. by katina beniaris "People always warn you not to go into business with your friends," recalls David Rekhson, who opened former River North lounge Stone Lotus with longtime friend Lucas Stoioff in 2006. "[But] we both had a passion for restaurants, marketing, and the hospitality industry," continues Rekhson, "[and] we realized that if we combined our different experiences, we could create our own successful concept." With a record of hits like Siena Tavern, Public House, and Bull & Bear, the DineAmic Group restaura- teurs are now embracing Chicago's carnivorous reputation with Prime & Provisions (222 N. lasalle st., 312-726-7777; primeandprovisions.com). Located in the heart of the Loop in the historic Builders Building, the two-story concept goes "back to the basics," says Stoioff, "by preparing and serving the steaks the way it was done a long time ago." Guests can sip classic cocktails like Old Fashioneds and Manhattans while savoring dry-aged steaks from the decidedly old-school leather booths. Former classmates at the University of Illinois, Carmen Rossi and Chris Bader transformed their decadelong friendship into a culinary collabora- tion (with bar veteran Kevin Killerman of Casey Moran's and Sugar Factory) that boasts seven concepts, including River North hot spot Hubbard Inn and new Wrigleyville haunt Heating & Cooling. Now, the restaurateurs are eager to unveil their 1960s-inspired concept, Pomp & Circumstance (1400 N. wells st.), in the former Kamehachi space. "We stick to the basics," says Rossi, a practicing lawyer, of his hospitality group's aesthetic. With Pomp & Circumstance, that means playing to the Old Town location's personality. Says Rossi, "The 'pomp' is your mad men early-corporate feel with classic gin martinis, and the 'circumstance' is your Jack Kerouac, West Coast, rebellious side." Inspired by the changing seasons, chef Bob Zrenner's menu offers thoughtful dishes like citrus- marinated grilled octopus with chimichurri accompanied by grilled chili peppers and fingerling potatoes. 96 michiganavemag.com taste sound Bites