Restaurant Openings: December 2014

Bar Boulud hits Boston, and Indonesian-influenced Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill debuts in Los Angeles.

Bar Boulud Boston, chef Daniel Boulud's first venture in the city, features a glass-enclosed wine cellar, a marble-clad charcuterie counter, and oak and leather furnishings.
Bar Boulud Boston, chef Daniel Boulud's first venture in the city, features a glass-enclosed wine cellar, a marble-clad charcuterie counter, and oak and leather furnishings. (Photo by George Apostolidis)

Daniel Boulud Makes Boston Debut

Featuring French bistro fare and an impressive wine list, Bar Boulud Boston opened in September in the Mandarin Oriental Boston hotel. The restaurant is chef Daniel Boulud’s first in Beantown, joining a Bar Boulud in New York City, and it’s his second partnership with Mandarin Oriental. The menu highlights terrines and pâtés and features an array of signature sausages, such seafood dishes as Wellfleet countneck clams served over spaghetti and classics like Coq au Vin (entrées are $17 to $39). Bar Boulud Boston also offers a selection of sandwiches and hamburgers, such as The Departed—a beef patty topped with Irish bacon, cheddar cheese and Guinness-braised onions. The restaurant’s wine list emphasizes Burgundy and the Rhône Valley, boasting roughly 300 labels ($12 to $29 a glass; $49 to $19,995 a 750-ml. bottle), including a varied selection of sparkling wines designed to complement the New England seafood-inspired menu. The venue also serves wines from the United States, Austria and Germany. Rounding out the beverage selection is a roster of seasonal craft beers ($8 to $24 a draft pour or bottle) and handcrafted drinks ($16), including Boulud Classic Cocktails from the chef’s restaurants around the world.

Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill in Los Angeles offers Indonesian-inspired food and drinks.
Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill in Los Angeles offers Indonesian-inspired food and drinks. (Photo by Pablo Bucio)

California Meets Indonesia At Los Angeles Restaurant

Brothers Ian and Justin Hopper debuted Hutchinson Cocktails & Grill this fall in Los Angeles. The restaurant melds California cuisine with Indonesian influences in an island-themed space that boasts a dark oak bar and high-beamed ceilings. Hutchinson offers entrées like Beef Rendang Short Rib and Green Curry Fried Chicken. The restaurant also highlights fresh meats and fish, grilled over white oak and mesquite charcoal (entrées are $22 to $48). Hutchinson lists cocktails like the Coconut Caucasian, a blend of Green Mark vodka, Leopold Bros. Frenchpress-Style American Coffee liqueur, Pelotón de la Muerte mezcal, Kalani Coconut liqueur and Thai basil (drinks are $11 to $15), as well as craft beer ($6 to $11 a bottle or draft pour) and international wines ($10 to $29 a glass; $40 to $345 a 750-ml. bottle).

Restaurant Briefs

  • The upscale dining destination State Grill and Bar opened in October on the ground level of Manhattan’s iconic Empire State Building. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks, emphasizing products from New York state.
  • Los Angeles’ Stir Market puts a California spin on the classic European food hall, offering a variety of eating destinations in one 4,000-square-foot space. The venue debuted this fall with a rotisserie counter, a seasonal salad and sandwich menu, and a bar that offers 15 craft beers on tap, as well as wines from California, France, Italy and Spain. Stir also has a retail component.
  • Following a successful stint as a pop-up restaurant, Lazy Bear put down permanent roots in September in San Francisco’s Mission District. Chef David Barzelay’s venue offers a 12- to 18-course prix fixe menu and optional beverage pairings.
  • Regional comfort foods have found a home at Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, which opened in September in Somerville, Massachusetts. Located in a former diner space, the restaurant has an eclectic menu and a bustling drinks program that includes draft and canned beers, barrel-aged cocktails, and an extensive collection of brown spirits.