Restaurant Openings: Jan/Feb 2015

Gavin Kaysen opens the locavore Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis, and Justin Smillie pairs rustic fare with wine in Manhattan.

Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis highlights locally focused food offerings and serves up a wide selection of Minnesota beers, along with nearly 200 wines by the bottle.
Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis highlights locally focused food offerings and serves up a wide selection of Minnesota beers, along with nearly 200 wines by the bottle. (Photo by Bonjwing Lee)

Minneapolis Chef Returns Home With Modern Restaurant

Chef Gavin Kaysen unveiled Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood in November. After spending the last several years in Manhattan working for chef Daniel Boulud, Kaysen returns to his hometown with an upscale, modern restaurant. Spoon and Stable highlights local products, offering a seasonal menu with headings like Chilled, Garden, Sea and Land. Entrées ($14 to $34) include cider-glazed chicken, served with fennel sausage, rutabaga, roasted carrots and thyme jus, and dill-cured salmon, plated with roasted beets, horseradish and orange. These dishes join a bar menu of smaller plates like duck meatloaf sliders and octopus a la plancha. Spoon and Stable’s drinks menu emphasizes classic cocktails, such as the French 75 and Paloma ($13), and boasts a large beer selection with several Minnesota-brewed labels ($6 to $9 a draft pour or bottle). The restaurant’s 175-label wine list features predominantly European offerings and includes 25 glass pours ($8 to $19 a glass; $28 to $350 a 750-ml. bottle). Spoon and Stable has a modern interior, with steel gray and black furnishings, an open kitchen, and a large bar that’s situated next to the restaurant’s wine room.

Upland in New York City offers a vast wine list to pair with its California-inspired cuisine.
Upland in New York City offers a vast wine list to pair with its California-inspired cuisine.

Starr Restaurant Adds New York City Venue

Restaurateur Stephen Starr unveiled a California-inspired venue in Manhattan in November. Dubbed Upland after a town of the same name in the Golden State, the restaurant is helmed by chef Justin Smillie and features an upscale-casual vibe with a rustic menu. Upland offers pizzas and pastas alongside more complex dishes like branzino a la plancha and roasted lamb (appetizers start at $13; entrées are $16 to $68). The restaurant’s beverage director, Chantelle Pabros, has crafted a 500-label wine list that incorporates limited-allocation offerings from France, Italy, Australia, Croatia and the United States ($9 to $22 a glass; $27 to $917 a 750-ml. bottle). Upland also boasts creative cocktails ($12 to $15), including several whiskey-based drinks, and craft beers ($6 to $11 a draft pour, bottle or can).

Restaurant Briefs

  • Influenced by the Basque Country in Spain and France, Cooks & Soldiers opened in November in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood. The restaurant serves savory, rustic tapas and large plates, including wood-grilled meats and fish. Wines and ciders from the Basque region are also highlighted, along with craft beers.
  • The Floridian brasserie Seagrape opened in November in the new Thompson Miami Beach Hotel. Chef Michelle Bernstein’s modern restaurant emphasizes fresh fare, from simply prepared vegetables to a raw bar and à la carte steaks. Designed with mid-1900s glamour, the space features a green marble bar and an outdoor terrace with ocean views.
  • Chef Akira Back brought his popular sushi venue Yellowtail to Los Angeles in November. A sister location to the original restaurant in Las Vegas, Yellowtail Sunset serves modern Japanese and Asian fusion cuisine in a chic environment and boasts a creative cocktail menu and a variety of sakes and whiskies.
  • Combining the best elements of a restaurant, market and events space, chef Gary Arabia opened GC Marketplace in November in Los Angeles. The multipurpose space is styled after a French boulangerie, with house-made pizza, sandwiches and charcuterie, a large wine bar, and a wine retail shop.