Michael Mina: Clock Bar a Go, Brasserie ... Perhaps

The Westin St. Francis may or may not house Mina 2.0 [Photo: Flickr/Scandblue]

Remember those rumblings of a new Michael Mina brasserie and bakery in the Westin St. Francis? Well, Ryan Tate reports that there may be some communication discrepancies between Michael Mina and hotel owner Laurence Geller, who said the brasserie in the Oak Room space is a done deal. Not so fast, says Mina:

Actually, Michael Mina was reached for comment, the day after we went to press. Telling me that the plan for a brasserie was very preliminary, one among perhaps 15 projects Mina's company (total restaurants: 10) is weighing at any given time. But he was fairly certain he'd be running the St. Francis' new bar, Compass Rose Clock Bar. But writing about the brasserie would be, uh, premature.

Upshot: nothing has been signed yet, so Balthazar West is still in the negotiations phase. But the Oak Room people have to be thrilled with these swirling rumors.
· Michael Mina brasserie -- may yet be (Or: My seduction by Laurence Geller) [Covers]
· EaterWire: New Michael Mina Restaurant En Route [~ESF~]