25 Lusk Primps For Saturday Opening In Vintage Digs

Grid View

• 9,800-square-foot in total is largely made up of this 120 seat dining area
• An interior-defining steel fire orb flues
• The community dining table
• The massive kitchen, partially viewable from the dining area
• The bar upstairs
• Three flues will pass from the main dining level to the lounge below
• The cocktail room and original 1918 smoke room
• The downstairs bar and lounge area

[Photo: Jennifer Yin]

The greater portion of media attention building for 25 Lusk has focused on the architecture: its historic 1917 building -- once the Ogden Packing and Provision smokehouse and meat processing facility -- and the current interior work of starchitect Cass Calder Smith. This slideshow here reveals the trappings as final primping continues before Saturday's public debut. So do take a moment to peruse the informative captions above.

Chef owner Matthew Dolan, most recently of Garibaldi's on Presidio, has cooked in Emeril's flagship in NOLA, the posh Topper’s at the Wauwinet in Nantucket's Relais & Chateaux and even in Helsinki where he served as chef de cuisine at Michelin-starred Ravintola Demo. But Dolan says his food at 25 Lusk will most closely resemble what he did at Topper's, melding local ingredients and classic French techniques in dishes like Pacific halibut with sea beans, end of season heirloom tomatoes and lemon lobster vinaigrette. At time of opening, the menu will consist of about eight starters, eight main courses and five desserts, including an English-style vanilla lime posset he's is particularly fond of. The cocktail list has been curated by Michael Musil who's worked on the bar programs at Farallon and Boulevard. And the most recent hire of former Rubicon wine director Cezar Kusik means the 220-deep wine list is going to be worth sipping through. The remaining key player would be partner Chad R. Bourdon, who will serve as GM. [EaterWire]

Further Reading: · 25 Lusk Chef Matthew Dolan Talks About Life With Emeril, and Cooking in Finland [GrubStreet]
· All Previous 25 Lusk Coverage [~ ESF ~]