Restaurant Development & Design

March-April 2015

restaurant development + design is a user-driven resource for restaurant professionals charged with building new locations and remodeling existing units.

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Great architecture, world class designers and award-winning chefs come together to make Chicago one of the nation's most exciting restaurant cities. Its newest, most buzzworthy restaurants offer up innovative, on-trend designs and cuisines while maintaining a welcoming, comfortable vibe. Here we take a look at some newcomers to check out next time you visit the Windy City. 2 6 • R E S T A U R A N T D E V E L O P M E N T + D E S I G N • M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 1 5 Momotaro Housed in an 11,500-square-foot converted West Loop warehouse, Momotaro is a new addition to Boka Restaurant Group's portfolio of red-hot Chicago concepts. Designed by New York-based AvroKO as an ode to mid-20th Century Japanese business culture, the three-story space offers multiple experiences, including a main dining room modeled after a Japanese offce space and a bar set against a soaring backdrop of Japanese stock market-inspired signage. A lower-level 100-seat izakaya bar was inspired by Japanese street markets and food stalls near train stations, and a private dining space on the upper level evokes a 1950s Japanese board room. From an aesthetic standpoint alone, Momotaro breaks Japanese restaurant stereotypes in clever and unexpected ways. (Photo by Galdones Photography) The Betty A contemporary take on the neighborhood bar, Footman Hospitality's upscale tavern opened in January in the city's Fulton Market District. It offers craft cocktails, wines and beers along with a sophisticated menu of small bites and shareable plates. Designed by Studio K Creative, the 5,000-square-foot space blends rich colors, reclaimed and contemporary materials, and ambient lighting to create a comfortably chic salon experience. Design highlights include a custom-made chandelier and shelves flled with books and vintage fnds. Footman partner Jason Freiman says The Betty's concept and design were carefully created to inspire guests to "relax, let their hair down and have a great night on the town." (Photo by Nick Fochtman) The Kitchen Located on the main foor of the landmark Reid Murdoch Building, The Kitchen comes to Chicago by way of Denver, where the now four-unit restaurant concept was born. The 6,500-square-foot Chicago outpost, designed by co-founder Hugo Matheson and Denver-based Semple Brown Design, features a large island bar and raw bar, communal and traditional seating, and terrifc views of the Chicago River and skyline. A display kitchen adds to the vibe, and the interior blends modern elements, including cus- tom chandeliers and mirror-backed sconces, with 1900s-era details, such as original concrete pillars, untouched plaster walls and reclaimed wood foors, for a look that's warm and homey but still fresh and contemporary. (Photo by Galdones Photography) CHICAGO DESIGN MARKET

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