The Cottage is opening second location on Greenwich Avenue; here’s an exclusive look

After a yearlong buildout, The Cottage’s second outpost, in a coveted location on Greenwich Avenue, is about to open its doorways. Lewis plans a March 22 grand opening for his new 2,400-square-foot restaurant and bar, which joins his authentic idea in Westport and his Japanese-inspired OKO eating places in Westport and Rye, N.Y.

The brand new house is designed in cool shades of white, blue and grey, with a marble bar high and a chef’s counter with 4 seats providing direct views into the kitchen. Seating is offered for about 70 friends.

Just like the Westport restaurant, which opened in December 2015, The Cottage Greenwich will function seasonal menus with locally-sourced substances from Connecticut and New York-based farmers and purveyors. The brand new location will highlight among the Westport menu’s favorites, like Wagyu beef brisket steamed buns, duck fried rice, spicy squid and broccoli and The Cottage burger with Comté cheese, sriracha aioli and bacon and onion jam.

Lewis did not need the Westport and Greenwich menus to precisely mirror one another, however he understands that his friends love these now-signature objects from the unique restaurant. He is trying ahead to increasing and experimenting with new dishes in Greenwich.

“It is taken me some time to simply accept that individuals really need that signature form of feeling,” he mentioned. “They’re fantastic dishes. I actually love them. It is like whenever you go to the live performance of [an artist] you’re keen on and so they do not play your favourite track. I felt there’s an significance to that…However I wish to develop, and proceed down the artistic path.”

The opening menu options appetizers like “maple bacon and eggs” (comfortable farm eggs offered in half-shells with candied bacon and robiola, served with toast fingers), wild fluke sashimi with clementine ponzu and pickled Fresno chili, and spicy scallop tartare, served atop crispy sushi rice and dusted with nori furikake. Lewis is especially excited a few dish of miso black cod served atop a buckwheat crepe, ready with shiitake marmalade and an aioli made with burnt onion and embers. 

One other Greenwich signature providing would be the “la grand frutti di mare,” a number of uncooked bar and seafood objects like chilled oysters, cocktail shrimp, king crab and sashimi. The show will serve two to 4 friends, and the objects will rotate, Lewis mentioned.

Pastas, like lobster spaghetti with sea urchin butter and Calabrian chile, wild nettle sacchetti in brown butter and wild mushroom and black truffle farroto, can be found in half and full portion sizes. Principal programs embody Maine halibut baked in fig leaves and king salmon in cedar paper.

With a brand new ice cream machine within the Greenwich kitchen, Lewis determined to develop the dessert menu, including 5 sundae choices. The new fudge and peanut butter sundae, a mainstay in Westport, headlines a listing with pistachio and raspberry, white chocolate and rhubarb and chocolate hazelnut confections. Different desserts embody a decadent sticky toffee pudding and a number of New England-area farmstead cheeses.

On the bar, the Spicy Pear (pear vodka, Bartlett pear, cayenne and cinnamon), a Westport favourite, makes its strategy to the Greenwich menu, together with new drinks that includes pisco, tequila, bourbon, rum and chipotle tequila. Traditional martini followers are in luck: the Greenwich bar gives 4 totally different varieties, from “filthy soiled” to “squeaky clear.” 

There’s additionally a world wine record, a full number of craft beer heavy on picks from Connecticut breweries, and low ABV or alcohol-free choices.

Lewis was nominated for a James Beard Basis award final month, often called one of the outstanding honors within the culinary business. He was named a semifinalist for the “Finest Chef: Northeast” award for the second time in his profession; his first nomination got here in 2018. Although he was personally nominated, he credit his all of his staff members for his or her work and dedication.

Govt chef Christian Wilki and director of hospitality Ralph Leon are a part of their third opening with the group, Lewis mentioned, and he is added sous chef Gianfranco Oliver and bar supervisor James Lucchesi to assist oversee the Greenwich launch. 

“It is a celebration of the individuals who work with me; it is everyone,” he mentioned. “I will have 100 staff by the point we open [in Greenwich.] It is what they do with the execution.”

“It is such an honor,” he mentioned. “And it couldn’t have come at a greater time, for everybody to rejoice [this] opening.”