Metro Men
When last we visited Hotel Metro (411 E. Mason St.), its culinary operations were in the hands of chef John Chitko, whose name may be familiar from the former Yaffa Lounge (which was at 106 W. Wells St.). Chitko’s Metro stint lasted just six months. His predecessor at the hotel, Jerry Garcia, is back as interim executive chef. Garcia, the one-time head chef at Coast Restaurant, had left Metro to spend time with his family and concentrate on his Piggly Wiggly tailgate-cooking gig. Garcia will help keep thing smooth for the next executive chef, Justin Johnson, who comes on board in February. (Johnson is the man who got the French-influenced restaurant at Harwood Place Retirement Community off the ground.) I imagine I’ll have some menu news for Metro sometime after Johnson’s arrival.
Sunday, Comfort Sunday
Roots Restaurant & Cellar has started something that sounds kind of perfect for winter. They’re calling it Sunday Farm Table Dinners. It’s a $14.95-per-person, family-style dinner offered in the Cellar on Sunday evenings, 5-9 p.m. (The restaurant – aka, upper level – is closed on Sundays.) The kickoff was last Sunday, when they offered baked andouille meatloaf, Southern grits and butter bean succotash. This Sunday, the menu is beef short rib pot roast, pan-root vegetables and a blue cheese wedge salad. As an affordable beverage option with the meal, Roots is offering half- and full carafes ($10 and $19) of red and white wine. The menu is offered to tables of two or more diners. Note: The Cellar menu is also available on Sunday nights. (1818 N. Hubbard St., 414-374 8480)
More to Slice
So a few weeks ago in this column, there was a little talk about pizza – Classic Slice’s new East Side location (1609-B E. North Ave.). The mothership, you may know, is in Bay View, located behind a Snap Fitness. The “behind” nature of the business makes me think you need some directives if you’re planning to visit. It’s located behind a not-yet-opened Open Pantry. An unOpen Pantry. You won’t see it coming from the east, but you will if you’re heading from the west. This Classic Slice is a cute space, with concrete floors, wooden booths (coat hooks on the end of each), and a huge communal table in the middle of the room. Besides the whole and by-the-enormous-slice pizza offerings, they have awesome fudgy brownies and other sweets. Check out the Slice ’o the Week on the chalkboard. (Recently, it was Italian beef, mmm.) Web site here.
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