[Photos: Nick Fochtman]
The time is nearly here for one of the most important openings of the recent Hyde Park hospitality boom. The team behind Longman & Eagle and Thalia Hall (Bruce Finkelman, Craig Golden, chef Jared Wentworth) have put the finishing touches on The Promontory, a multifaceted bi-level restaurant, bar and concert hall at the University of Chicago's Harper Court development, in time for the Wednesday opening.
The whole project is meant to be a "refuge from the concrete jungle," partner Bruce Finkelman says, specifically based on the experiences one has at nearby Promontory Point on the lake and the stone firepits therein. This is manifested in a "hearth-to-table" restaurant theme, centered on a large hearth in the dining room, and a feeling of being outdoors even when you're inside The Promontory.
The bright first-floor dining room is anchored by a "racetrack" bar and the hearth, in front of an open kitchen, while the upstairs concert hall and lounge can be seated and used in a variety of ways. Expect the initial music and event lineup to be announced soon. Both indoor floors have full retractable glass walls that open onto picturesque patio spaces, creating a full open air experience.
The location, on the backside of a building in a former Borders bookstore, adds to the feeling of seclusion. Finkelman, who used to frequent Hyde Park as a child and was approached by the university around two years ago to add his restaurant and entertainment expertise to the Harper Court resurrection project, doesn't expect the neighborhood or this project to be secluded from the rest of Chicago's restaurant and entertainment scene for long.
· All Coverage of The Promontory [-ECHI-]
· The Promontory [Official Site]
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