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If tiki fans can make it through the frigid temps for a little bit longer, they'll be rewarded with the opening Paul McGee's new Logan Square hotspot, Lost Lake, in mid-January.
Details have started trickling out on Land & Sea Dept.'s new bar. But some fans will want to immediately contrast Lost Lake with McGee's former River North workspace, Three Dots and a Dash. There's also the Chinese-American food component Thank You next door.
Well, the first thing is to expect at Lost Lake is a more neighborhood feel. Logan Square nightlife is a different breed compared to Hubbard Street, and Lost Lake will be more playful. McGee told TimeOut it's going to be more of a 1930s tiki feel compared to 1960s tiki.
The menu will be weirder, rotate more frequently compared to Three Dots and feature 16 cocktails (12 regular drinks costing $12 a pop, four sharable drinks ranging $25 to $40 plus a special $8 daiquiri). RedEye reports the selections include the Bunny Banana daiquiri, the Boogie Board and the Coconut Grove Cooler (scotch based with passionfruit, pomegranate, pineapple and lemon juices). A drink using some of the same ingredients as Three Dots' Pearl Diver with butter, honey and spices (the Gardenia Mix) will also be served. Chicago Magazine shared the recipe for the joint's signature rum-based drink, The Lost Lake.
Three beers, along with a series of suds made with Marz Community Brewing will also be on the menu, as well as a brown and stirred cocktail, reports TimeOut. Staff will serve those beverages in custom glassware, similar to the Polynesian-inspired mugs used a Three Dots. Some of Three Dots' staff followed McGee to the new digs, including bartender/server Erin Hayes.
An addition to the staff is the rum knowledge of Martin Cate, owner of famed San Francisco's Smuggler's Cove tiki lounge. He'll run a rum club with a selection that promises to be unparalleled in Chicago. He's training Lost Lake's staff and told them words that ring true, especially with Chicago's Hoth-like temps:
"The further you are from palm trees and sunshine, the more special tiki feels. It's a genuine escape."
Patrons won't find a sign with the bar's name outside Lost Lake. Instead they'll find an awning with a banana leaf with a neon sign and a piranha, reports RedEye. The fish will also appear in other places at the bar. Inside there's 19 stools at the bar and seating for 50 in the booths, along with room for 20 standing. A service bar will be dedicated to making drinks for tables, and McGee said he wants to ensure the experience at a table mimics the experience sitting at the bar.
What do you want out of Lost Lake? Tell us in the comments.