Most limited-seating tasting menu concepts take themselves very seriously. Buttoned-up waiters explain where scallops were harvested, which hillside the herbs came from, and the provenance of the fir clippings scattered on the table. It’s all choreographed to an eclectic playlist with obscure songs you’ve likely never heard of.
This is not how chef Brian De Sousa does it.
His new concept, The Guest, delivers meticulously executed dishes in a highly exclusive setting located in a hidden room inside his downtown event space, The Regular. Prices start at $190 per person. The music playing is whatever De Sousa and chef Sydney Younggreen, his culinary partner and wife, actually listen to. Think top 40 hits and ‘90s R&B, not curated jazz meant to posture. Lighting, velvet textures, handblown glassware, the smell of charcoal is all meant to bring diners into the present moment. But don’t expect an in depth epitaph on sourcing or intention.
“We want it to feel like you’re coming to a dinner party,” said Younggreen. “Not a formal, intimidating tasting menu.”
Mushroom French Toast and Leek Cappuccinos
After making it past the hostess and The Regular’s sprawling bar and dining room, diners are led down a hallway and through a door to an intimate, neatly decorated white room. After being seated, the first thing they’ll likely notice is the absence of a menu…