Dining as dress rehearsal 🍜
Sunset pink tile shimmered under sleek chandeliers and early-’00s Jay-Z bumped from house speakers while servers tried not to hover at RED’s new pop-up, Blackjack Ramen. “This is just our test run,” my friend Ka texted. “Don’t judge us too harshly.”
I absolutely would not — it’s hard enough to launch a new restaurant when expectations are as high as diner budgets are tight. I will say the mushroom shoyu ramen and spicy gyoza are already fire (to steal chef Tory Miller’s favorite catchphrase). I hope they stay open late! And I sincerely recommend trying this new spot, open Wednesday nights starting Oct. 8.
I appreciate the fall vibes represented by a soup-centric pop-up, even as the weather continues to be aggressively warm. I love seeing fresh fall herbs in cocktails, like the Autumn Blues (gin, blueberry, thyme, lemonade) at the Barmadillo trailer last weekend and the Ron Funches-inspired Giggle Fit (grapefruit, gin, rosemary and tonic) at Comedy on State.
My dining habits have split the summer/fall difference, from fresh spring rolls at the True North Festival and this not-fried eggplant parmesan from Susan Spungen’s “Open Kitchen” to butternut squash mac and cheese topped with garlic confit panko. That last is a recipe from the soon-to-be-released cookbook “Breaking the Rules” by “Top Chef” alum Joe Sasto. (Lots more to come about him.)…