Chef Katie Button and her family will open their next concept, Nightbell, at 32 S. Lexington Ave., just south of Patton Avenue.
The owners of Cúrate, the popular Spanish tapas restaurant on Biltmore Avenue, will offer high end finger food, modern desserts, cocktails and specialty liquors at the new evening-only bar/restaurant.
“It’s all about the experience,” Button says. “We’re trying to bring a different experience from Cúrate. We’re trying to create our own feeling.”
Nightbell combines a speakeasy feel with a restaurant menu. The off street entrance at the back of the building — complete with a doorman — should offer intrigue without exclusivity.
Potential small plates include lobster rolls, duck and waffles and “a twist on angels on horseback with oysters and smoked pancetta foam,” according to the press release. (In their typical form, angels on horseback consist bacon-wrapped oysters.)
The classic — but updated — hors d’oeuvres on Nightbell’s menu are something of a throwback to the 1950s, Button admits. It’s a trend that’s unfolding in cities around the country. “It’s something familiar, but at the same time, it’s different and new,” Button says.
Particularly on the dessert list, Button will draw from her modernist roots — which include stages at elBulli in Roses, Spain, Noma in Copenhagen, and The Bazaar in Los Angeles. Expect elaborate hard candies and sugar lamps.
The concept also includes craft cocktails and specialty liquors. Button’s husband and business partner, Felix Meana, also an elBulli alum, will spearhead that endeavor. “We’re going to be playing with liquid nitrogen,” he says. “The bartenders will spend 3 or 4 hours preparing.”
He’ll source special order tequila, mezcal, rye whiskey, rum, scotch and bourbon. “We’re going to try to educate people on the liquor side,” he says. “There will be opportunities to have these special sips.
His brother, Cesar Meana, will relocate from Spain to provide DJ services at Nightbell. When the dining crowd slows, Nightbell will channel a club atmosphere and include a small dance floor.
For more extensive Nightbell coverage, check back with Mountain Xpress. More details are on the way.
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