Restaurant News: Nahabedian to Open New French Restaurant, Grace Gets a Sommelier

By Anthony Todd in Food on May 14, 2012 7:20PM

- Chef Carrie Nahabedian, chef/owner of Naha, wants nothing to do with all of this new, informal, trendy dining popping up around Chicago. She's working on a new restaurant concept, and it will be traditional French with large plates and a formal atmosphere. She told Chicago Magazine: “A lot of our clients say, ‘Please let it be dressy. We are just so tired of this casual, casual, casual.' I like luxury. I like white tablecloths and a lot of texture and a sexy-looking room. It won’t be small plates. It’s not going to be a huge, high price point. No set menus or degustations. It’s just going to be an American, French-inspired restaurant.” Good for you, Carrie. We've always loved Naha as a special-occasion restaurant, and we're sure her new place will rapidly make it on our list. The restaurant is scheduled to open in October at 534 N. Clark.

- Grace, the upcoming restaurant from former Avenues star Curtis Duffy, just got a sommelier. Micheal Muser has left the Peninsula hotel to join the new project. Muser and Duffy worked together at Avenues, and Muser gained a reputation as one of the best wine guys in town. While he was in charge, Avenues was nominated for Beard Awards for Outstanding Wine Service three times. This means that the wine program at Grace is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

- Tim Lacey, most recently the "Spiritual Advisor" to Ada Street, left that spot only a few months after opening. The Reader reported back in late April that he had left under somewhat strained circumstances - he said it wasn't a good fit, they wouldn't comment. Well, he's got a new job at Dale Levitski's Sprout. Their new cocktail list is coming out this week, and if the drinks are as good as they were on the opening menu at Ada Street, we'll be stopping in early and often.