Behind The New Grant Achatz Spot, Roister, Opening Friday

By Anthony Todd in Food on Mar 31, 2016 6:35PM

A dish at Roister. Photo via Medium.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks about Roister, the new spot from acclaimed Chef Grant Achatz, partner Nick Kokonas and chef Andrew Brochu. Details have been very scarce, as the team has made no formal statements to the press (or at least, none that have been published). Until now.

Kokonas released a piece on Medium a few minutes ago with details about the spot, which is opening tomorrow. Entitled "Ready to Roister," it gives the backstory behind the new concept.

The idea sounds almost similar to El Ideas: a place where "the kitchen and dining room united. Our goal from the beginning was to incorporate the dining tables in the kitchen, and the kitchen in the dining room, without defining where one space started and the other ended." They've apparently been working on this idea since 2006. Even the dry goods and kitchen storage will be visible to diners. There's also a second kitchen, "The Prep Kitchen," in the basement, along with more seats, so no one misses out on chef spectatorship.

The restaurant, as previously rumored, will be much more casual than Alinea or Next, but Kokonas is quick to point out that "casual did not mean simple," and that "it should not mean lower standards in any aspect of the restaurant."

What isn't in the piece is any description of exactly what the menu looks like. It's not on the website (tickets are already available through Tock) either. Tickets for the a la carte menu are available for $10, while the daily tasting menu (The "Hearth" menu) goes for $85/person. That's reasonable compared to Next, and if you assume 4-5 courses, pretty comparable to any upscale moderate spot in town.

Are you ready to take it on faith that this place will live up to their standards (we might be) without seeing the menu? If so, buy tickets now, and keep watching for more info.

Update: Eater has the menu.