Take A Look Inside The MCA's Stunning, Much-Anticipated Marisol Restaurant, Now Open

By Stephen Gossett in Food on Sep 7, 2017 7:33PM

This summer's big blockbuster exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art was of course the eye-popping Takashi Murakami retrospective, but it wasn't the MCA's only much-anticipated arrival. Marisol, the museum's brand-new restaurant and bar, helmed by Lula Cafe's celebrated Jason Hammel, celebrated its opening on Thursday—and it promises a sensory wallop all its own.

As for the food, the menu will frequently rotate, but you can find a current sample here. Options listed range from East Coast oysters ($18) to rigatoni with pumpkin seed and broccoli pesto ($16) and roasted half chicken ($26). You can also grab lunch, weekend brunch, cocktails, desserts and coffee, among other offerings.

The interior is quite, well, contemporary, with plenty of exposed-bulb lighting, colorful modernist seating and clean-line pathways that extend the length of the dining area. The furniture is designed by Turner Prize-winning artist still perhaps best known for his iconic "The Holy Virgin Mary," which scandalized New York officials back in the late 90s culture-war era. The room is anchored by a large-scale mural, also courtesy of Ofili.

No offense to Puck's, but this looks like a major step up.