Powerhouse Restaurant - opening soon

A location that I have been watching for a while is close to opening.

Located at <b>215 N. Clinton</b> ,between Lake and Fulton , sits and impressive building (witha HUGE smokestack) that has sat vacant for many, many years.
I have always envisioned a sort of Gustavinos-style restaurant ( a fabulous space carved out beneath The Queensbourough Bridge,in NY's East Side)- so it'll be interesting to see what they designed there.

This weekend they've invited "friends" to a series of trial dinners. Gal pal and I had other plans so, sadly we won't be able to check it out before the "official" opening.

http://www.powerhouserestaurant.com/

Quesadillas al pastor on the bar menu!? Got to wonder what that might be like.

forgot to add this Press Release:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar To Open Thanksgiving Week
Stylish restaurant in historic building promises to become
Fulton River District dining cornerstone

CHICAGO (November, 2007) – Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar (telephone: (312) 928-0800; website: www.powerhouserestaurant.com), the spacious Classic American restaurant and gathering spot soon to open at 215 North Clinton Street, is housed in the historic Chicago & North Western Railway Powerhouse building between Fulton and Lake streets. Poised to become a bustling dining cornerstone, Powerhouse is a much needed venue in the Fulton River District, Chicago’s newest lifestyle area for work, living and play. Powerhouse will offer two distinctive dining areas, the Main Dining Room, including two separate private dining areas, and the Powerhouse Bar. A vast outdoor dining area will open in spring 2008.

About the team
Powerhouse is led by a well-honed veteran restaurant management team that includes owner/partner Jimmy Alexander, partner/general manager Mitchell Schmieding, executive chef John Peters and beverage director Scott Noorman.

Alexander is an inveterate restaurateur with a three-generation family history of serving Chicago diners at Alexander’s Steak House on the South Shore. After learning the business from his uncle, Alexander opened and ran popular Greek town restaurant Pegasus, Pegasus on the Fly at Midway Airport and Artopolis Bakery Café and Agora. Powerhouse is the fulfillment of his dream which began in 2005 when he sold all interests in the other restaurants to put together this project.



(more)
Powerhouse partner/general manager Mitchell Schmieding also is a restaurant heavy hitter. His enviable résumé includes management at Charlie Trotter’s for eighteen years, spanning their operations in Chicago, Las Vegas and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. With additional management experience at Eleven Madison Park in New York City, Schmieding brings a wealth of talent to the team.

Rounding out the Powerhouse group is executive chef John Peters. Peters comes from Naha where he served as chef de cuisine under Carrie Nahabedian. He spent five years working hand- in-hand with renowned chef Grant Achatz, first at Trio, and later on the opening team of the highly regarded Alinea. A Culinary Institute of America trained chef, Peters has spent time at myriad of top restaurants including Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café in New Orleans, Vong in Chicago and The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.

About the design
The building that houses Powerhouse is a surviving element of a complex of buildings that comprised The Chicago & North Western Railway Terminal Complex. It is a striking Beaux Arts-style building that was built just prior to World War I and produced electricity for more than 50 years. Prominent in the neighborhood for its 223-foot smokestack, the building lay vacant for decades before being restored. Powerhouse takes over the large, city block long street level space, while professional offices inhabit the upper floors of the building.

A significant restoration project, the handsome restaurant has been artfully created by Chicago-based Parachin Design Studios Ltd. Equipped with all the sensibilities of a modern upscale restaurant, Powerhouse presents a classic, distinctively Chicago-esque feel. “This restaurant is a product of our collective vision,” says Schmieding. “As a team, we worked very hard to transform this remarkable old building into a modern dining establishment that celebrates Chicago’s industrial past. We’ve given it a modern edge, but there’s still a definite classicism to it. We made a conscious effort to preserve historic elements in a way that reflects Chicago’s great industrial spirit.”

About the food
Powerhouse’s food is timeless, based on a classic American foundation and embellished with a modern palette of flavors. “It’s a casual, upscale American restaurant with a foundation in classic fine dining,” explains Chef Peters. “We are taking a modern approach by appealing to contemporary tastes and sensibilities. By enhancing classic recipes with contemporary flavors and textures, we’re going to serve great food that is just right for this city.”



(more)
The Powerhouse Main Dining Room will offer guests a wide-ranging, classic Chicago menu with many contemporary influences. For lunch in the Main Dining Room, guests can start with soups such as Butternut Squash Soup, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Swiss Chard, Nutmeg or Tortilla Soup, Ancho Chile, Avocado, Grilled Chicken, Cilantro. Salad lovers will find a wide selection; among them will be a Romaine Heart Salad, Nueske’s Bacon, Quail Eggs, Croutons, Pickled Shallot, Alexander’s Garlic Dressing; Organic Apple Salad, Arugula, Celery, Fennel, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cider Reduction; Roasted Beets, Autumn Pears, Cashel Blue, Watercress, Candied Walnuts, Sherry Vinegar; Snug Haven Spinach, La Quercia Proscuitto, Endive, Almonds, Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

Luncheon appetizers feature Venison Chili, Kidney Beans, House-made Crackers, Scallions, Sour Cream, Cheddar; Gulf Shrimp, Anson Mills Grits, Crispy Garlic, Parsley Root and Leaf, White Wine; Slow-Roasted Chicken Thigh, Baby Carrots, Grilled Kale, Toasted Farro, Thyme, and Nantucket Bay Scallops, Rutabaga, Brussels Sprouts, Black Trumpet Mushroom, Sherry.

The lunchtime sandwich selection includes Roast Turkey Breast, Prosciutto, Red Pepper Mayonnaise, Avocado, Onion, Focaccia, Field Greens; House-Made Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Swiss Cheese, Marbled Rye, Caraway French Fries; Smoked BBQ Pork Shoulder/Cheeks, Cabbage Slaw, Baby Yukon Potatoes, Soft White Roll; Blackened Catfish Po’ Boy, Herb Remoulade, Lettuce, Tomato, Soft Baguette, Celery Root Chips; Powerhouse Burger, Smoked Cheddar, Nueske’s Bacon, Brioche, House-Spiced Fries and Roasted Ribeye, House-made Jardinière, Provolone, Natural Jus, Roasted Fingerlings.

Lunch main courses in the Main Dining Room include pasta dishes such as Radiatore Pasta, Rapini, Pecorino Romano, Cippolini, Tarragon, Shiitake Mushroom Cream. Meat selections include Pozole of Iowa Pork, Hominy, Radish, Oregano, Pasilla Chile, Coriander, Lime; poultry dishes such as Roast Chicken Tacos, Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole, Cilantro, Jicama, Brown Rice, Cucumber, and fish selections such as Atlantic Cod, Cauliflower, Maitake Mushroom, Acorn Squash, Spinach, Garlic Emulsion and Kona Kampachi, Roasted Eggplant, Grilled Radicchio, Cannellini Beans, Rosemary.

The Dessert Menu in the Main Dining Room will be featured during both lunch and dinner. Selections will include treats such as Spiced-Bread Panna Cotta, Candied Squash, Molasses, Cider Walnuts; Maple Syrup Apples, Warm Coffee Cake, Muscovado, Cream Cheese Ice Cream; Blood Orange Cheesecake, Black Mission Figs, Dark Chocolate, Saffron Sauce; Sweet Potato Doughnuts, Brown Butter Glaze, Cinnamon Sabayon, Arrop, Pepitos; Chocolate-Pecan Pie, Chicory Ice Cream, Coffee Reduction; Caribe Chocolate Tart, Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, Cocoa Nibs, Candied Kumquats, Olive Oil, and Ice Cream and Sorbet.

(more)
Dinner in Powerhouse’s Main Dining Room will feature salads such as Snug Haven Spinach, La Quercia Prosciutto, Endive, Almonds, Pomegranate; Romaine Hearts, Egg Yolks, Wild Boar Bacon, Pecorino Romano, Ciabatta Croutons, Alexander’s Garlic Dressing; Field Greens, Roasted Bosc Pears, Cashel Blue, Spiced Pecans, Port Wine Vinaigrette and Grapefruit-Arugula, Shaved Fennel, Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette, Sumac Berries.

Dinnertime soup selections include Heirloom Squash, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Swiss Chard, Kohlrabi, Nutmeg, and Sweet Onion, Pickled Pearl Onions, Gruyère, Baguette.

Appetizer selections on the dinner menu include Maine Lobster Risotto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Tarragon, Lemon; Nantucket Bay Scallops, Serrano Ham, Bitter Orange Puree, Roasted Parsnip, Mache; Crisp Berkshire Pork Belly, Curry Broth, Roasted Apple, Toasted Barley, Fresh Bay Leaf and the signature Slow-Roasted Chicken Thigh, Farro Ragout, Winter Root Vegetables, Thyme.

For the main course in the Main Dining Room, meat lovers will be pleased with the 14 oz. Dry-Aged Striploin, Sunchoke, Chile Flakes; 9 oz. Center Cut Tenderloin, Roasted Shallots, Baby Carrots, Fingerling Potato, Mushroom Reduction; 18 oz. Bone-In Ribeye, Boulangere Potatoes, Garlic Puree, Grilled Radicchio, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Maitake Mushroom, Kale, Radish-Herb Salad.

Main courses featuring game include Seared Venison Loin, Dried Fruit-Wild Rice Ragout, Chestnuts, Spinach, Huckleberry Jus; Double-Cut Kurobuta Pork Chop, Mustard Spaetzel, Bacon Lardons, Braised Red Cabbage, Quince, and Slow-Roasted Pheasant, Sage Stuffing, Sweet Potato, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Gastrique.

Seafood selections for dinner in the Main Dining Room include Olive Oil Poached Atlantic Cod, Celery Root, Chanterelle Mushroom, Melted Leeks, Meyer Lemon-Oyster Cream; Grilled Sturgeon, Cannellini Beans, Smoked Ham Hocks, Collard Greens, Turnips, Rosemary, and Arctic Char, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Hard-Cooked Farm Eggs, Chervil, Caper Sabayon.

Paying homage to one of Chicago’s classic dining spots, Powerhouse will also offer some dishes inspired by Alexander’s Steak House, including the well-loved Dry-Aged Prime Rib, the Alexander Salad with garlic salad dressing and Shrimp Alexander, a wedge of bread with house dressing topped with tomato, a sliced shrimp, and an anchovy. “I have customers calling me already, wondering if we’ll have their favorite dishes, which we will,” says Alexander.

The dinner dessert menu will be the same as for lunch. The Main Dining Room check average is expected to be $29 at lunch and $50 at dinner.

(more)
About the Powerhouse Bar
The Powerhouse Bar, open continuously from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day, will serve a more casual take on the American classic cuisine. Takeout will be available from the bar throughout the day and evening. Wireless internet connectivity will be available throughout the facility, including the Bar.

The Bar’s menu will be casual and multi-dimensional, offering a wide variety of comfort food items from creative snack foods to soups and sandwiches to hot and cold appetizers.

For bar patrons primarily interested in settling in to relax and enjoy their favorite beverage, Powerhouse’s creative munchies will certainly take the experience to a new level. Choices include Yukon Potato Pancakes, Crème Fraiche, American Sturgeon Caviar, Chives; Hummus and Toasted Pita, Lemon, Parsley, Marinated Greek Olives; Truffled Popcorn, Black Winter Truffle Butter, Shallot; Assorted Olives and Chile-spiced Chicharrones.

Guests who want to share some specialty appetizers will find a pleasing selection. Among the hot appetizers are Quesadillas al Pastor, Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole, Crema; West Coast Oysters (half dozen), Meyer Lemon, Serrano Chile; Domestic Artisanal Cheese (selection of three), Honey, Autumn Apple Preserve, Nut Bread, and Red Wine-Braised Calamari, Garlic Toast, Melted Leeks, Coriander.

Those wishing for a light meal may opt for a delicious soup and salad or sandwich. Soup selections in the Powerhouse Bar will include Roasted Root Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato Pierogi, Sunchoke, Celery, and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Steamed Basmati Rice, Parsley, Scallions. Sandwich choices include BBQ Brisket Sandwich, Coleslaw, Fingerling Potato Salad, Pickles, Soft Onion Roll; Powerhouse Burger, Smoked Cheddar, Nueske’s Bacon, Brioche Bun, Spiced House Fries; Rock Shrimp Po’ Boy, Caper Remoulade, Shaved Lettuce, Soft Baguette, Vinegar Chips; Griddled Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese; Eggplant Caponata, White Anchovies, Spanish Olives.

Bar salads include Arugula Salad, Peekytoe Crab Cake, Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette, Pickled Onion, Tarragon; Romaine Hearts and Pulled Chicken, Pecorino Romano, Herbed Croutons, Endive, Radicchio, Garlic Dressing, and Poached Veal Sweetbreads and Cucumber Salad, Sweet and Sour Glaze, Watercress, Daikon, Puffed Rice, Thai Chile.
Desserts in the Powerhouse Bar include Spiced Pumpkin Bread, Spiced Walnut Sauce,
Cream Cheese Ice Cream; Churros y Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and
the Cookie Selection.

(more)
The Powerhouse Bar check average is expected to be $16 at lunch and $25 at dinner.

About the drink
Powerhouse will offer guests a formidable wine and spirits program, headed by Trio and Alinea veteran Scott Noorman. The global wine list is composed of more than 200 selections. Twenty wines will also be offered by the glass. The inspiration behind the wine program is the cuisine of Chef Peters and Scott’s knack for finding unique wines from boutique vintners that pair well with the cuisine.

Powerhouse’s cocktails will receive the full “mixology” treatment. Signature cocktails include turn of the century classics such as Sazerac, Ramos Gin Fizz and the French 75.

Powerhouse will also feature two, versatile private dining/meeting rooms: the large North Room, which seats up to 50, will showcase an impressive wine display and will feature a high-definition TV and internet connectivity, ideal for business presentations. The South Room, divided by a glass partition from the Main Dining Room, seats up to 24 guests.

Outdoor dining
Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar’s intimate sidewalk café, complete with 14 aromatic herb and vegetable planters, will open in the summer of 2008 and will allow guests to dine for lunch, brunch or dinner under the stars. “We’ll be growing a number of herbs and greens which complement Chef Peters’ cuisine,” says Schmieding, an avid gardener.



Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar is located at 215 North Clinton, Chicago, IL 60661.
The Main Dining Room is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday,
and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Dinner in the Main Dining Room is served from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Powerhouse Bar is open continuously from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. Carryout food service is available in the Bar. All major cards are accepted. Valet parking is available. The entire facility is smoke-free. Reservations can be made by calling (312) 928-0800 or online at www.opentable.com. Please visit the Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar website at www.powerhouserestaurant.com.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar To Open Thanksgiving Week
Stylish restaurant in historic building promises to become
Fulton River District dining cornerstone

CHICAGO (November, 2007) – Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar (telephone: (312) 928-0800; website: www.powerhouserestaurant.com), the spacious Classic American restaurant and gathering spot soon to open at 215 North Clinton Street, is housed in the historic Chicago & North Western Railway Powerhouse building between Fulton and Lake streets. Poised to become a bustling dining cornerstone, Powerhouse is a much needed venue in the Fulton River District, Chicago’s newest lifestyle area for work, living and play. Powerhouse will offer two distinctive dining areas, the Main Dining Room, including two separate private dining areas, and the Powerhouse Bar. A vast outdoor dining area will open in spring 2008.

About the team
Powerhouse is led by a well-honed veteran restaurant management team that includes owner/partner Jimmy Alexander, partner/general manager Mitchell Schmieding, executive chef John Peters and beverage director Scott Noorman.

Alexander is an inveterate restaurateur with a three-generation family history of serving Chicago diners at Alexander’s Steak House on the South Shore. After learning the business from his uncle, Alexander opened and ran popular Greek town restaurant Pegasus, Pegasus on the Fly at Midway Airport and Artopolis Bakery Café and Agora. Powerhouse is the fulfillment of his dream which began in 2005 when he sold all interests in the other restaurants to put together this project.



(more)
Powerhouse partner/general manager Mitchell Schmieding also is a restaurant heavy hitter. His enviable résumé includes management at Charlie Trotter’s for eighteen years, spanning their operations in Chicago, Las Vegas and San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. With additional management experience at Eleven Madison Park in New York City, Schmieding brings a wealth of talent to the team.

Rounding out the Powerhouse group is executive chef John Peters. Peters comes from Naha where he served as chef de cuisine under Carrie Nahabedian. He spent five years working hand- in-hand with renowned chef Grant Achatz, first at Trio, and later on the opening team of the highly regarded Alinea. A Culinary Institute of America trained chef, Peters has spent time at myriad of top restaurants including Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café in New Orleans, Vong in Chicago and The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.

About the design
The building that houses Powerhouse is a surviving element of a complex of buildings that comprised The Chicago & North Western Railway Terminal Complex. It is a striking Beaux Arts-style building that was built just prior to World War I and produced electricity for more than 50 years. Prominent in the neighborhood for its 223-foot smokestack, the building lay vacant for decades before being restored. Powerhouse takes over the large, city block long street level space, while professional offices inhabit the upper floors of the building.

A significant restoration project, the handsome restaurant has been artfully created by Chicago-based Parachin Design Studios Ltd. Equipped with all the sensibilities of a modern upscale restaurant, Powerhouse presents a classic, distinctively Chicago-esque feel. “This restaurant is a product of our collective vision,” says Schmieding. “As a team, we worked very hard to transform this remarkable old building into a modern dining establishment that celebrates Chicago’s industrial past. We’ve given it a modern edge, but there’s still a definite classicism to it. We made a conscious effort to preserve historic elements in a way that reflects Chicago’s great industrial spirit.”

About the food
Powerhouse’s food is timeless, based on a classic American foundation and embellished with a modern palette of flavors. “It’s a casual, upscale American restaurant with a foundation in classic fine dining,” explains Chef Peters. “We are taking a modern approach by appealing to contemporary tastes and sensibilities. By enhancing classic recipes with contemporary flavors and textures, we’re going to serve great food that is just right for this city.”



(more)
The Powerhouse Main Dining Room will offer guests a wide-ranging, classic Chicago menu with many contemporary influences. For lunch in the Main Dining Room, guests can start with soups such as Butternut Squash Soup, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Swiss Chard, Nutmeg or Tortilla Soup, Ancho Chile, Avocado, Grilled Chicken, Cilantro. Salad lovers will find a wide selection; among them will be a Romaine Heart Salad, Nueske’s Bacon, Quail Eggs, Croutons, Pickled Shallot, Alexander’s Garlic Dressing; Organic Apple Salad, Arugula, Celery, Fennel, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Cider Reduction; Roasted Beets, Autumn Pears, Cashel Blue, Watercress, Candied Walnuts, Sherry Vinegar; Snug Haven Spinach, La Quercia Proscuitto, Endive, Almonds, Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

Luncheon appetizers feature Venison Chili, Kidney Beans, House-made Crackers, Scallions, Sour Cream, Cheddar; Gulf Shrimp, Anson Mills Grits, Crispy Garlic, Parsley Root and Leaf, White Wine; Slow-Roasted Chicken Thigh, Baby Carrots, Grilled Kale, Toasted Farro, Thyme, and Nantucket Bay Scallops, Rutabaga, Brussels Sprouts, Black Trumpet Mushroom, Sherry.

The lunchtime sandwich selection includes Roast Turkey Breast, Prosciutto, Red Pepper Mayonnaise, Avocado, Onion, Focaccia, Field Greens; House-Made Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Pickles, Swiss Cheese, Marbled Rye, Caraway French Fries; Smoked BBQ Pork Shoulder/Cheeks, Cabbage Slaw, Baby Yukon Potatoes, Soft White Roll; Blackened Catfish Po’ Boy, Herb Remoulade, Lettuce, Tomato, Soft Baguette, Celery Root Chips; Powerhouse Burger, Smoked Cheddar, Nueske’s Bacon, Brioche, House-Spiced Fries and Roasted Ribeye, House-made Jardinière, Provolone, Natural Jus, Roasted Fingerlings.

Lunch main courses in the Main Dining Room include pasta dishes such as Radiatore Pasta, Rapini, Pecorino Romano, Cippolini, Tarragon, Shiitake Mushroom Cream. Meat selections include Pozole of Iowa Pork, Hominy, Radish, Oregano, Pasilla Chile, Coriander, Lime; poultry dishes such as Roast Chicken Tacos, Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole, Cilantro, Jicama, Brown Rice, Cucumber, and fish selections such as Atlantic Cod, Cauliflower, Maitake Mushroom, Acorn Squash, Spinach, Garlic Emulsion and Kona Kampachi, Roasted Eggplant, Grilled Radicchio, Cannellini Beans, Rosemary.

The Dessert Menu in the Main Dining Room will be featured during both lunch and dinner. Selections will include treats such as Spiced-Bread Panna Cotta, Candied Squash, Molasses, Cider Walnuts; Maple Syrup Apples, Warm Coffee Cake, Muscovado, Cream Cheese Ice Cream; Blood Orange Cheesecake, Black Mission Figs, Dark Chocolate, Saffron Sauce; Sweet Potato Doughnuts, Brown Butter Glaze, Cinnamon Sabayon, Arrop, Pepitos; Chocolate-Pecan Pie, Chicory Ice Cream, Coffee Reduction; Caribe Chocolate Tart, Milk Chocolate Ice Cream, Cocoa Nibs, Candied Kumquats, Olive Oil, and Ice Cream and Sorbet.

(more)
Dinner in Powerhouse’s Main Dining Room will feature salads such as Snug Haven Spinach, La Quercia Prosciutto, Endive, Almonds, Pomegranate; Romaine Hearts, Egg Yolks, Wild Boar Bacon, Pecorino Romano, Ciabatta Croutons, Alexander’s Garlic Dressing; Field Greens, Roasted Bosc Pears, Cashel Blue, Spiced Pecans, Port Wine Vinaigrette and Grapefruit-Arugula, Shaved Fennel, Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette, Sumac Berries.

Dinnertime soup selections include Heirloom Squash, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, Swiss Chard, Kohlrabi, Nutmeg, and Sweet Onion, Pickled Pearl Onions, Gruyère, Baguette.

Appetizer selections on the dinner menu include Maine Lobster Risotto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Tarragon, Lemon; Nantucket Bay Scallops, Serrano Ham, Bitter Orange Puree, Roasted Parsnip, Mache; Crisp Berkshire Pork Belly, Curry Broth, Roasted Apple, Toasted Barley, Fresh Bay Leaf and the signature Slow-Roasted Chicken Thigh, Farro Ragout, Winter Root Vegetables, Thyme.

For the main course in the Main Dining Room, meat lovers will be pleased with the 14 oz. Dry-Aged Striploin, Sunchoke, Chile Flakes; 9 oz. Center Cut Tenderloin, Roasted Shallots, Baby Carrots, Fingerling Potato, Mushroom Reduction; 18 oz. Bone-In Ribeye, Boulangere Potatoes, Garlic Puree, Grilled Radicchio, Aged Balsamic Vinegar, and Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs, Creamy Polenta, Maitake Mushroom, Kale, Radish-Herb Salad.

Main courses featuring game include Seared Venison Loin, Dried Fruit-Wild Rice Ragout, Chestnuts, Spinach, Huckleberry Jus; Double-Cut Kurobuta Pork Chop, Mustard Spaetzel, Bacon Lardons, Braised Red Cabbage, Quince, and Slow-Roasted Pheasant, Sage Stuffing, Sweet Potato, Caramelized Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Gastrique.

Seafood selections for dinner in the Main Dining Room include Olive Oil Poached Atlantic Cod, Celery Root, Chanterelle Mushroom, Melted Leeks, Meyer Lemon-Oyster Cream; Grilled Sturgeon, Cannellini Beans, Smoked Ham Hocks, Collard Greens, Turnips, Rosemary, and Arctic Char, Cauliflower, Green Beans, Hard-Cooked Farm Eggs, Chervil, Caper Sabayon.

Paying homage to one of Chicago’s classic dining spots, Powerhouse will also offer some dishes inspired by Alexander’s Steak House, including the well-loved Dry-Aged Prime Rib, the Alexander Salad with garlic salad dressing and Shrimp Alexander, a wedge of bread with house dressing topped with tomato, a sliced shrimp, and an anchovy. “I have customers calling me already, wondering if we’ll have their favorite dishes, which we will,” says Alexander.

The dinner dessert menu will be the same as for lunch. The Main Dining Room check average is expected to be $29 at lunch and $50 at dinner.

(more)
About the Powerhouse Bar
The Powerhouse Bar, open continuously from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day, will serve a more casual take on the American classic cuisine. Takeout will be available from the bar throughout the day and evening. Wireless internet connectivity will be available throughout the facility, including the Bar.

The Bar’s menu will be casual and multi-dimensional, offering a wide variety of comfort food items from creative snack foods to soups and sandwiches to hot and cold appetizers.

For bar patrons primarily interested in settling in to relax and enjoy their favorite beverage, Powerhouse’s creative munchies will certainly take the experience to a new level. Choices include Yukon Potato Pancakes, Crème Fraiche, American Sturgeon Caviar, Chives; Hummus and Toasted Pita, Lemon, Parsley, Marinated Greek Olives; Truffled Popcorn, Black Winter Truffle Butter, Shallot; Assorted Olives and Chile-spiced Chicharrones.

Guests who want to share some specialty appetizers will find a pleasing selection. Among the hot appetizers are Quesadillas al Pastor, Tomatillo Salsa, Guacamole, Crema; West Coast Oysters (half dozen), Meyer Lemon, Serrano Chile; Domestic Artisanal Cheese (selection of three), Honey, Autumn Apple Preserve, Nut Bread, and Red Wine-Braised Calamari, Garlic Toast, Melted Leeks, Coriander.

Those wishing for a light meal may opt for a delicious soup and salad or sandwich. Soup selections in the Powerhouse Bar will include Roasted Root Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato Pierogi, Sunchoke, Celery, and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, Steamed Basmati Rice, Parsley, Scallions. Sandwich choices include BBQ Brisket Sandwich, Coleslaw, Fingerling Potato Salad, Pickles, Soft Onion Roll; Powerhouse Burger, Smoked Cheddar, Nueske’s Bacon, Brioche Bun, Spiced House Fries; Rock Shrimp Po’ Boy, Caper Remoulade, Shaved Lettuce, Soft Baguette, Vinegar Chips; Griddled Serrano Ham and Manchego Cheese; Eggplant Caponata, White Anchovies, Spanish Olives.

Bar salads include Arugula Salad, Peekytoe Crab Cake, Sweet Pepper Vinaigrette, Pickled Onion, Tarragon; Romaine Hearts and Pulled Chicken, Pecorino Romano, Herbed Croutons, Endive, Radicchio, Garlic Dressing, and Poached Veal Sweetbreads and Cucumber Salad, Sweet and Sour Glaze, Watercress, Daikon, Puffed Rice, Thai Chile.
Desserts in the Powerhouse Bar include Spiced Pumpkin Bread, Spiced Walnut Sauce,
Cream Cheese Ice Cream; Churros y Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and
the Cookie Selection.

(more)
The Powerhouse Bar check average is expected to be $16 at lunch and $25 at dinner.

About the drink
Powerhouse will offer guests a formidable wine and spirits program, headed by Trio and Alinea veteran Scott Noorman. The global wine list is composed of more than 200 selections. Twenty wines will also be offered by the glass. The inspiration behind the wine program is the cuisine of Chef Peters and Scott’s knack for finding unique wines from boutique vintners that pair well with the cuisine.

Powerhouse’s cocktails will receive the full “mixology” treatment. Signature cocktails include turn of the century classics such as Sazerac, Ramos Gin Fizz and the French 75.

Powerhouse will also feature two, versatile private dining/meeting rooms: the large North Room, which seats up to 50, will showcase an impressive wine display and will feature a high-definition TV and internet connectivity, ideal for business presentations. The South Room, divided by a glass partition from the Main Dining Room, seats up to 24 guests.

Outdoor dining
Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar’s intimate sidewalk café, complete with 14 aromatic herb and vegetable planters, will open in the summer of 2008 and will allow guests to dine for lunch, brunch or dinner under the stars. “We’ll be growing a number of herbs and greens which complement Chef Peters’ cuisine,” says Schmieding, an avid gardener.



Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar is located at 215 North Clinton, Chicago, IL 60661.
The Main Dining Room is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday,
and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Dinner in the Main Dining Room is served from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The Powerhouse Bar is open continuously from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week. Carryout food service is available in the Bar. All major cards are accepted. Valet parking is available. The entire facility is smoke-free. Reservations can be made by calling (312) 928-0800 or online at www.opentable.com. Please visit the Powerhouse Restaurant and Bar website at www.powerhouserestaurant.com.

# # #

Just curious - do you have any official relationship with this restaurant?

Powerhouse? Apparently all of the other stupid names have already been taken.

With chef John Peters at the helm, I believe this place has some real promise and I wish these guys nothing but the best. I didn't read the press release posted above but Peters was a member of chef Achatz's elite "food lab" team (along with chef Achatz himself and Curtis Duffy), that developed some of Alinea's earliest dishes, before the restaurant opened. The guy's highly skilled, with a great palate and tremendous leadership capabilities. It's my understanding that the beverage program will be headed up by the talented and knowledgeable Scott Noorman, another Alinea veteran, who worked with chef Achatz as far back as Trio.

Knowing these 2 men and their previous work as I do, my expectations for Powerhouse are very high. It certainly has a fine pedigree. And those menus look great.

=R=

Just curious - do you have any official relationship with this restaurant?

<b>No.</b>
Just an avid foodie, eager to see a cool location become a happenin' dining spot.
I do feel sad, that I wasn't able to juggle my schedule to attend the "trial-run-thrus" scheduled for this weekend.
Oh-Well.
Oh- and I do "know" <b>Dimitri Alexander</b> (a cousin of the owner?) from a million years ago when he owned a joint called <b>Crystal</b> in River North, that Donny from <b>Blackbird</b> bartended @.....
(mentioned only in the realm of self-disclosure, to avoid any appearance of conflict- of-interest!)javascript:emoticon(':wink:')

Powerhouse? Apparently all of the other stupid names have already been taken.

Dunno, doesn't seem so stupid to me since it's "housed in the historic Chicago & North Western Railway Powerhouse building", according to the press release.

geli wrote:

Powerhouse? Apparently all of the other stupid names have already been taken.

Dunno, doesn't seem so stupid to me since it's "housed in the historic Chicago & North Western Railway Powerhouse building", according to the press release.

Not to mention, it's also the title of one of the great songs of all time.

Awesome video/music on U-tube.

Who'd a-thunk!

saps wrote:Powerhouse? Apparently all of the other stupid names have already been taken.

(possibly NSFW?)

http://www.powerhouse-sf.com/


I used to enjoy this place quite a bit in the mid-90's on club nights(I don't recall them serving food, as such)




on another note: there's Indianapolis's http://www.averagejoes.com/mineshaft.html

which, oddly enough(leave it to Indy), isn't a gay bar

and does serve food