That "mystery" restaurant that people were talking about late last week? Well, it's still somewhat of a mystery, or at least a work-in-progress, but I just got the skinny on a very intriguing concept -- and the city's first pop-up restaurant.
(Yeah, you've been hearing about this trend in regards to the local art scene; in other cities, they do it with food, too, and temporarily take over a restaurant space for ultra-limited-edition eats.)
It's called Cycle, and it's set to open April 1 at the Lexington Hotel (11 N. Central, just north of Roosevelt). The developers who recently bought the hotel are turning this revolving-door of a restaurant space into a short-term hot spot until they shut it down for a full hotel renovation this fall.
The name refers to the rotation of chefs and ideas that will be passing through -- there will be a schedule of guest chefs, celebs, and food bloggers creating innovative menus, events, cocktail parties, outdoor movies, and work by visiting artists. And get this: The front of the restaurant will have a large garage door-style bay for food trucks to dock and serve their treats for the day.
I'd like to call Cycle a blank canvas, but it will actually be a blank chalkboard, with blackboard walls and chalk on the tables for guests to get creative.
Incredible\y, the hotel is providing the kitchen space, space, and publicity, so "homeless" chefs or those looking for a fun side project can do it without facility fees. Chefs keep the proceeds on food sales, while the hotel handles the booze.
Got a concept you'd like to try out, a menu you'll willing to brave? They're fielding inquiries at [email protected] and the space is filling up; a full schedule will be released next week.
Stay in the loop with Cycle's latest phase by following @CyclePhoenix on Twitter.
