Rocky IV

The as-yet-to-be-seen-but-always-heard Moroccan concept, Tangerine, may again be making noise. If you'll recall, Rocky Boustani took a massive financial hit when, after starting construction on the old Sipango location, the failure of all parties involved to sign on all dotted lines sent the deal careening into the hands of lawyers. He puts the loss at $275,000, including purchased materials he will be able to reuse. Revelation of the battle between Boustani and Sipango's Ron Corcoran led to an interesting twist. "People heard what happened to me and came forward," Boustani says--meaning new support and a new location. The concept remains upscale Moroccan cuisine with some New American aspects set amongst tile and fountains and art imported from the Mediterranean. No caricatures, presumably. With wounds still fresh and legal measures standing, he won't reveal the exact whereabouts of the new new Tangerine until all paperwork is signed, just that it's convenient to both downtown and Uptown. Ink should flow, he claims, in the next couple of weeks. "I've learned from past experience," he explains. Considering all the cash and sweat he put into the still-empty Knox-Henderson space, Boustani feels fortunate. "The new location is the best," he says. "It's the payoff." Wherever it is.

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Stand by: Expect substantial changes at Standard in the next week or two. Chef-owner Tim Byres is expanding his menu from about 35 offerings to 50 or more. New to the listing: prime beef, raw oysters and a selection of American artisanal cheeses. With the new menu come kitschy titles, such as Central Standard Prime for steaks and American Standard for a section devoted to simpler fare (think chicken potpie or mac and cheese). Also in the mix: a lounge area upstairs for impromptu gatherings. Byres is considering establishing wine-and-cheese happy hours during the week and a bottomless Bloody Mary bar on Sundays for hopeless alcoholics...make that "refined brunch guests."

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From the past: Guests at Landmark Restaurant in the Melrose Hotel report an unusual phenomenon: a tall, pale, ghostlike figure wandering through the dining room. Don't get excited; it's just chef Joel Harloff. That tall thing on his head is a chef's hat, or toque, familiar to Americans only through Pillsbury commercials. Hotel management now requires their chef to sport the headgear in all public areas. At least, says Harloff, "it makes you two feet taller than everyone else"... Jordan Lowery is back at newly reopened Firehouse on Lower Greenville after a stint managing a sports bar in Joplin, Missouri. Owner James Slaughter now has his original team in place. Tip: Try the blackened tuna, rare.