It's hard to believe it's already been four months since Trinity Groves launched its gastro-friendly strip mall. But it must be true, because tonight Kitchen LTO's new chef, menu, and restaurant design debut.
A few weeks ago, the permanent pop-up kitchen announced Chef Eric Shelton would be developing the new menu, which was released today. In this morning's press release he describes his concept as New American and cooking as his "artistic expression."
"I was never really interested in much of anything until I realized I wanted to work with food. Cooking is in my blood. It runs through my veins, into my heart and pumps out in the form of art," Shelton says.
Dinner service starts tonight with a menu featuring a 5 Spice Duck Breast, Berbere Rubbed Strip Loin, and a Salmon BLT, which is reportedly the entree that gave him an edge over the other chefs at the competition for the space. When the restaurant opens for lunch on Thursday it will feature a carbonara orzo, bacon wrapped chop steak and more traditional items like a chicken salad sandwich and a burger. On both menus there is an unusual take on "Spaghetti and Meatballs" listed under the Nibbles section, made with soba noodles, Asian chicken meatballs and lettuce cups.
The new restaurant design by Stefania Morandi -- the creative brain behind Souk, Casa Rubia and Four Corners Brewery -- incorporates subtle pops of color into a black and white base. It's meant to be minimalistic. After all, the real art here is the food.
