available till 2 a.m. Monday-Friday and 3 a.m. Saturday, when
the full menu is available till midnight.
Examples of late-night dishes at Paris Club are pig’s feet bonbons
with sauce piquante, lime and espelette—a dried red pepper from
the Basque region; lamb meatballs with harissa tomato sauce, black
olives and herbs; and mussels du jour, served in a smaller portion
than at earlier meal times.
PHOTO CREDIT: Opposite, interior, Jai Girard Photography; food, Garrick Peterson; above, Anjali Pinto
Diners of all ages who enjoy such refined entertainment as
the Chicago Symphony can now indulge in post-concert
refreshment during symphony season—roughly, September
through June—under the same roof at Rhapsody. A special late-night menu is served in the lounge after the concert lets out at
about 10 p.m., usually, four nights a week.
Among executive chef Dean Zanella’s menu items are black
truffle fonduta with ciabatta and pears, made with fontina cheese,
eggs and milk; grilled smoked prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with
chickpea purée, Calabrian peppers and mint; and a New England
lobster roll on toasted brioche.
“We serve as late as they are coming in the door,” Zanella says.
The full dinner menu also is served after concerts, both in the
dining room and in the lounge.
In an aside, Zanella notes that jazz fans generally stay out later
than symphony fans and drink more higher-end alcohol.
ABOVE: At Paris Club, guests enjoy this toasted brioche topped with smoked
salmon and avocado, finished with creme fraiche and red radish.
MEET ME LATE IN ST. LOUIS
Concertgoers and other night owls can now find food at
restaurants finer than diners at several places in St. Louis,
although late-night dining still is not widespread. “We’re one
of the few,” says John Stuhlman, executive chef at Eclipse
Restaurant at Moonrise Hotel in the eclectic Loop neighborhood
that serves food nightly until 2 a.m.
In spite of its hotel location, Eclipse appeals primarily to local
guests, Stuhlman says. Its separate entrance and proximity to
The Pageant concert hall and Washington University in St.
Louis are pluses.
Eclipse serves its full dinner menu till closing. The most popular
seller is scallops, sometimes prepared with sauteed squash and
crab and herb-infused orzo in a light cream sauce. Stuhlman
says he’s happy that dish beat out the more predictable second-place winner, grilled strip steak with potato gratin, roasted green
beans and blue cheese butter. Appetizers, including St. Louis’
ever-popular toasted ravioli, and additional seafood dishes also
are good sellers during the later hours.
WHERE TO EAT AFTER CARNEGIE HALL
New York has long boasted countless choices for dining after going
to the theater, concert halls or just for late dinners suited to night
owls’ biological clocks. Midtown Manhattan, though, lagged behind
other more entertainment oriented neighborhoods—until now.
When more and more customers began coming into neighborhood
stalwart Trattoria Dell’Arte just before closing, owner Shelly
Fireman decided to offer a late-night menu till 1 or 1: 30 a.m., or
even later if demand warranted. Located close to Carnegie Hall,
the restaurant was a natural destination for hungry post-show
ticket holders.
In summer 2011, chef Brando DeOliveira unveiled extensive
offerings after traditional dinner hours: an antipasto bar, thin-crust pizzas, salads, salumi, appetizers, and desserts such as the
ever-popular cannoli made with an almond tuile and chocolate
chips accenting the ricotta cheese filling.
“People don’t want to eat heavy,” he notes, adding that even
vegans can find many options.
CAROLYN WALKUP, BASED IN CHICAGO, HAS WRIT TEN ABOU T THE RES TAURANT BUSINESS
F O R M A N Y Y E A R S A N D I S T H E F O R M E R M I D W E S T E D I T O R F O R NATION’S RESTAURANT NEWS.
