Truth be told, we've been throwing around the idea of putting Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar on the Deathwatch. Jack and Grace's EVil problems aside, the property is on the market. Plus, Allison Vines-Rushing, Beard award recipient and opening chef at Jack's, is long gone.
But today, we hear news of a refreshingly positive sort from Jack's: there's new blood in the kitchen. Brendan McHale (of Boston's The Butcher Shop and Sel de la Terre; most recently he did a short stint at Tocqueville) is taking over as executive chef as of tonight. His working menu includes dishes such as an oyster stew (lightly poached kumamoto oysters in a fennel/parsley broth with salfify and brown butter croutons); caramelized bay scallops over a parsnip puree and crispy prosciutto; and an arctic Char with artichokes, dill and trout caviar.
Though chef transitions are rarely all fun and games, McHale may be just the thing to pump some life back into the Lambs' struggling empire. No details on the departure of Maxime Bilet at press time.
· Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar [NYT]
· 246 East 5th St [Corcoran]
