Where & Wear: Roister
If you've ever been to Alinea or Next you'll know that nothing tops experimental food and the allure of the process of the food's creation. Roister, the relatively new partner of these two restaurants, was inspired off the childhood amazement and imagination springing from those shiny closed doors of a kitchen in a restaurant. By bringing the kitchen right to you, with chefs explaining exactly what they're doing while you watching, Roister is the perfect place to go if you want the quality of Alinea with the casual vibe of Chipotle (but much better).
When I went to Roister, I chose the pre fixe menu, since there's nothing better than no choice for an indecisive person. The menu comes in about five courses, starting with light salads and ending with mouth watering dessert. Of course, the menu changes seasonally, but I'm sure the quality of food is consistent.
For entrees, I recommend the chicken dish. I've heard glowing reviews, and if it's anything like the chicken dish I had, then it might change your world. Now, the star of the show for the pre fixe menu was the custom foods, where the chefs provided five to six smaller dishes so you could make your own combination of fried rice with a twist of seafood. Inspiration for the seasonal menus come from various settings such as New Orleans street food and fusion foods.
Roister takes reservations through the same system Next, Alinea, and the Aviary do. The website lets you conveniently pay beforehand, with a choice of the a la carte menu or the seasonal pre fixe menus. Roister is much more casual compared to its partner restaurants, but the monochrome atmosphere pushes the outfit effort upward. Definitely lean toward comfortable, though. Throw on a casual dress like this one from Bobi, or a simple top from Michael Lauren.
