Elina Shatkin
Only four days ago, Joel Black was excited about working at Bar Toscana, set to open in Brentwood on Dec. 10th. That partnership — with William Perbellini and Francesco Lafranconi — didn't work out. Instead, Black has thrown in his lot with the crew of the soon-to-be-reopened Les Deux, fellow cocktailians Giovanni Martinez (The Buffalo Club) and Amanda Gunderson.
The re-imagined Les Deux will feature two separate spaces: a loungey, mixology-driven bar in the front and a larger, more clubby space in the rear. The trio are developing a cocktail menu that will likely include Martinez's minimalist classics, Gunderson's spin on local mixology and plenty of fresh produce from Black. Word is they'll even be growing herbs on the roof to use in the drinks.
Les Deux didn't set the bar terribly high during its last go-around, but this sounds like more than a minor improvement. More details and a target opening date to come.
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