Ex-Zuma Sous Chef to Helm Haven Gastro-Lounge on Lincoln

[Photo by Zoltan]
Telephone:305-987-8885
Status: Slated to open Friday, May 6, Haven Gastro-Lounge is a sleek 'n' chic 2,000 square foot, 120-person venue featuring open kitchen and chef’s counter and all sorts of high tech bells and whistles that have nothing to do with the food like a ceiling grid of 1,000 color changing frosted replicas of the ice cubes used by Haven’s mixologists. About that food, executive chef Todd Erickson, former Zuma sous chef and a CIA grad who was once called the Best Chef Under 30 by the Dallas Observer. Menu is "locally inspired" with some elements of molecular gastronomy mostly in the dessert department. An after-hours menu is available past midnight with featured items nightly.For the iPad addicted, reservations can be texted to the Haven iPad (number above).

Among those locally inspired dishes: Dandelion Salad with mixed citrus supremes, Medjool dates, pistachios, fennel and sherry vinaigrette ($8); Crackle-Pop, spicy tuna and pickled daikon rolled in seared and crisped rice and painted with yuzu-shichimi aioli ($14); Rock Shrimp crisped with coconut panko and wasabi-sour peach marmalade for dipping ($12); “Duck Duck” Quail Slider, in-house ground duck burger topped with quail egg, foie gras butter and served with parsley-shallot salad ($11); Monster Prawn “Cocktail” with aji Amarillo, fresh horseradish and heart of celery salad (market price); and Swedish Meatballs skewered between roasted crimini mushrooms and served over cucumber salad and a splash of lingonberry gastrique ($10). Sub-zero Nitro Ice Cream, made to order with fruity, nutty and candy mix-ins ($12).