Lausanne, Switzerland: Ruinart Champagne “Bubble Bar”
Through February 24, champagne aficionados and novices alike can visit the renowned Beau-Rivage Palace for a wonderland of bubbles. Hosted by Ruinart, the world’s oldest champagne house, the pop-up bar is situated inside a transparent Perspex “tube” that overlooks Lake Geneva. In addition to a selection of Ruinart vintages, diners can enjoy smoked salmon from Scotland served with pommes Charlotte, sour cream, and blini, chocolate-tangerine cake, and Mont Blanc chestnut-morellos log cake.
In addition to bubbles and nibbles, guests can enjoy a whimsically lit merry-go-round with wooden horses, a private tour of the vineyard and 75,000-bottle wine cellar, and learn to make cold weather-inspired cocktails including a wintry negroni and a “merry martini.” Chemin de Beau-Rivage 21; 41-21/613-3333.
Atlanta: Aix and Tin Tin
On December 14, Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood will welcome a Provençal-inspired restaurant called Aix and an adjoining wine bar, Tin Tin. With a menu influenced by chef Nick Leahy’s childhood spent in Aix-en-Provence, Aix will feature dishes like shrimp Provençal, grilled lamb loin with chestnut dumplings, and pork belly cassoulet.
Over at Tin Tin, a French forward wine list will be paired with shareable fare including steak tartare, crudo, and brandade fritters. Located at Atlanta’s historic stockyards, both spaces will skew towards rustic elegance with nods to French street markets and Old World charm – though Tin Tin will take on a more casual, eclectic vibe. 956 Brady Ave; 770-838-3501.
Aspen: EMP Winter House
The team behind Eleven Madison Park’s Make it Nice have partnered with American Express to launch a wintry pop-up restaurant located at Chef’s Club at The St. Regis. Opening on December 15, the restaurant will feature dishes inspired by chef Daniel Humm’s Swiss upbringing – everything from smoked trout toast with horseradish and fennel and veal schnitzel, to cheese fondue served with sourdough, charcuterie, pickles, and soft pretzels. An après ski menu featuring seasonal snacks and drinks – think: brown butter lobster rolls, caviar with crème fraiche, and Thermoses of bone broth for the table – will also be available.
Coziness will be paramount at Winter House, both in the Chef’s Club’s dining room and in a newly constructed yurt village built in the restaurant’s courtyard. EMP’s Winter House is a follow up to their popular Hampton’s-based Summer House pop-ups. 315 E Dean St.
Palm Beach: Florie’s
Early next week, Michelin-starred, Argentine-Italian chef Mauro Colagreco (Mirazur) will open his first stateside restaurant in partnership with the Four Seasons Palm Beach. The menu will riff off of Colagreco’s love affair with Mediterranean cuisine, as well as his multi-cultural background. Expect a selection of dishes cooked in the restaurant’s stone hearth including fire-kissed eggplant and mozzarella with parmesan cream and spit-roasted meats. Appetizers like Hamachi with citrus and macadamia nut milk round out the menu.
Florie’s bar will feature garden-driven cocktails that change with the seasons and celebrate Florida’s abundance of citrus. Sommelier Jessica Altieri will curate the wine list, featuring globally renowned vineyards and sustainably-produced wines. 2800 S Ocean Blvd; 561-582-2800.
Portland: Bullard and Abigail Hall
On December 15 downtown Portland’s boutique hotel, Woodlark, will welcome a restaurant (Bullard) and cocktail bar (Abigail Hall). Named after chef Doug Adam’s hometown in Eastern Texas, Bullard will serve dishes inspired by Texas’ love of cooking with smoke and fire, and highlighting produce, fish, and game sourced from Oregon farmers and anglers. The hearth, which will serve as the open kitchen’s focal point, will turn out rainbow trout with black-eyed pea and celery salad, pork chops with grilled cabbage and hazelnuts, and San Antonio-style chicken with green sauce, bread and butter jalapenos, and flour tortillas.
Abigail Hall, meanwhile, will pay homage to Portland’s rich history of women’s rights activism. The name refers both to Abigail Duniway, a pioneering 19th century suffragist in Oregon, and to Portland’s historic Ladies Reception Hall. With green wainscot walls, penny-tile floors, and pink and deep maroon leather banquets, the space will be lush and inviting. The bar menu, meanwhile, will offer rosé by the glass, spritzes, and hand crafted cocktails to be paired with caviar and cucumber sandwiches, Dungeness crab rolls, and buttermilk chicken fingers. Woodlark will also welcome a coffee bar serving up Texas-style kolache pastries. 813 SW Alder St; 503-548-2559.
