Aug. 24--A whole lot of shuckin' is headed to Lincoln Park, when Oyster on Halsted (1962 N. Halsted St.) makes its debut in November.
The latest concept from Lettuce Entertain You takes over the space that formerly housed Coppervine, and sits just steps north of mega-popular Lettuce restaurants Summer House Santa Monica and Stella Barra pizzeria.
Oyster on Halsted is being described as an "East Coast inspired" seafood restaurant and oyster bar; if that already doesn't sound enough like Lettuce's venerable Shaw's Crab House, know that Shaw's managing partner Bill Nevruz and executive chef Peter Balodimas are heading the Oyster on Halsted team.
Nevruz, however, promises a distinctly different restaurant on Halsted Street.
"We're certainly not shying away from our great heritage at Shaw's, and the oysters and seafood will come from the same farmers and fishermen with whom we have strong relationships," he said. "But (Oyster on Halsted) won't look like Shaw's; it'll be much more casual, quirky, funky and neighborhoody."
"Casual, quirky, funky and neighborhoody" makes the place sound like the kind of oyster house Lettuce founder Rich Melman might have opened in the '70s, back in his R.J. Grunt's and Lawrence of Oregano days, although "Oyster on Halsted" would have been too pedestrian of a name back then.
Nevruz acknowledged that the name is the "least funky aspect" of the concept, but defended the title regardless.
"In this business, if your (restaurant) name can tell people what you do and where you are, you've done a good job," he said. "And a great restaurant makes any name pretty darn good."
The project also will include the Low Tide Lounge, a basement cocktail bar that will open simultaneously with Oyster House; the second-floor space will be home to an as-yet-unidentified concept.
"It's like the real-estate version of a seafood tower," Nevruz said. "The basement will be sophisticated, the first floor a little funkier and the second floor will be where it's the most wild. But like a seafood tower, it's all going to hinge on the quality of the seafood."
Phil Vettel is a Tribune critic.
pvettel@tribpub.com
Twitter @philvettel
Note: In an earlier version of this story, a racially insensitive phrase was used. The Tribune regrets the error.
