Tuesday, April 27, 2010

MiniBite: New Restaurant Opening Soon in Back Bay

I was walking by the closed Boylston St. Vinny T's location today when I spotted a sign in the door announcing a spring opening of something called Back Bay Social Club.  A bit of googling revealed that it's owned by the Lyons Group, and they're not saying much about it yet, although they have Twitter and Facebook pages set up, as well as a basic website showcasing the logo and linking to the social accounts.  A Herald article quotes an unnamed "close source" as saying it'll be like "Italian-American and other social clubs of yore - a friendly neighborhood place where people come to eat, drink and commune, make friends and perhaps find romance and do business." 

According to the Globe, the opening is planned for late May, and it'll be a "New York-style bistro." 

The Facebook page mentions breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee, and drinks.  I'm excited for any new lunch options near my office, so I'm curious to see what the menu will be like.

I'm still a bit disappointed that Vinny T's closed - it was always a great place for big groups, and the last time I went there, they were very accommodating and gave us family-style entrees even though they were no longer on the menu.  There are still some other locations out in the suburbs, though.

Well, I'm going to keep an eye on this place, and I'll post an update if I get anymore details!

Update 6/16/10
According to a job listing on BostonChefs.com, the menu will consist of "American Tavern food with an emphasis on native New England ingredients. Presented simply and executed consistently."  No new updates have been posted on Back Bay Social Club's Twitter or Facebook accounts.

Open calls for multiple positions are being held at Kings (50 Dalton St) today (6/16) from 11am to 4pm and on 6/18, 6/23, and 6/24 from 11am to 5pm. They are seeking people with "no attitude" and "no ego" according to postings on Boston Chefs and CraigsList. The postings also specify that it'll be open seven days a week, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served every day.

Update 7/2/10
According to the Back Bay Social Club Facebook page, several hires have been made:
Executive Chef - Tim Raines
Sous Chef - Ray Olejniczak
General Manager - Johna Willis 

According to a bit of Googling, it appears that Tim Raines has worked as Sous Chef at Sonsie, and Johna Willis is a manager from the Lyons Group.

Update 8/3/10
Back Bay Social Club is now open! Sneak a peek at the menu on Grubstreet.

Update 8/4/10
Here's the menu! Looks good! I'm excited to try out a French dip when they start serving lunch next week. Click on any page to see it full-sized.







7 comments:

  1. This definitely sounds exciting. It's always a shame when old restaurants that are much enjoyed close, but hopefully you will like the new one just as much. We shall see, we shall see. Keep the great posts coming...

    TJ

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  2. any word on what the menu looks like?

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  3. Just posted an updated above. Haven't been able to track down a menu yet, but the job posting describes it as "American Tavern" food. I'll keep an eye out for more details.

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  4. Thank goodness! A better breakfast available on Boylston street other than icky Pour House! Please save us Back Bay Social Club!

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  5. I wonder who the Chef is? With such big names like Lydia and Jasper across the street whoever she/he is will have a tough act to follow...

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  6. We'll see! I've never eaten at Pour House, but any good, cheapish breakfast options would definitely be a welcome addition to the area.

    They have some job postings up for chefs now, so hopefully we'll find something out soon.

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  7. I asked around another Lyons Group venue last night, and the bartender told me the Chef hired is a guy who has worked for the company for a while, and is apparently pretty talented... we shall see!

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