![]() Many of this summer’s casualties have struggled with similar problems. It was too big, too expensive a space, and too hidden for patrons to find. Like many of the restaurants that close every summer, Oolite was missing a few elements critical to success. When I visited for a review, nearly 60 guests couldn’t help break the silence. Even without it, the 200-seat limestone-covered space felt cavernous. Its existence was shorter than its name, A.I.R. The space also gave Wessel the long-sought, misbegotten opportunity to open a bar. Despite its proximity to Lincoln Road, both Cooper and Oolite were modern-day equivalents of El Dorado for the throngs of gawking tourists only steps away. Ben-Zion, who still enjoys runaway success at Gigi, clearly tried to replicate that model in a space that was too large and too obscure. The dried-out chickpea roti, an Indian flatbread, that came with an early rendition was replaced by a spongy, crisp-crusted, focaccia-like bread that was a perfect medium for soaking up the dish’s sauce.Įveryone, however, should’ve seen the problems coming, including backers Roman Cherstvov and partners who now owe the city nearly a half-million dollars in back rent, according to an April 28 letter from the city’s attorney to the mayor and commission. His barbecued shrimp maintained their signature buttery, smoky flair. The gluten-free ethos may have seemed outlandish, but like green juice, kale, and cauliflower steaks, it’s a rising trend to be seized. So there was reason to hope when he announced a return with Oolite Restaurant & Bar steps off Lincoln Road in the space briefly occupied by Amir Ben-Zion’s Cooper Avenue. Former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni spoke highly of him in a travel piece in 2009, and a year later, Wessel nabbed a nomination for the James Beard Foundation's best chef in the Southern U.S. He worked for Mark Militello alongside Hedy Goldsmith and helped pioneer the early days of Lincoln Road with restaurants such as Paninoteca, which opened in 1995. Wessel is a New Orleans native with deep-rooted family ties in Florida. In the dining room one afternoon, Wessel was spotted barking orders for an upcoming party over a cell phone.ĭespite his troubles, the chef's vibrant, complex fare has always garnered a loyal crowd. During four visits, former New Times restaurant critic Emily Codik found the food pristine but the service deplorable. But the place seemed troubled from the get-go. Wessel called the restaurant a “love letter to Florida." Frogs’ legs, alligator empanadas, and Puerto Rican pineapple rum cake tied together his Florida and New Orleans roots. He soon hopped the bridge for South Beach and Florida Cookery at what was then known as the James Royal Palm Hotel. Along with Michelle Bernstein’s Michy’s, the restaurant was a pioneer in the gentrifying MiMo District. The past few years haven’t been kind to Kris Wessel.įirst came the 2012 closure of his beloved Red Light Little River after his landlord jacked up his rent to unsustainable levels.
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