Well, the aforementioned rumor is true and chef Michael Mina confirms for the Scoop his plan to turn Restaurant Michael Mina at the Westin St. Francis into a steakhouse, à la his Vegas venture Stripsteak. He’ll be keeping a couple of menu items, like the pot pie, but pending some negotiations with the hotel union in June, the switch should happen this summer.
Should those negotiations go south, Mina may leave the Westin completely.
As for Aqua (252 California Street), where he recently took over the lease, Mina plans move his eponymous restaurant there. Ostensibly, it will be called Michael Mina, but will a more casual version of his current restaurant, sans white tablecloths. He’s also going to be catering to the FiDi lunch crowd with some inexpensive lunch items. If all goes well, he hopes to reopen there in October. Update: The chef at the new restaurant will be Jeremy Ravitz, who’s currently chef de cuisine at Michael Mina.
Aqua, meanwhile, whose assets and name were sold to the Whisk Group, is going to reopen elsewhere, once the new owners secure a suitable spot.
Got all that?
Michael Mina’s Aqua Plan: Put Michael Mina there, and a steakhouse in the Westin [Inside Scoop]
Earlier: Updated: Michael Mina to Close His Eponymous Restaurant?
Michael Mina Retakes Helm at Aqua [Grub Street]
