Plywood Special Report: The Foundry on Melrose

What do we have here? Why, it's none other than The Foundry on Melrose, Eric Greenspan's much-anticpated restaurant and lounge in the former Joey B's and Café Luna spaces. Eric was the exec chef at the original Patina, then went on to Meson G, which didn't last very long, though he's not pressed: "What happened there just put a little more fire in my belly." He says The Foundry (we're supposed to always say "on Melrose" for trademark reasons, but we're too lazy to keep typing that; from here on, it's just The Foundry) will be multi-faceted, a "fine dining restaurant for the every day man," with live music on the weekends and a patio. Designer Sandy Davidson, responsible for the stylish Meson G, is using hand-crafted wood accents, cork, and antique lamps to create Eric's casual-yet-elegant vision. The menu won't be as "fancy schmancy" as Patina, but rather everyday food with unique textures and flavors. "Just what I do," he says. "Not trite." Geographically and philosophically, it's almost equidistant between The Village Idiot and the new goth-inspired Table 8. Fingers crossed for a mid-March opening.