Fifty Seven Calls It Quits in Arts District, Reformat In The Works

Beau Laughlin's Cardiff Giant debuted Fifty Seven in the former Heinz loading dock space earlier this year in March with David Nayfeld (Eleven Madison Park) at the helm, but the idea was to keep a revolving door of quality chefs coming in for months-long stints. After Nayfeld's shortened tenure, Josh Drew (FarmShop) stepped in, but word just in that the space is now closed for the next few weeks. No word on when they'll re-open but Cardiff Giant will continue to operate the space.

Though ambitious in scope, the sizeable restaurant wasn't able to draw a steady crowd, which neighborhood Bestia has pretty much had since day one. The downstairs venue did a decent job of drawing in music fans, but perhaps there was just something lost in translation when it came to the rather elegant and urban upstairs dining room. The open kitchen seemed like a kind of chef's dream, with natural light and a clear view of the dining room.