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Tenderloin & Arugula Flatbread — air-dried beef tenderloin, roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes, arugula, olive oil
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The dining room: grace and elegance
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More dining room with a view of the sculptural palm trees and the bar
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Lobster Nachos — with sauteed lobster, roasted tomatoes and peppers, a duo of sauces, melted cheese, and arugula, atop shingled tortilla chips
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The Tuxedo—with perigord black truffle, Reggiano, arugula, atop olive oil flatbread
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Wagyu Beef Sliders — with aged cheddar, bacon jam, pickled onion, and shoestring fries
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Margherita — fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil chiffonnade, olive oil
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A unique wine storage system: behind-bar cabinets can store open bottles of wine without any loss of flavor (oxidation) and champagne without any loss of carbon dioxide
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These cushy seats will be popular
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Plaster cove molding was meticulously restored.
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The inaugural menu
Get ready to pop the cork and pour the bubbly on Friday, December 18th, when the very ritzy Curtain Call Lounge opens its doors at 5 p.m. Located next door to the Fabulous Fox Theatre, this high-style champagne bar speaks of nightclubs and movie stars, of El Morocco and the Stork Club and Rick’s Cafe Americain.
It’s glam galore from the get-go. Owners Mary Strauss, Lisa B. Suntrup, and Julie Baudendistel-Noonan worked with Tom and Shelley Satke Niemeier of SPACE Architecture + Design to create a lounge that rocks the Casbah.
Kevin A. Roberts
Although we wouldn’t be surprised to see folks show up in tuxedos and slinky gowns, the vibe is fun and relaxed. The bartenders’ wear black uniform tees printed with a shiny gold slogan: "Save water. Drink champagne."
If champagne doesn’t suit, don’t fret. Curtain Call offers a full service bar with a champagne kick.
The food menu is a showstopper as well. Nibbles that pair well with champagnes and plates designed to share and sample, like fresh oysters and lobster nachos. Here’s a sampling of items on the menu:
Mediterranean inspired plates with a twist, like silky white bean hummus and the spirited croquettes (right).
The flatbreads—using house-made dough and carefully curated toppings—are not business as usual. The Tuxedo flatbread, for example, features Perigord black truffles, Parmigiano Reggiano, and arugula, while the Tenderloin & Arugula (below) gets its kick from cured, air-dried shaved beef tenderloin, roasted garlic, fresh tomatoes and arugula.
Crowd-pleasing brisket sliders with roasted tomatoes, horseradish sauce, and pickled onions and Waygu beef sliders (right) with pickled onions and bacon jam both come with French fries for a hearty bite. Veggie lovers will want to try the Garden Hero with roasted seasonal vegetables, tapenade, hummus, and arugula served on a baguette.
A Primer for Curtain Call:
The Pours:
- Sample small with 21 champagnes available by the glass, in single-serve bottles of bubbly (with straws) and with champagne for two — ‘Two flutes for you’
- Live large with bottles and magnums – eighty different offerings of good, better, and best bubblies
- Tickle your nose with champagne cocktails. We’re eager to taste The Phantom, concocted from champagne and 4-Hands Chocolate Milk Stout, and the Royal Fox – champagne with lemon vodka and peach schnapps.
- Champagne not your thing? Choose from 20 wines by the glass and many more by the bottle
- Select a fave from eight local craft beers on tap or pop open an A-B brew or a Guinness or two.
- You’re in a swanky place. Order a classic cocktail and sip like the stars of bygone days.
- The rail choices at Curtain Call are well chosen and all top-shelf, like the bourbons: Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark, and Bulleit Rye. Here’s mud in your eye.
The Plates:
Share, share, share. The talented chefs orchestrated the menu to maximize fun. Take advantage. The only thing on the menu that might be difficult to share would be the oyster stew (made even more sinfully rich with the addition of Brie and champagne).
The Perfectly Marvelous Space:
Razzle-dazzle ‘em seems to be the watchword at Curtain Call; a don’t miss opportunity to step back and enjoy the scenery. From the tops of the hand-crafted metal palm tree sculptures to the Byzantine floor tiles in the entry, the rooms enchant.
The Finale:
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Company hand-crafted four truffles designed to pair with champagnes. Word has it there may be a flight of chocolates and champagnes in the near future at Curtain Call.
Curtain Call Lounge at the Fabulous Fox
521 N. Grand
314-534-1678
Opening date: Friday, December 18th from 5 p.m. to midnight
New Years Eve hours: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Schedule for mid-winter: Curtain Call will be open on nights when the Fox has a scheduled show from 5 p.m. until two hours past show time.
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Kevin A. Roberts
