December 7, 2018
Customshop reopens after four-month closure
The restaurant’s interior and menus both look a little different
Customshop’s renovated interior is much more open and light. Kristen Wile/UP
Customshop, an Elizabeth Avenue restaurant known for its ingredient-driven cuisine, is open again after a four-month closure. The restaurant has been open for 12 years, and lease negotiations combined with the continued Hawthorne Lane bridge closure made the timing of a facelift ideal.
The building’s original tile walls were uncovered. Kristen Wile/UP
The renovated dining room is much more open, doing away with the restaurant’s large, wooden booths in favor of tables that can more easily be adjusted based on each night’s reservations and party sizes. The stucco walls were removed to reveal the 130-year old building’s original brick tiles; the tiles were stained and modern light fixtures bring a moody, modern vibe to the space.
“We are in a part of town where we wanted to open some possibilities for more corporate dining,” says co-owner Sandra West (who jokes she married into the industry when she and chef/owner Trey Wilson got married).
The bar has a much smaller footprint now, partially to create a space that’s offset from the dining room and can fit a dozen guests for a work dinner. The restaurant still has a deep wine list, and will grow its focus on classic cocktails.
The dining room and bar weren’t the only change; the kitchen was also gutted. And what’s coming out of it is going to be different, as well. The menu will still be seasonal (and change nearly weekly), but classic sauces will have a bigger presence. The pastas will remain as shared plates, and Wilson says he’s currently trying out a more seafood-focused menu thanks to the quality offerings of fisherman Rock Stone. With the opening of Flourshop, Wilson’s pasta- and rotisserie-focused second restaurant in Park Road Shopping Center, Customshop’s menu has become a little more focused elsewhere.
“Here, I want to keep that dining date-night kind of feel — definitely a lot more entrées on this menu,” Wilson says.
A dish that hasn’t left the menu is the bread pudding, which has been a staple since Customshop’s early days. The ribeye deckle will be making a comeback; customers have been asking for the signature off-menu dish since the restaurant reopened. And one of the biggest staples of Customshop’s cuisine will remain the same: its farmers. —Kristen Wile
