Goodbye, Charlie Palmer at The Joule. Hello, CBD Provisions.
Starting on Thursday, October 10, Downtowners will have a brand spankin’ new place to eat at 1530 Main Street. CBD Provisions, brought to you by Consilient Restaurants, is a 180-seat “urban brasserie” with several types of seating available. It’s swanky, it’s hip, and it’s cool. Most importantly, it doesn’t try to be pretentious.
“The service style is relaxed but still very technical,” says executive chef Michael Sindoni. “We’re taking steps to take service seriously.”
As for food, it’s all Texas-centered cuisine cooked by an upstate New Yorker. Sindoni moved to Texas in September 2012 after working in Italy and the Bay area for awhile. Now he lives downtown—just down the street from CBD Provisions—where he runs a tight ship.
For those of you still mourning the loss of Charlie Palmer, you won’t be whining too much longer. CBD, which aims to build up the reputation of the Central Business District, is gorgeous inside. A local wood worker made all the communal tables and beautiful taps at the bar. Elegant lighting hanging from the ceiling makes the place feel upscale and romantic. You can sit around the bar, a huge centerpiece, or near the open kitchen. To the left of the kitchen, there’s a wall of pickled vegetables in various jars. Almost everything here is made in-house—including the cottage cheese, yogurt, mustard, and all the breads. Heinz ketchup is the only thing that Sindoni has left alone.
“We’re not just making things in-house, but making it better than the product we can buy.”
Sindoni is also “sourcing as much from Texas” as possible. The seafood comes from the Gulf and the meats are pasture-raised in Texas.
His menu will largely depend what’s available and what’s in season.
Adventurous eaters will be glad for Sindoni’s opening menu. (He’s trying not to give in to common palates by offering salmon at first, but he figures some people might expect this North Atlantic/Pacific Ocean fish later on.) There’s going to be tripe, a whole-roasted pig head, wagyu rib steak, and a plethora of shareable entrees on there. Ruben Toraño is making all the breads, granola, and breakfast pastries in-house. Sweets include a Bourbon chocolate pot de creme with a little cayenne pepper, Texas olive oil, and sea salt. Seasonal cobblers, served in a cast iron with ice cream, will rotate. “We’re at the mercy of our suppliers,” says the chef.
CBD Provisions will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Kitchen closes at midnight on weekends. Expect an awesome Sunday brunch.
