Island hopping: Former Rosemont Irish pub becoming Mediterranean-inspired eatery
A little more than a decade after it was one of the first venues to open in Rosemont's entertainment district, what once resembled a pub in Ireland is being transformed into something reminiscent of a shoreside dining spot on the island of Santorini.
Officials on Wednesday revealed the name of the new restaurant taking the place of Five Roses Pub in Parkway Bank Park - Saltwater Coastal Grill - along with a preview of its menu that will be served starting in early May.
The Mediterranean-inspired eatery is the creation of Boston-based Lyons Group, which opened the pub in 2012 but decided to shut down and retool after business declined in recent years.
Village officials first announced the new concept last July, when they inked agreements to sell the pub and neighboring Kings Dining & Entertainment bowling alley to Lyons for about $7.63 million. Until that point, the ownership group had been operating both businesses through leases with the village.
Mayor Brad Stephens said Wednesday the new restaurant's fresh seafood and sushi offerings would further establish Rosemont as a top dining destination.
Among the menu highlights, Saltwater will have an extensive raw bar of seafood selections, including freshly shucked oysters from the East Coast, New England cold water lobster, king crab legs, and some 20 imported tinned fish offerings such as sardines, anchovies, tuna and salmon.
The renovated restaurant has a custom-built "fish room" walk-in cooler set at 35 degrees where chefs will cut and prepare seafood. It's an "optimal environment (that) preserves the texture, flavor and freshness" of the seafood, according to the restaurant's announcement.
Lyons Group has hired a master sushi chef to oversee its Omakase Bar, which will serve toro, shrimp, salmon and a variety of fresh sashimi and sushi rolls.
Besides the nautical indoor motif, the restaurant will have an 80-seat patio that looks out onto the entertainment district's center lawn.
Saltwater will be open for dinner seven days a week from 4 to 11 p.m.