Elephant East

"Elephant East, the latest restaurant from Harwood Hospitality Group, is set to open later this fall at 2850 N. Harwood Street. It’ll join Magnolias Sous Le Pont, Happiest Hour, Mercat Bistro and a handful of other eateries in the quickly-growing walkable district. The menu will feature a selection of dishes and drinks inspired by the cuisines of the Asian continent, with everything from soju cocktails to Singapore noodles. Chef Thomas Griffin, who previously ran the kitchen at Asian restaurant Banyan Bar in Boston and who helped open Harwood’s Dolce Riviera in 2016, has developed a menu of playful dishes inspired by his own culinary heritage. Diners can expect dishes like pork baos, Singapore-style noodles with house-cured ham, sesame-fried mochi doughnuts, and other shareable bites. Drinks-wise, expect Asian twists on classic cocktails, including a matcha mojito and a classic tiki libation, the mai tai. According to a press release, Elephant East is meant to provide an “adventurous, and lively escape from the ordinary.” The restaurant will join British pub Harwood Arms in the district’s La Rue Perdue, or “forgotten street”, a European-inspired alleyway at the base of tower Harwood No. 10. An exact opening date for Elephant East has yet to be announced, but when it debuts, it’ll be open for dinner and drinks seven days a week." - Brittanie Shey