If you’ve phoned Dierdorf and Hart’s recently to make a reservation, you’ve noticed that the restaurant is closed for renovations. Plans call for remodeling the main dining room, but owner and managing partner Lou Garesche told The Scoop that much more is in the works at the steakhouse in West Port.
When Dierdorf and Hart’s reopens (the target date is Feb. 7), guests will find the main dining room transformed with a newly built bar in the center encircled by high-top and low-top tables. “We’re completely changing the main dining room look from a fine dining, formal setting to more of an upscale, club-type setting with wood tabletops instead of white linen,” explained Garesche.
Major menu changes will accompany the renovation. Although diners will still be able to order from the steakhouse menu, executive chef Ryan Boulware is currently making final plans for a second menu. That menu, said Garesche, will be more diverse and affordably priced than the steakhouse menu and will include fish, pasta, sandwiches, burgers and more vegetarian and heart-healthy items. “It will still be an upscale menu,” noted Garesche, adding, “We are not going away from 28 years of food quality and service. We won’t be a saloon bar.”
In addition, the restaurant will be reinstating its lunch hours, which were eliminated about five years ago, and will be offering a late night menu as well.
This article appears in January 2011.