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De La Costa Introduces a Coastal Latin-Inspired Flair to the Chicago Dining and Nightlife Scene

Opening July 2006

Marbella... Bahia... Punta del Este... When recreation and revelry are in order people inevitably flock to coastal playgrounds. The Platinum Coast of Lake Michigan is about to get its first playground in De La Costa, the alluring new restaurant and lounge from celebrity chef Douglas Rodriguez, slated to open this July.

To launch his new supper club concept, Rodriguez chose none of the traditional party cities of New York, LA, Las Vegas or Miami. Instead, in Chicago he found the perfect locale to unveil his unique blend of fine dining and entertainment, De La Costa.

"I've been coming to Chicago for years," says Rodriguez, "and there's something different about the way people enjoy themselves here. They're just as cosmopolitan and well traveled as people in New York and LA, but they lack pretension. And it doesn't hurt that they obviously know excellent cuisine!"

Rodriguez is the James Beard award winner whom Zagat calls the "most important Latin chef in the restaurant world." His previous restaurants include Patria (NY Times 3 stars) and Chicama (NY Times 2 stars) in New York, Ola in Miami, and Alma de Cuba in Philadelphia.

The team behind De La Costa includes Ron Garcia, the former general manager of Nick Morfogen's Ajax Tavern (Aspen) and Wolfgang Puck's Granita (Malibu) and Loggia (Hollywood), who also knows how to entertain from his years managing food and beverage for a six-casino group in Las Vegas. For lounge expertise, Rodriguez brought in as a consultant Matt Stoen, the Hollywood owner and promoter of hugely successful hotspots White Lotus, XES, Dublin's and The Falls.

The tie that binds the De La Costa experience is the high quality of product and service, according to Garcia. "There are other restaurants that have a bar or lounge, sure, but what makes De La Costa so exciting is that no supper club in the United States has a chef of Doug's caliber."

Indeed, Rodriguez ensures that foodies will feel right at home at De La Costa. He scoured the coasts of Spain, South America and the Caribbean seeking inspiration for his latest culinary creations, which he dubs "Inspired Coastal Latin Cuisine." The twist, says Rodriguez, is that De La Costa "makes fine dining fun."

The menu features unique seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes, extensive ceviche selections, and a variety of hot and cold tapas, all prepared with Rodriguez's distinctive flare from behind a glass-encased kitchen. Expect highlights to include innovative takes on staples, such as sugar cane skewered tuna and smoked adobo veal breast, as well as more adventurous dishes like guava molasses lamb ribs and verde chicken a la plancha.

De La Costa will also feature a sensual selection of exotic cocktails, six varieties of sangria, and the chef's signature frozen "poptails," taste-infusion popsicles served in a variety of martinis and exotic concoctions.

Located at 465 E. Illinois, in the River East Arts Center, De La Costa boasts an astounding 12,000 square feet, dressed up to the nines by local architect/designer Suhail of del Toro and Sonotheque fame. The space features a stunning main room with elevated showpiece tables, dining booths, and a DJ spinning music to suit the mood, along with a large private wine room for parties of up to 18.

De La Costa will also offer a custom ceviche bar, a Douglas Rodriguez original inspired by the coastal towns of Peru and Ecuador, where guests will have the opportunity to view the artistic preparation of this South American specialty. The ceviche bar conveys the image of a Japanese sushi bar, but produces amazing seafood creations prepared with Rodriguez's artful Nuevo Latino style.

Finally, the pièce de resistance, De La Costa boasts a posh solarium lounge overlooking the Ogden Slip of the Chicago River. Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, The Solarium is fitted with five custom designed cabanas seating 12-14, each complete with its own full service private bar and host/bartender, offering an exclusive, full-immersion eating and drinking experience. Late nights in The Solarium, expect a mix of beautiful people, artists, and young professionals, sprinkled with local celebrities and fat cats enjoying the privacy of the cabanas. "We're not going to be all things to all people," says resident vibe expert Stoen, "but we are going to be De La Costa for everyone."