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What's next for James?
I can still remember the first thing I ever ate at James, and I don't think I ever stopped loving the food there.
What's next for James?
The restaurant business, she is a fickle mistress. Despite a trophy case's worth of local and national accolades, Jim and Kristina Burke's haute-seasonal temple James (824 S. Eighth St.) will close in June after a five-year run, as Michael Klein reported last week. One of my favorite restaurants in the city, if I can get personal for a minute. I can still remember the first thing I ever ate at James, a coral curl of buttery gravlax with green-apple matchsticks, a trapeze act of rich and tart, soft and crisp, and I don’t think I ever stopped loving the food there.
The economy hasn’t been kind to James, the Burkes report. Fine dining has always been their way, and even if you sat at the bar and only ordered the $16 roast chicken with vegetables (the best ever) and a glass of water, you still received three-piece bread service and a clever amuse. I always liked that.
"We all are a little bit bummed out," says Jim, "but we looked at it from every conceivable angle, and it doesn't make sense to keep renting here." Has the closure been in the works for a while? "Obviously we've always known when the end of the lease was and we started to take a real hard look at the long-term profitability at this location. The prospects were minimal at best. It was too much of a risk to keep going."
There’s a wounded twinge in the chef's voice when he talks about James' impending closure, but he and his wife are also looking forward to future prospects. They own the liquor license and are currently shopping for new digs. "We've looked at spaces around Rittenhouse, Fitler Square, Midtown Village," Burke reports. "Nothing has grabbed us yet, but we're actively pursuing every opportunity."
Nothing is set for the new spot (or even if there will be a new spot, as Burke says he's open to working for someone else), but one thing is certain: "It won't be another James. It'll be something a little different. A little more pasta-focused, a little more Italian-focused, a little less fine dining." Good news for anyone who's eaten his chocolate/orange/duck tagliatelle, heavenly risottos or celeriac agnolotti topped with espresso-braised oxtail.
But for now, it's business usual at James. (This month’s Stillwater Ales dinner looks like it’s going to be sick.) Says Burke: "We're looking forward to going out with a bang."
Photo: jameson8th.com
This makes me incredibly sad. Their charcuterie plates are one of my favorite things, well, ever.— Meals I Have Eaten- A sever bummer.— tsarstruck
- A sever bummer.— tsarstruck
- severe, even.— tsarstruck
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