Two new concepts opening in place of Rainbow Luncheonette and Pink Boot
“I want to create a restaurant that actually represents the diner of Raleigh and not a chef-driven ego—a restaurant truly for the people of Raleigh.” So says chef Alex Ricci, most recently of Cucciolo Terrazza, who is set to open his first independent duo of concepts alongside partners Jonny Ennis (aka Jonny Rocket) and Justin Tatnell this fall.
The concepts will open in now-defunct Pink Boot and Rainbow Luncheonette, both of which shuttered in July. And while the duo of West Street joints will certainly be missed, former owner Jason Howard sees the shift as an op to usher in the next era of budding talent.
“This is not a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination,” says Howard. “It’s a tough business. Let them have a crack at it.” Rest assured, Ricci certainly has the chops. Not to mention a cutting-edge vision that will deliver a whole new brand of dining and drinking to the area—and one that will very much be in collaboration with guests.
In Rainbow Luncheonette’s place, Ricci and his partners will be opening Prospects, a diner-esque eatery serving food till 3:30am (!) that Ricci has cultivated with, by and for Raleighites. To create the core menu, he tapped various friends, writers, chefs and other Raleighites for their favorite dishes—either from now or their youth. Think mac and cheeses, kabobs, sandwiches, even a spin on the Lunch Lady pizza as an ode to Pink Boot, plus twists on classic brunch dishes like eggs Benedict, shakshuka, and chicken and waffles (s/o Raleigh Mag!)—NTM desserts from Layered Croissanterie pastry chef Suzanne Downs.
Furthering the intention to truly design the concept as a representation of Raleigh, Prospects will also tout a massive chalkboard on which Ricci will chalk a question (like, say: What is a dish that reminds you of home?) and then feature his interpretation of those guest selects on the rotating seasonal menu.
“I decided since I’ve built the first core menu off of people who impact my life and, in my opinion, the [local] food scene, the entire concept should be cultivated like that for the public as well,” Ricci explains. “This is something that’s not necessarily about me. I’m just at the helm of it.”
As for the Pink Boot side, the trio will open The Devereux in its place, an inviting neighborhood bar that’s “not a dive bar, but not a cocktail bar,” explains Tatnell. And—spoiler alert—there will be boozy slushies.
“I’m doing the spaces a disservice,” says Howard, who is steering his focus on expanding his thriving concepts The Cardinal and Lil Hombre. “It’s time for a change—time to let somebody do it who’s young, hungry and passionate. I’m excited for those guys.” And, so, enter the next gen of dining in Raleigh. Excited yet?
Editors note: This news was exclusively revealed on our Instagram—give us a follow if you don’t already to stay up to date on all things Raleigh.
Somewhere over the rainbow—er down North West Street in Downtown Raleigh—you’ll find Jason Howard’sThe Rainbow Luncheonette, opening next Tuesday, Nov. 8. The six-days-a-week breakfast, lunch and dinner counter will be dishing up elevated greasy spoon plates in what he dubs a really cool-looking, colorful (hence rainbow floor) Waffle House on steroids. Of course, the unique vibe is no surprise—Howard, after all, is known for his purposefully simple and unique concepts (think The Cardinal and The Atlantic Lounge, among others).
Jason Howard (Food Seen)
Belly up for comfort foods such as corned beef and hash, biscuits and sausage gravy, pancakes, steak and eggs, and build-your-own breakfast sandwiches. And for quick fuel, a to-go coffee station and a grab-and-go biscuit and hash browns station allow you to pop in for a quick bite without having to stick around (though you definitely should).
“So you literally can stop going to McDonald’s to get a biscuit—you can just come here,” Howard laughs.
Oh, and did we mention alcohol (think mid-grade-shelf liquor, beer and wine) will be served starting at 7am? “There’s just not many breakfast places [around here] where you can get alcohol,” says Howard. “And I don’t see nothin’ wrong with a bourbon and Coke with your steak and eggs.” We’ll cheers to that.
For lunch, dig into the likes of a fried chicken sando; Brasstown Beef burger; pork belly and collard green open-faced sandwich; and a rib sandwich, a knockoff of the Golden Arches signature—plus a daily blue-plate special (fried chicken, fried catfish, lasagna). But be sure to save room for dessert, as Howard promises the pies (made by his mom), and pound cake (slathered with butter, sauteed and served with a scoop of ice cream, just like his mom used to do) are “f*cking insane.”
“It’s really short-order food, a little more thought-out, in a fun atmosphere—with alcohol” says Howard. “I really just want a simple place for people to feel comfortable in, and get a good meal at a decent price.”
And if the joint hasn’t already piqued your interest… on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the diner will be open from 6 to 10pm with just one thing on the menu: a handcut New York 12-ounce strip steak from Brasstown Beef out of Western NC, accompanied by a deep-fried baked potato, a house salad and Texas toast—with a beer or a half-bottle of wine.
“And that’s what you get,” says Howard. … The steak nights were inspired by The Beefmastor Inn, which, like The Rainbow Luncheonette, serves just steak with a baked potato and a salad (the “salad bar” being on a Lazy Susan in Tupperware bowls). And that same Wilson mainstay served as inspiration for him to get into business, period. If you’ve ever been, you’ll notice a crazy resemblance to The Cardinal, says Howard, adding “it’s the most simple of simple things.”
Because it’s a Jason Howard concept, the steak meal will be wildly affordable, despite the fact that Brasstown Beef isn’t cheap. “I don’t necessarily like paying $65 or $70 for a steak,” he says (and, well, who does?). “I just want things to be simple and fun and cool. … We’re just a bunch of short-order cooks who have worked in the business a long time.”
And, as to be expected, The Rainbow Luncheonette will boast a casual, come-as-you-are vibe. “There’s nothing really like that Downtown—everything is so serious and chef-driven and branded by somebody’s name,” he says. “These things are classic old-type concepts that can last forever because they’re not really pinpointed to a certain trend. That’s my business model. … Over time, they’ll always be there.” And you can bet his new spot will leave the same lasting impression.@therainbowluncheonette
