The latest addition to the city’s ever-growing restaurant scene, The Oyster Club at the Heritage is slated to open Saturday in Park Square.
Owner and Executive Chef Chris Parsons, who also opened Steel & Rye in Milton , as well as Catch and Parsons Table, both formerly of Winchester, is bringing his latest concept focusing on regional sewafood to the former home of Doretta Taverna and Raw Bar at 79 Park Plaza.
Besides its spin on classic offerings like the lobster roll and Lobster Thermidor, Parsons said the restaurant will also feature non-seafood fare, such as chicken under a brick.
The restaurant’s inviting layout, which was designed by Brookline-based Sousa Design Architects, includes a 28-seat barn and a 19-seat oyster bar, as well as an outdoor patio with seating for 70.
“Our goal is to be a welcoming neighborhood restaurant…with tasty food,” Parsons said.
Crite Park fundraising effort is in full swing
The effort to revive Crite Park on Columbus Avenue is in full swing with a partnership between abutters and the Ellis South End Neighborhood Association. The Park was dedicated to the famous South End painter Allan Rohan Crite, but it has fallen into disrepair lately and isn’t well designed by today’s standards.
Cheryl Dickinson has helped to lead the effort, and she said they have 30 percent of their fundraising goal and pre-construction costs raised. The goal is to have it fully funded by next June. They hope to compete for a Community Preservation grant in September 2020.
Abutter Paul Wilcox said he was really glad to join the effort.
“It’s suffered a lot of neglect over the years,” he said. “It’s great there is an interest in reviving it.”
Last Friday, a group from the Ellis and Wilcox unveiled a new banner on Crite Park to draw attention to the fundraising efforts to those passing by. Pictured are: (standing) Paul Wilcox and Cheryl Dickinson; and (sitting) Betsy Hall and Regina Pyle. The project was initiated within the Ellis by Dickinson and Ellis members, forming the basis of the current committee, which now includes abutting neighbors as well. The Crite Park website is on the Ellis website and the Ellis fundraiser was focused on the Crite Park project.