Monday, February 23, 2009

New Dining at Lincoln Center as Part of Its Dramatic Transformation

NEW YORK, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Lincoln Center will launch at65, a dining space in the dramatic, new Alice Tully Hall on Broadway and 65th Street. at65 will be a contemporary cafe and bar that will be open seven days a week to serve both concert patrons and the general public.

According to Lincoln Center President Reynold Levy, "We are transforming our campus into a more welcoming, more accessible place to enjoy the performing arts, and it is vital that we have more and better amenities for our guests. When our transformation is complete, we will be offering a variety of dining options in a range of price levels. The new at65 will serve not only our concert patrons but also casual visitors to our campus and our neighbors on the Upper West Side."

             at65 to offer breakfast, lunch, supper and full bar

at65's name is a nod to both Alice Tully, the benefactress of the concert hall named for her, and to its location on 65th Street and Broadway. The restaurant will be managed by Restaurant Associates. "We are thrilled to be part of the new Alice Tully Hall and look forward to introducing our newest dining and drinking destination, at65 to patrons, visitors and neighbors," commented Dick Cattani, CEO of Restaurant Associates.

at65 will debut on February 24th, two days after the Diller Scofidio + Renfro in association with FX Fowle-designed Alice Tully Hall opens to the public. It is located in the new hall's grand foyer and it is open daily from 8 am - 9 pm. On performance nights, the restaurant will remain open until one hour after the final curtain. The cafe, which seats 55, is wrapped by a multi-story glass curtain wall offering patrons expansive views of Broadway and 65th Street. at65 is dominated by a distinctive 70-foot bar made of Azul Ataija limestone, and there will be plush, lounge-style seating in addition to tables and chairs.

at65 will serve breakfast, lunch, and supper along with a full bar. There will be counter service earlier in the day, table service in the evening and take-out will be available as well. In the morning, coffee and espresso drinks will be on the menu, accompanied by hot breakfast sandwiches, fruit, and a selection of baked goods from the city's best bakeries. For lunch and supper, Mediterranean flatbread sandwiches will be a menu mainstay, as will classic American baked casseroles such as macaroni and cheese topped with candied, smoked bacon. Salads, soups, and beverages round out the menu. Making at65 a destination for evening cocktails will be its selection of beverages, both alcoholic and non including the Tully Tini, the signature cocktail, an icy blend of vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur and dry vermouth, garnished with the petal of a red rose.

Other dining options currently available at Lincoln Center include: the wine bar Arpeggio Food and Wine, the buffet restaurant The Center Room, and Espresso Bar, a casual coffee bar, all located in Avery Fisher Hall and all operated by Restaurant Associates. In the Metropolitan Opera house, Patina Restaurant Group operates The Grand Tier, a fine dining restaurant located beneath the stunning Chagall murals. As Lincoln Center completes its redevelopment, new restaurants and cafes will be announced.

Alice Tully Hall, originally completed in 1969, was the last theater in the original Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex to be built. It serves as home of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as presentations by Lincoln Center, Inc., The Juilliard School, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and others. Opened to the public on February 22, 2009, its opening is the first significant public component of the dramatic transformation of Lincoln Center's 16-acre urban campus and a prelude to the institution's year-long 50th anniversary celebration. The hall, redesigned by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro in association with FX Fowle, opens with a two-week Opening Nights Festival of exciting performances.

About Restaurant Associates

Restaurant Associates is recognized as the nation's premier foodservice, restaurant and catering company, operating over 100 prestigious locations. Restaurant Associates, based in New York City, provides premium food services to museums, performing arts centers, aquariums, corporate dining, educational facilities and off-premise catering events in New York City, Boston, Hartford, Atlanta, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Toronto. Restaurant Associates is a subsidiary of Compass Group, The Americas Division, the world's leading foodservice organization.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of superb artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. As a presenter of over 400 events annually, LCPA's programs include American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly Mozart Festival and Live From Lincoln Center.

Lincoln Center is committed to providing and improving accessibility for people with disabilities. For information, call the Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities at (212) 875-5375.

[Via http://www.prnewswire.com]