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NAKED FISH
SPEARS DOWNTOWN BOSTON: WOBURN, MA., December 6, 1999 --- Naked Restaurants has announced the opening of its fourth Naked Fish restaurant in downtown Boston, opposite Fanueil Hall Marketplace. Well-known restaurateur Joey Crugnale, founder of Steve's Ice Cream and Bertucci's, has returned to his North End roots in unveiling his latest culinary venture that applies his trademark wood-fired grill style to a new cuisine: fresh fish and meats. Said Mr. Crugnale, "I'm thrilled to bring the Naked Fish concept, which has been so successful already in the suburbs, to a prime downtown Boston location. Naked Fish is all about providing a fun, satisfying and hip experience to diners desiring a new approach to fish and meats, and we know it will fill a much-needed void for Boston restaurant-goers. We're convinced that the Latin touch, in the beverages, music and even our new presentation of sides, brings an interesting and completely contemporary feel to dining." The restaurant, which is housed next to the Bostonian Hotel, is the fourth opening this year in Greater Boston, and features a novel yet trendy cuisine: an emphasis on high quality fresh fish and meats, served "naked" in style, with minimal sauces, cooked on a wood-fired grill, along with an extravaganza of choices of side accompaniments. The restaurant's atmosphere is minimalist yet fun, reminiscent of the sea, yet solidly land-based with warm woods, wavy ceiling and etched glass partitions creating an open, inviting aura. Moreover, its fresh attitude extends into beverages, better known as "bebidas," in the Cuban style. Indeed that Cubanismo flavoring is found throughout the restaurant, lending a contemporary, casual air to upscale dining. Simultaneously with the opening of the Boston location, Naked Fish is launching its first-ever advertising campaign. Called "The Man Behind the Fish," the playful print advertisements depict Boston area celebrities, including boxer and actor Richie LaMontagne (who appeared in the recently-issued "Flawless"). The ads will run in major Boston newspapers and perhaps other as well. Added Mr. Crugnale, "The name Naked Fish represents what I think is best about contemporary food preparation: applying just olive oil, lemon and herbs to high quality fresh fish, seafood and meats. This celebrates - simply and plentifully - rather than disguises the fresh riches of the Earth. At Naked Fish, we cook with fire, we create with passion and we dance the Samba! I intend to be provocative and memorable and make sure that all my guests have an experience here that is just that." The new downtown Boston restaurant, which seats about 100, serves lunch and dinner, in an upscale environment with an open, yet warm décor, featuring intriguing elements from the sea and Latin culture. The dining area features open tables and banquettes, and as they enter, guests can watch chefs preparing meals on the open Naked Fish wood-fired grill. The novelty and innovation in the menu begins with appetizers, including unique items like Latin Style Baby Back Ribs, Garlicky Shrimp on Grilled Flatbread and Fried Coconut Calimari. For entrée selections, guests can choose (if they can!) from a variety of Naked Wood Fire Grilled Fish, an equal variety of Wood Fired Meats, Cuban Spicy Chicken and a group of Not-So-Naked offerings, including Seafood Paella and Pan Seared Trout. Newest features about the menu include the assortment of "sides," by which each guest can choose two of the 14 offered. These sides range from grilled broccolini and grilled corn on the cob to fried plantains and coconut steamed rice, and will change seasonally. An average entrée for lunch is priced at $6-11 and at dinner, $10-17, making Naked Fish an ideal choice for work gatherings, families and friends. The "bebidas," a collection of jazzy, snazzy alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, truly distinguish Naked Fish from ordinary restaurants. Among the offerings are: the Mojito (rum, fresh mint and ginger ale, garnished with sugar cane and lime), the Blue Cuban (rum, blue curacao and fruit juice, garnished with coconut) and the Jazzman (gin, cointreau, blue curacao and orange and lime juice), all designed to stimulate the senses and evoke tropical Cuba. In addition, an innovative and extensive wine list, including beers and rums, and fun coffee after-dinner drinks, tops the menu. In addition, Naked Fish has created a special Kid's Menu, any entrée from which entitles the guest to either Shoestring Fries or choice of a side from the "Big" menu. The downtown Boston Naked Fish is conveniently located at 16-18 North Street, opposite Fanueil Hall Marketplace, in the Bostonian Hotel annex. Additional Naked Fish restaurants are planned for Hingham, Lynnfield, Watertown, Billerica, Framingham, and Newton. Mr. Crugnale added, "We look forward to entertaining Boston area residents, attendees at Fleet Center events as well as tourists at the new Naked Fish in the next few months to help them become Naked Fishanados!" Mr. Crugnale brings decades of successful experience and innovation in dining to this new concept. From his initial foray into the industry with the national launch of Steve's Ice Cream, he demonstrated his prescience with nascent food trends. He successfully built upon that experience with the founding of Bertucci's, to which he brought a brand-new approach (at the time): creating the entire restaurant focus around a central wood-fired brick oven upon which pizza was prepared. Diners swarmed to Bertucci's for its quality pizza and pasta, as well as the experience of watching the cooks prepare the food, and Bertucci's grew at a phenomenal rate, reaching more than 90 locations nationwide and becoming a publicly traded company in 1991. Naked Restaurants Inc., based in Woburn, was founded in 1998 by famed restaurateur Joey Crugnale to design and launch dining concepts. Back to Naked Fish Media/Press
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