YOU’RE INVITED TO THE GRAND REOPENING OF

Henry & The Lions

Thursday, February 13, 5pm to 9pm

At 405 West 23rd Street (btw. 9th & 10th Aves.)

With Complimentary “American Comfort Cuisine” from the New Menu & a Raffle Prize Every Hour

For info, call 212-888-7779 or send an email to info@henryandthelions.com

Click Here to visit the Henry & The Lions website

From coffee-craving morning commuters to 3pm paperback-reading retirees to the dinnertime crowd eating on-site or counting on home delivery, Henry & The Lions (405 W. 23rd St.) is literally well-positioned to benefit from repeat business. To its left is London Terrace Towers—a 600+-apartment co-op occupying four corner buildings on Ninth and 10th Aves., between West 23rd and 24th Streets. In the center is the 1,000-apartment London Terrace Gardens—and on the other side of Ninth Ave. sits one of 10 residential towers that comprise the Penn South co-op.

But just because they’ve earned a very loyal (and very nearby) cutomer base, the minds behind the popular restaurant, cafe, and bar aren’t content to rest on their laurels. And so, on Thursday, February 13, at its free, 5pm-9pm Grand Reopening, Henry & The Lions will debut a spiffed up interior space and a radical rethink of its eats and drinks.

“American Comfort Cuisine” is how Geneal Manager Robert Carlino describes the new menu. Inspired by  familiar dishes that put one in mind of safer, simpler times (like, say, before last November 5), eacch classic dish gets an unpretentious, deliciious gourmet upgrade. The Lobster Mac and Cheese, for example, delivers the ingredients promised by its name, but elevates the dish far beyond the realm of the ordinary and plain by adding… well, we’re not going to tell. That’s a task best left to Carlino, who infused the new menu with proven hits from decades spent as a food service industry innovator. So read on–and you might wanna keep a cloth napkin handy (on the entirly possible chance that your mouth starts watering).

Scott Stiffler, for Chelsea Community News (CCNews): Some advance press notes you’ll be “taking over as General Manager/Executive chef here at Henry & The Lions.” What was your role with the business previously, and how is that changing?

Robert Carlino, General Manager, Henry & The Lions (Robert): I am new to the business, brought in by the owner, Bruce Lim. My experience includes four-star accolades in Florida and serving as an AAA Triple Diamond Executive Chef at four restaurants, a Food and Beverage Director with Marriott, and a Regional General Manager for the Southeastern USA with Sodexo, where I was utilized all over the USA as a fixer to save contracts with companies Sodexo had contracts with who were threatening to end their relationship. My ability to turn things around quickly for the better—and satisfy their clients—has been key to my success.

CCNews: There’s going to be “an entirely new menu and kitchen with new American Comfort Cuisine recipes.” Tell us about a few of those menu items; where the recipes come from, and how they represent “new American Comfort Cuisine.”

Robert: I created menu recipes through the years, and I developed different specials as the executive chef in previous restaurants. The Beef Tenderloin pinwheel features a filet of beef tenderloin cut open and layered with prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil, served with a Marsala wine sauce. I initiated this recipe at a seafood restaurant called Cherrystones on the Water in Pompano Beach, Florida. Then there’s the Skillet Apple Pecan Pancake that I introduced at a Brooklyn restaurant I consulted for called Elberta’s—it consists of apples sautéed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a cast iron skillet, then topped with freshly made pancake batter, chopped pralines, and streusel, baked in the oven, and served topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and a side of pure maple syrup. This has always been a favorite among those with sweet tooth.

Another item on the menu is broccoli au gratin, a vegetable I introduced at Nick’s Italian Fishery in Boca Raton, Florida, where Nick was astonished that customers were raving about it. It features fresh broccoli spears topped with a generous oreganato crumb mixture baked to perfection.

European traditions influence American cuisine, and my background in seafood, Southern American, Italian, and European cuisine has made many of my specials closer to American comfort food, like the Lobster Mac and Cheese I used to prepare at Italian seafood restaurants. This dish uses De Cecco shell pasta and lobster tail; the tail is sautéed with chopped shallots, garlic, herbs, and sherry wine, then tossed with a velvety cheese sauce and baked pasta shells, topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. It has always been a massive hit at my previous restaurants.

CCNews: Does the menu offer choices appropriate for the breakfast, lunch, and dinner times?

Robert: We serve breakfast seven days a week, lunch from Monday to Friday, brunch on the weekends, and dinner every night.

CCNews: What’s notable on the beer, wine, and spirits menu?

Robert: I am currently meeting with the beer and wine vendors. However, I want to primarily feature American wines from California, New York, Oregon, Washington, and local breweries.

CCNews: What will the February 13 launch event be like? What are the hours, and is there a charge to attend and partake of these new menu items?

Robert: During the four hours of service, the wait staff will circulate hors d’oeuvres and portion-sized menu items. A raffle prize will be awarded every hour. I have some surprises in the works, and if they materialize, they should be quite enjoyable. I just hope the weather cooperates that night.

CCNews: Beyond February 13, what are the weekly hours? Is there a Happy Hour or any notable specials to be offered?

Robert: We open at 7am for breakfast. Lunch begins at noon, and dinner starts at 5pm. Brunch will be served from 11am to 4:30pm on weekends. Currently, we close at 9pm on weekdays and at 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays. I also want to start offering late-night bar bites on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until 1am, as well as a happy hour from 3pm to 7pm at the bar. I am also implementing a fresh-baked-on-premises program, baking all the products on-site.

CCNews: Do you offer home delivery?

Robert: Yes, we do 7 days a week for all meal periods.

CCNews: Your location makes you part of the London Terrace/London Towers apartment complex. What’s the restaurant’s current relationship with that customer base, and will you further engage them and nearby potential customers in any notable way?

Robert: The relationship with the building is excellent. Many customers who regularly visit the restaurant live in the building. We plan to offer them incentives to come to the restaurant: a discount along with a loyalty program that will grant them a more significant discount as they visit us more frequently over time. I am also working on developing a healthy meal plan for the seniors living in the building and nearby area, allowing them to pre-order their daily meals the day before through our website, which we will deliver at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time. I also plan to provide the meal plan at a discount for seniors. Additionally, we will offer the staff working at London Terrace a discount.

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