Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1044941
64 T he whispered rumor we heard all summer is true: The city's ladies-who- lunch spot for cool girls has become a socials- who-supper spot. Travis Street society hothouse Grange Hall has launched dinner service on Thursday nights only, which Rajan Patel, Grange Hall and restaurant co-owner, describes as "Sexier and moodier than lunch. Lots of glasses clinking." With that tease, I secured a reservation and found myself at Grange Hall on a Thursday evening — one of the first to experience the new night vibe. It was superb, with the cocktail menu and amped-up bar and lounge space mirroring the absurdly good taste of the adjacent boutique. Since then, I've spent at least three Thursday nights in the candlelit dining room, which is always a sell out; reservations absolutely required. The night began at the bar, in the hands of cocktail maestro Benj, clad in a sexy leather apron. A note to the swellegant set: To feel like an intimate insider at Grange, you must call everyone by their first name. Despite Grange Hall's dedicated group of well-known patrons, the crowd was not the de rigueur social scene, but seemed to be a crew of private-jet-setters and denizens of decadent enclaves such as Shanghai and St. Barths. Lunch-time Celine flats and Chanel sneakers were switched out for sky-high Altuzarras. Executive chef Chad Martin and consultant chef, Sharon Hage (the five- time James Beard Award nominee and former owner of York Street Restaurant) have crafted a seasonal menu of elevated classics: lamb shank confit, cocoa-rubbed Wagyu short-rib, and rabbit pot-pie, to name a few. I adore how the courses are in categories: "A Little Something" for appetizers; "Something More" if you are still feeling peckish before your entrée; and "Spoil Yourself," which includes the platinum egg and the golden egg — the first featuring Thomas Keller Regiis Ova caviar and the latter, Petrossian caviar. Of course, the devil is in the details. I've started paying more attention to the musical selection at establishments where I dine, and I must give kudos to Grange Hall. Co- owner Jeffrey Lee and general manager Vito Cammisano assemble playlists that mirror the clientele with reservations that day. For weekday afternoons, a subdued ladies- who-lunch mix is on standard rotation; on Thursday nights, the listening is edgier. Dearest Grange Hall DJs, for our next 8 pm reservation, might you spin Moby, Prince, and Diana Ross (see: "Love Hangover"). For that visit, I plan to order the Italian butter caviar and Parmesan soup — two absolutely divine dishes that would be an integral part of my last meal, should I find myself on death row. My crime, you might ask. Not knowing the lyrics to Snoop Dog's "Drop It Like It's Hot." Grange Hall, 4445 Travis St., 214.443.0600, ufgrangehall.com. GRANGE BY BILLY FONG PHOTOGRAPHY MARC LEE LATE goes The Restaurant at Grange Hall