Nightlife
Todd English to perform in NYC rock opera
If that whole restaurant thing doesn't work out, Todd English has options. The party-going chef is slated to join the cast of the world premiere performance of The Life + Death of Kenyon Phillips at Joe's Pub in New York City. It's a one-night only stint with an "interactive rock-cabaret-variety show format" that tells the life story of socialite DJ Kenyon Phillips, who incidentally has been called "the love child of Luther Vandross and Steven Tyler." Appearing alongside English are luminaries like gossip maven Michael Musto, writer/performer David Cale, Broadway actress Daphne Rubin-Vega, and drag performer Flotilla DeBarge. The show is on May 2 at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20. It's unclear what English's role in the production might be, though Phillips's DJ proclivities err on the "dancier side of glam."
Tamir Kalifa for The Boston Globe
Here's Whisk at Wink & Nod's menu

Kayana Szymczak for The Boston Globe
South End speakeasy Wink & Nod opened last night, with the pop-up mavens from Whisk running the kitchen.
You can't find it online, but here's their inaugural menu. Nibble on venison tartare, beef marrow, and fresh Twinkies — just like drinkers did in days of yore.
Menu: Guchi's Midnight Ramen and jm Curley chefs throw massive junk-food fest
Here's your chance to hoover Fritos, Salisbury steak, and filet-o-fish as imagined by actual, talented chefs. Kitchensurfing hosts chefs Samuel Monsour and Mark O'Leary for a seven-course Future of Junk food feast, the first in a series of Kitchensurfing pop-ups. They'll fashion naughty food sans preservatives, additives, and other bad-for-you things in the hopes of challenging food manufacturers to implement locally sourced, sustainable ingredients into their snacky fare. All you have to do is indulge! (And yes, cocktail pairings are included. If you've ever wondered what goes well with chicken liver Snickers, now you can find out!)
O'Leary is one of the founders of cult hit Guchi's Midnight Ramen; he's also toiled at the very posh O Ya and at jm Curley. Monsour is the former executive chef at jm Curley.
The $125 meal transpires on March 28 at the Revere Hotel's Ruby Lounge; snag tickets for 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. seatings at EventBrite. Menu ahead.
Zac Wolf
FULL ENTRYMeanwhile, in other meaty news
Here's a photo of the $6 mystery late-night burger at Boston Chops, coated in what Chris Coombs calls "government cheese." Looks good, right? It debuted over the weekend. Anyone try it?
The Trina's Starlite team will take over Audubon Circle
The team that has cured and caused countless hangovers at Somerville's Trina's Starlite and Parlor Sports are coming to Boston. Beau Sturm, Jay Bellao, Josh Childs, and chef Suzi Maitland will open a neighborhood bar and restaurant called Audubon, which will replace the Audubon Circle restaurant. I'm told that the team hopes to "continue the establishments' deep-rooted commitment and connection to the community." Hopefully they'll also continue a commitment to amazing chili cheese dogs. I'm also told that Tyler Wang from Kirkland Tap & Trotter will tend bar, in addition to Mary Stout from Coppa.
FULL ENTRYWhich restaurants should stay open until 3:30 a.m.?
Boston sometimes gets a bad rap for being sleepy. Perhaps sensing this, Mayor Marty Walsh is floating the idea of keeping some bars and restaurants open until 3:30 a.m., in select neighborhoods. "We have a lot of companies, high tech, bio tech, financial services companies in our city and we have a lot of international folks living in our city. And a lot of these folks are used to living in cities that stay open later at night," he told WBZ. Now for the bureaucracy part: He's creating a task force to look into it, though he does hope to create a pilot program in time to coincide with late-night MBTA service.
Which restaurants would you like to see stay open late?
Evelyn & Angel's opens cafe
Yalonda Howze, owner of the adorable chocolate and nut shop outside Harvard Square, tells me that she's about to open a cafe inside her candy store. It'll sell Stumptown coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries. She hopes that the cafe will serve as an evening pitstop for people leaving Giulia and Temple Bar. Look for it toward the end of next week.
Evelyn & Angel's, 1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge
Your chance to enjoy Chinese food inside a Howard Johnson hotel has vanished [updated]
If you ever wanted to eat Chinese food inside a Howard Johnson hotel within walking distance of Fenway Park, 2014 will not be your year. Boston Restaurant Talk reports the not-entirely-surprising news that Hong Kong Cafe inside the Fenway Howard Johnson on Boylston St. has closed. Forebodingly, its bar, the Tiki Hideaway, closed on December 13.
FULL ENTRYWink and Nod, a new concept from Boston Nightlife Ventures, preps for South End opening
The BNV team, who run restaurants like Forum and Griddler's, originally planned to call their new South End restaurant Blind Tiger. No more. Their rep e-mails us some updates about the space and the concept, slated to open early next year. Here's details from BNV president Euz Azevedo:
The team here at Boston Nightlife Ventures are getting one step closer to announcing our newest venue which is going in the former Noche space in the South End. The venue has been referred to as "Blind Tiger," but that was just the project name for our speakeasy, not the final name. In the end, we decided against that name after hearing feedback from people who thought that Blind Tiger was going to be an Asian restaurant. During our renovations and as our concept became more clear, we thought that the name Wink and Nod sounded more in line of what we are trying to create in the space. The chic, new restaurant and lounge is going to have a serious craft cocktail program with a dinner menu that can be paired well with the inspired drinks and are encouraged to be shared. The interior hues will combine rich reds and golds with wood and marble to make for a mysterious yet enticing vibe.
FULL ENTRYJamie Bissonnette launches his own beer, PureBiss
Coppa and Toro chef Jamie Bissonnette now has his very own beer, PureBiss. His rep tells us that it's an "unconventional witbier featuring spruce tips, grapefruit zest, and kaffir lime leaves." Bottles are on sale for $13 at Coppa and Toro, and on tap at Sonny's in Dover, New Hampshire. Pure...bliss.
Updated: Last call for Flash's Cocktails?
The doors are locked. Stacks of mail have piled up outside. Their website is down, and nobody's answering the phone. All signs point to last call at Flash's, the Back Bay cocktail lounge and restaurant known for succulent garlic fries.
FULL ENTRYPews and brews: Centre Street Sanctuary to open in Jamaica Plain
While this one spot was frequented for religious reasons at one time, it's now a destination for a different kind of retreat. Bostonians will be able to dine on 12-ounce Grass-fed New York strip steak and enjoy a libation (or two) at the old campus of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament.
Welcome to Jamaica Plain's newest restaurant, Centre Street Sanctuary, which is set to open Tuesday, May 28. The atmosphere has been designed to be reminiscent of a church, complete with stained glass and a bar made of a 700-pound oak door from a shuttered church in Watertown, according to Urban Daddy.
FULL ENTRYWhat do you think of Revere Hotel's new rooftop bar?
Laurie Swope for Boston.com
Boston based sculptors Colin Dreisch, left, and DOM! stood next to one of their creations on the Revere Roof deck.
The year-old Revere Hotel opened a rooftop bar Sunday called Rooftop@Revere. The space includes an indoor pool, an outdoor bar, and plenty of space to sun bathe.
The seven-story high space will be open from 4 p.m.-11:30 p.m. through June, and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. in July.
When you go, be sure to check out the animal statues (pictured above). And here, see more pictures from the bar's opening party.
Have you checked out the rooftop space yet? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Rooftop@Revere is located in the Revere Hotel at 200 Stuart St, Boston.
A sneak peek of Bronwyn's new menu
Ken Richardson
A "Giant Haus Bretzel" and Schneider HopfenWeissen, a limited edition hopped wheat beer, at Bronwyn in Somerville.
Union Square's latest restaurant addition, Bronwyn, is all set to open today, May 15. We got a chance to take an exclusive first look at the menu, focusing on central and eastern European fare. Note: The names of the entrees are fun to say. You'll see.
Here is what you need to know about the menu:
Sausage. There is a section dedicated to "house-made wurst," or what we call sausage. There are six different choices, including "Zungenblutwurst," which is described as blood, tongue, and pork.
Potatoes. If you're a fan of the starchy goodness, then you'll find plenty of options here. "Mohnnudeln," for example, consists of potato and poppy noodles, salmon gravlax, and creme fraiche.
Doughnut. A dessert item is described as a lemon raspberry doughnut with chocolate sauce, called "Berliner." Its competition? The German chocolate cake, of course.
Pretzel. Or as Bronwyn says, "Bretzel." Grub Street reported chef Tim Wiechmann's attempt to perfect the bread concoction (which comes with roasted apple mustard). If you're not satisfied, oat-honey challah is also available.
Don't forget, there will be a biergarten open for the summer, with a promise of beer (35 different pilsners, lagers, and more offered). Half of the menu comprises of their extensive beer list, wine, and cocktail menu, all with the flavors of central and Eastern Europe.
What do you think about the menu? Do you think the restaurant will fit in with Union Square's bustling nightlife scene? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Bronwyn is located at 255 Washington St., Somerville. It is slated to open on May 15.
Bronwyn to bring Eastern European flavors to Union Square
Courtesy Bronwyn Restaurant
A sneak peek of Bronwyn in Somerville's Union Square. The restaurant plans to open May 15.
Union Square already has fancy cocktails, delicious donuts, fine dining, and craft beers. All it was missing was a destination for sausage, pretzel, and Pilsner fans.
Joining a string of buzzworthy hot spots in Somerville's Union Square is Bronwyn, a restaurant and bar from the owners of T.W. Foods in Cambridge.
Husband-and-wife duo Tim and Bronwyn Wiechmann own the restaurant, and Tim is the restaurant's chef. They plan to pay homage to their German roots by serving food and drink inspired from the region, according to a press release. Menu items include Bavarian sausages, riesling sauerkraut, and foie gras.
This new spot has the potential of joining the already flourishing nightlife scene of Union Square. It plans to offer Eastern and Central European beers, but local beer fans don't fret -- American beers that are brewed in the European style will also be available. Craft cocktails, wines from central Europe, and schnapps will also make up the drink menu.
The decor will include velvet seating and iron chandeliers (belonging to Wiechmann's family). Oh, and, in true European style, there will also be a biergarten open from 5 p.m. to midnight, weather permitting.
While Bronwyn opens May 15, you can start making reservations on May 11. 255 Washington St., Somerville, www.bronwynrestaurant.com