Chef says upcoming Midtown restaurant Sauce will be more than a pizzeria
Melody BaetensWhen news hit last spring that Midtown's Will Leather Goods had closed, it was reported that Sauce, a new Neapolitan-style pizza spot from restaurateur Jeremy Sasson, would go in its place.
The team behind the new restaurant, including executive chef Myles McVay, is gearing up to open this spring. Since the initial news release, the concept of Sauce has naturally evolved from a pizza spot to what McVay calls "multiple, high-end culinary experiences under one roof."
"Sauce" not only refers to pizza, but also pasta and other dishes, including big, shareable cuts of meat. McVay expects the menu to be nearly a quarter vegetarian. He'll be employing the use of two wood-burning ovens and a rotisserie. Sauce will also have scratch-made pasta, wine bar, cocktails, espresso, spun-to-order gelato, pastries and more.
"It's kind of an all-day concept," says McVay. Formerly of Ferndale's Otus Supply, this chef has a history of wood-fired cooking and using Michigan ingredients. He says Sauce is a big project, with 11,000 square feet of space.
"We're going to make the kitchen as self-sustaining as possible ... we'll be using a lot of local farmers, local purveyors. It's really design driven, too."
He says the new Cass Corridor restaurant's look will take cues from Palm Springs, but the food will be modern Italian with Midwest ingredients. Renderings show a west coast vibe with a lot of pink and white, with touches of greenery and sophisticated lighting.
Sasson's Heirloom Hospitality is the parent company of Prime + Proper steakhouse in Detroit's tony Capitol Park and Townhouse restaurants both downtown and in Birmingham. Price points and a final menu for Sauce are still being hammered out, but McVay says the new spot will be "approachable," price-wise.
"It will definitely be for the 99 percent, in my estimation," he said.
Sauce is looking at a spring debut at 4120 Second near W. Willis in Detroit. Once open, it will serve lunch and dinner daily, plus weekend brunch. Keep up with the restaurant at saucedetroit.com.
Twitter: @melodybaetens
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