Last Saturday, the Cooper-Young restaurant Cortona Contemporary Italian closed its doors. This Saturday night, those doors re-open to unveil Ink Bar, Lounge, Restaurant.
The menu, a collaboration between Jennifer Dickerson and Nate Oliva, features mostly small or “sharable” plates with dishes divided into the six categories:
• Let’s Share are the starters. Options include Carnival Chicken on a Stick ($13) with smoked chicken and house-made pickles and the Cooper Young Farmer’s Market Dip ($9) with local kale and artisanal Cheeses.
• Stone Work are the pizzas. The Truffled Jalapeno Pizza ($16) has black truffle pieces, fresh jalapeño, and Mozzarella. The Gamberetto ($18) has Gulf shrimp with Cajun season, shallots, and spinach.
• Field and Stream, cleverly, is for the salads and soups. There’s an Oyster Caesar salad ($14); a spinach salad ($10); and a curried cauliflower soup ($7).
• Stacked stands for burgers and sandwiches. There’s a catfish burrito ($15) as well as a pork belly rueben ($14) that boasts not Thousand Island dressing but Million Island dressing (no clue ’bout that) as well as kimchee.
• Get Your Own! are the entrees and include the Neighborhood Veggie Risotto ($16) with kale, zucchini, tomatoes, cheeses, and lemon, and the Flat Iron steak ($21) with chimichurri, potatoes, and spinach.
• Sweet Release, finally, is for the desserts and after-dinner drinks. There’s the Black Pearl ($11), a milkshake made with Sambuca, as well as a chocolate-chili creme brûlée.
Ink will also offer an artisan cocktail list as well as a selection of sparkling wines.
Ink, 948 S. Cooper (729-0101)
