OLD TOWN TRIANGLE — The Hotel Lincoln is getting a replacement for its Perennial Virant restaurant: The Kennison.
Ryan See and Dan Warren partnered with the Boka Restaurant Group on the new venture, announced after Perennial Virant closed immediately after New Year's Eve. They've placed chef Bill Walker in charge, coming over from Green Zebra. He's also no stranger to the area, having previously worked at Old Town Social.
They haven't set an opening date, but it's expected to be later this month at 1800 N. Lincoln Ave.
Boka co-owner Rob Katz spoke of a "new direction" for the restaurant in teaming up with See and Warren's 90/94 Restaurant Group, and the Kennison appears ready to deliver on that.
Renderings show the bar being expanded and the aisles widened for a more inviting look on the ground floor of the hotel, along with adding a raw bar. It's expected to be a slightly less pretentious restaurant than under chef Paul Virant, but Walker is expected to retain its farm-to-table approach with close ties to the nearby Green City Market while expanding beyond the vegetarian fare of Green Zebra.
Walker was sous chef under David Chapman at Green Zebra, and Chapman worked at Perennial Virant. Walker also worked at Next and Quartino.
Maree Rogers will be the pastry chef, while continuing to serve at Boka's Momotaro as well.
Boka, of course, continues to operate the J. Parker atop the Hotel Lincoln, 1816 N. Clark St.
