Why is Black Rooster subbing Italian for French?
As Black Rooster posted on Facebook this week, the cat's out of the proverbial bag. The modern rooftop bar and restaurant in West Columbia, which has made its focus French cuisine for the last four years, will switch to Italian cuisine at the beginning of the year.Â
"Why?" many of you questioned in Facebook comment sections and under Instagram posts. Some people were excited to have a new place filling a niche left by the closure of Al's Upstairs, while others lamented the loss of a cuisine that's relatively unique in Columbia.Â
But, opinions aside, it's a fair question: why is Black Rooster subbing Italian for French? What does it mean for the city's ever-evolving dining scene and what does it say about the balance between chef creativity and business sustainability?
Black Rooster in West Columbia will begin serving Italian cuisine at the beginning of January. Hannah Wade/staff.
As we talked about the changes coming to his restaurant, I asked Kristian Niemi, who's behind other popular places like Bourbon and The Dragon Room, about this.
His reasoning for the change is three-fold: one, he missed the Italian food he'd prepared while he owned Forest Acres' Rosso Trattoria in the mid-2010s, two, with the closure of Al's Upstairs, a longtime Italian restaurant, he saw a niche that he wants to fill and three, French in Columbia had always been a tough sell.
"I don't think anybody, especially (in Columbia), thinks of French (food) and thinks 'Oh, we'll just stop for a light bite.' They think it's fancy," Niemi said. This contradicts Black Rooster's space, Niemi said. With a more modern, yet laidback, vibe and an outdoor rooftop patio, French cuisine and all its perceptions often clashed with the restaurant's physical space.Â
Getting Columbia on board with a cuisine that was somewhat unfamiliar, with hard to pronounce menu items and ingredients that push the envelope for what most are used to, was quite a task. When Black Rooster initially opened in 2019, it only took six months before Niemi changed most of the once-French menu names into English ones so that they were easier for people to understand.
It's an uphill battle for many restaurant owners in Columbia, balancing the needs of a generation that still prefers shrimp and grits while wanting to move the city's dining scene forward with more creative options.
Doing so can be a tough act, Niemi said.
"It's not easy, it isn't, but you see opportunities on your menus and places where you can gently nudge people forward without intimidating them," Niemi said.Â
There are pockets of success with this in Columbia. Quirky pours of wine from smaller wine producers have become Lula Drake Wine Parlour's bread and butter — with an emphasis on making something that feels traditionally pretentious and intimidating more welcoming and accessible.
Entirely plant-based cuisine, which has increasingly become more popular in larger cities, could be a tough sell in a city that prides itself on the meat-and-three plate. But at places like A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen and The Hoot, making vegan dishes that feel familiar — despite unfamiliar ingredients — has proven successful.
What do you think, Columbia? What does the shift mean for Columbia's dining scene, if anything? Do you see the city growing in terms of opportunities or do you want more adventure? What might the future hold, in your opinion? Many of you might've already reacted or commented under social media posts, but I'd love to hear from you. I can be reached at hannahw@free-times.com.
Other Food News You Might've Missed:
Sip away:Â You might soon be able to sample wine and beer at Soda City Market. Through a new resolution passed Dec. 19 by the Columbia City Council, producers of locally-produced wine and beer will be able to offer samples at the weekly Saturday market on Main Street.Â
RIP (Rest in Pizza): Village Idiot in Forest Acres, one of three locations of the popular pizzeria, is spending its last week in the neighborhood, owners posted on social media Dec. 18. Celebrate their time in Forest Acres — if you spend $40 there anytime between Dec. 19 and the 23, you'll get a free $10 gift card.Â
Oh, shuck yeah: Shuckin' Shack, a North Carolina-based oyster bar with locations across the southeast, is coming to Columbia, according to the eatery's website. No information on when the restaurant will open or where it will be located was immediately available.Â
