A brave new restaurant opens on Front Street.
Bermuda’s newest restaurant opened its doors on November 15, 2012. Located at 55 Front Street, owners David Madeiros and Rick Olson braved the tumultuous economy and decided to have faith. They believed that there is a market for fine dining if you create the right the mix of people, dishes and ambiance. Taking an “If you build it, they will come,” approach has served the partners well. Since opening its doors, RED has been bustling, serving savvy foodies and world travellers alike in a fine-dining atmosphere that is continuously evolving.
Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Jason Jones, RED has the right mix of old-world charm and modern elements. Walking up the staircase from Front Street, you will encounter a marine-inspired mural on the entrance wall. The beautiful etched doors you see at the entrance came from a private residence in Belgium. The rustic mahogany bar that is the center of RED came from the south side of Chicago, built by the Brunswick Company, which legend has it built the best bars in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Who knows? Maybe Al Capone himself had a brew or two at this bar.
The vibrant red Casablanca fans, from New Orleans, give the restaurant a wonderful old-fashioned tropical ambiance. Add to the mix soft lighting, the largest clear-barrier balcony overlooking Front Street and the breathtaking harbour, WIFI and a VIP RED room and loft upstairs, and the stage is set for an unparalleled dining and social experience.
Enter executive chef Veronica Mal. Born in India and hailing from Toronto, Mal has been a trendsetter in the food industry in Toronto for the last eight years. Working with top catering companies, consulting for restaurants, writing for magazines and newspapers, doing food styling for broadcast media, winning several food competitions and teaching at local colleges and culinary schools, Mal has an extensive culinary background with a social-media focus.
“As a chef, you are only good as your last plate, and food is performance art at its best,” she says. With that philosophy in mind and an artistic approach to presentation, Mal joined RED determined to answer one question: how do you open a steakhouse in a food-savvy location and keep it current? At the heart of RED is the delivery of the best cuts of meat and freshest seafood that is available. The focus is to stay simple with technique, multilayer flavours and always use high-quality produce.
The vision behind the food at RED is that every meal is a contemporary spice journey. Guests come in with the idea of meat and potatoes. They are greeted instead with a cornucopia of sensations: the whisper of overhead fans, the glow at twilight from the harbour, the sound of soft jazz mixed with Indian, Afro and Latin beats. A Spice Menu will be introduced in the spring. Guests will choose their dish and decide if they would like it to be created in Argentinean, East Indian, Mexican, or Italian style. Although RED will always keep its classic steakhouse techniques, it will change to reflect the times, the seasons and customers’ preferences.
A restaurant would not be complete without a well-selected wine and cocktail list, and RED’s is crafted with care. There is a wide range of Cabernets from around the world, and the list includes French, Italian and Californian wines that will appeal to both the connoisseur and the by-the-glass drinker. RED is making quite a splash with its happy hour, featuring many delectable cocktails, and it is attracting a late-night crowd.
With patio heaters outside and guest DJs inside, RED has become a lively social scene for friends ready to celebrate any occasion.
