By Heather Aveson
“A little elegant, with a cozy atmosphere. Even if it’s your first time it feels like you’ve been here before,” that was the first impression Executive Chef Eric Zedicker had of Lexx Restaurant when he visited this summer. But don’t let that cozy feeling make you too comfortable with the Lexx you know. There are lots of new things happening at the restaurant.
Chef Eric Zedicker just joined the staff of Lexx in October. Owner Don Rosenberg and Managing Partner Chris Bateman like the fit, “His personality works with ours. He’s humble, but he’s talented, and he’s got just enough of an edge that his food is really good,” says Bateman. Zedicker grew up on a farm in upstate New York so he’s all about fresh, high quality ingredients and letting the food speak for itself. He earned his stripes at Sonsie, the Newbury Street bistro, the Back Bay Social Club, and most recently a high-end caterer in Wellesley where he rounded out his culinary skills by working in every kind of cuisine.
So far Zedicker has been busy at Lexx getting a fresh fall menu off the ground, with new duck and chicken dishes, and seafood and vegetarian paella, along with Lexx favorites such as Morroccan Stew and of course, the famous Lexx burger.
Now the fun begins. Eric is firing up the smoker, which got little use before he arrived, and creating specials, especially “market fish” dishes based on the freshest catch of the day. These creative opportunities are what drew the 28-year old Chef to Lexx, “I had worked in the city and I was looking for a nice, small American bistro. I like simple food with unique tastes. I want to create a style that’s what I want it to be.”
Managing partner Chris Bateman is happy to have Eric taking over the reins in the kitchen. He’s been a jack of all trades at the restaurant for several years, running the kitchen and the front of the house as well as buying, hiring and managing, “I’ve been in charge of everything for several years and finally we got to the point where the restaurant outgrew me. I couldn’t do it all anymore. Having someone who’s not pulled in five different directions, who’s just focused on the kitchen, is going to have a huge impact on us.”
With the kitchen in good hands Chris has more time to focus on building other areas in the restaurant. This fall Lexx has introduced a Premium pour program. Diners can now order premium wines by the glass, rather than having to purchase an entire bottle. The restaurant invested in a high tech system that replaces the liquid with argon, rather than letting the bottle fill with oxygen. Chris explained that it’s oxygen coming in contact with the wine that breaks it down. They’ve started with four red wines this fall and they’re waiting to see how it goes.
The wine list, as well as the menu, is constantly changing in response to customer tastes. “Three years ago we had a fifty two bottle wine list, all world encompassing,” Chris says, “After a year we realized that Lexingtonians want California wines. So we pared the list down to twenty eight wines, mostly California.” But Chris wants his customers to remain adventurous too. “I’ve always tried to push people to pick some stuff that’s on the edge, right now we have an Albariño, a white wine from Spain. That’s their grape and it’s phenomenal. But most people would be scared to pick an Albariño, so we always try to put a few things that are a little bit different. Pushing the envelope again.”
All this takes place in a newly redesigned space that reflects the dining trends in Lexington and beyond. Owner Don Rosenberg worked with an interior designer to create a better experience, including a larger lounge area. “That’s an obvious trend, the lounge has become a strong focal point in urban and contemporary restaurants. Now you can really enjoy a meal with friends in the lounge.” Before the renovation sounds swirled around the space and bounced off the low, hard ceiling. So the ceiling surface was softened and walls reconfigured to quiet the space.
Rosenberg recognizes the importance of creating a comfortable space as part of the changing role of dining out in America. “Restaurants have become a very high form of entertainment. When I was a kid, restaurants were a place to go and eat. Now it’s a community, a gathering place almost like the movies used to be. Now you’re going to go out to dinner instead of the movies to enjoy company.”
Lexx customers keep coming back for that experience. So much so that Lexx has started a Loyalty program. More than 1,000 people have signed up for the points program that rewards frequent diners with big savings.
It seems Lexingtonians and their neighbors agree with Chef Zedicker, “Food should be simple and pure, with a different twist.”