Tako Truk Chef to Open Madison Park Conservatory

Madison Park’s delicious Italian date spot, Sostanza, has closed its doors. I've spent several warm summer evenings on that patio enjoying a caprese salad and sipping pinot gris, and I'll miss the old place.

But the good news is that the two-storied space will be put to wonderful new use when chef Cormac Mahoney and Bryan Jarr reopen the space this fall as a restaurant called the Madison Park Conservatory. You’ll recognize the two from the short-lived but completely delicious Tako Truk venture—wacky tacos dished out of Eastlake’s 14 Carrot Café after-hours—which was my favorite cheap dinner of Summer 2009.

UPDATE: Details are few at this point, but here's what he will say: "I will be chef/owner/dishwasher/bouncer and my dear friend Zoi Antonitsas (Ed. Note: and Top Chef season 4 alum) will be holding my hand and throwing frying pans around. It will not be Tako Truk."

Mahoney tells me they're hoping to open this fall. More details when they come my way.