Kirby’s, the white-tablecloth, graduation-dinner, hope-someone-else-is-picking-up-the-check steakhouse on Lower Greenville is getting a new concept. The old Kirby’s is still open until Sept. 30, even though part of the restaurant is under construction. But it will close and reopen Oct. 10 as WoodFire. "It’s going to be a completely different looking restaurant," says spokesman Rick Shew.
WoodFire is a more modern, casual concept, Shew says. "We’re not just a steakhouse any more. We’re not shackled to a concept," he says. The new menu will include hickory-wood grilled fish, seafood, Berkshire pork, short ribs, chicken and steak. The kitchen also will have a Wood Stone oven for "cracker-crust thin pizza." Shew mentioned miso-glazed salmon and a seared Asian tuna salad as some of his favorites from the menu, which Kirby’s executive chef Daniel Nemec designed.
The WoodFire menu is a little less pricey than Kirby’s, which had entrees between $30 and $50. WoodFire’s prices will start at about $13 for an entrée salad, and nothing is over $25, Shew says. “We’re actually putting more emphasis on the food,” he says.
More after the jump.
The new concept is an effort for the restaurant to fit better on trendy Lower Greenville. The new menu also includes about 14 appetizers, and about half of the remodeled restaurant will be bar and lounge space, Shew says. The bar will specialize in muddled-fruit cocktails, and a late-night menu will be available until 2 a.m.
For those loyal Kirby’s customers, the WoodFire menu will include a “Kirby’s Classics” section, where you can still order favorites like pepper steak and "Susie’s famous mashed potatoes." And even though the restaurant is being completely remodeled, they’re keeping the James Dean mural.
