Sartre4 min read

I was so excited to take a peek inside the secretive new restaurant, Sartre, soon to open inside Rhinegeist. The news was released via a teaser poem/press release, sent to local “Who’s Who” in food write-ups (someday I will be one of these!), but…. I got the tour and the interview!!! So, here’s the additional info since the “Poem” was shared on social media. The tour (no pictures allowed but, trust me, it’s going to be beautiful) was awesome. Sartre is in the bottom of Rhinegeist, in an area which was the bottling room of the original Moerleinplant in 1895. The bar back is an antique from the Wooden Nickeland the same wood craftsmanship is reflected throughout the restaurant. There will be two lounge-type areas and communal tables by the bar. The main dining area is open, but cozy, and a private dining––seating 10-12––is separated by large, antique, sliding doors.Chef Justin Uchtmandecided it was time to make his way home after working at Michelin starred SPQRin San Francisco for seven years. He was home for a visit a couple of years ago, and his friends took him down to OTR and Findlay Market. He was looking around saying “what is this place?” He’d never been to this area of Cincinnati. They drove around, and he fell in love with the architecture and the market. Lucky for us, he was at a point in his career when he was deciding what he wanted next and, with Cincy becoming a mecca of fantastic restaurants, he chose to come home.I had a long conversation with Jim Cornwell, one of the masterminds behind Sartre. He has an impressive background and has been doing amazing things with area restaurants for years (including Boca, Hugo,Maisonetteand openingDutch’s Larder, which he is still involved with). Also on board as consulting chef isJeremy Lieb, formerly Executive Chef of Boca.

So, if you are catching on, this is one hell of a team! Jim is a fun person to talk to and is one of the reasons I love doing this blog. I can’t possibly write everything that I learned in my interview, but I want to share that when I talk to people like Jim he exudes a passion that’s truly inspiring. He talks about the farmers they buy from…to the way he guides the cooks to create dishes that will make you speechless…to the feel he wants visitors to have the minute they walk into the restaurant. I have no doubt that Sartre is going to be nothing but unbelievable with the crew he has put together, the designers he is using for the décor and the surprising location inside one of Cincy’s most popular breweries.The scoop is this is going to have the feel of upscale dining in a cool low-key atmosphere. A “Contemporary Brasserie” serving contemporary French cuisine, although Jim said the menu will be mixed with a bit of a Mediterranean flair. Everything is still in the works . You’re going to feel comfortable walking into Sartre after playing cornhole on the main floor of the brewery or coming from work. It will appeal to everyone from the college crowd to young professionals to the older patrons.

This killer spot will also serve 80 wines, 12 beers on tap, a white and Rose on tap, 10-12 specialty cocktails and 20 bottled beers. They’ll also serve a select menu from a kiosk on the main floor of the brewery. It will have a vacuum tube to shoot orders down to the kitchen (I’m picturing a bank drive thru). They’ll have about 10-12 menu items to serve during the hours before the restaurant opens.To Know:The name Sartre comes from the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, known for being a free-thinker with freedom of expression…ideology shared by the restaurant.I googled a couple of my favorite quotes…"It is up to you to give life meaning""We are our choices" Jean-Paul Sartre (pronounced Sartruh with just the slightest ruh. It almost sounds like Sart, but the ruh sound is barely there.) just a little FYI :)

•ParkingOn the street, take the streetcar, or use valet
•Projected OpeningThird week of September

•The Original Poem to announce the openingSartre is a restaurantA Restaurant is a place with a doorA door has a handleMade of brass or steel or another material Etc. And there will be a bar: Bars are for waiting for tables Bars are for asking for a cigarette Bars are for whispering to your love Bars are forgetting your own mortalityEtc. Our food will be vibrant and unusual Our food will be simple but complicated Like a poem Like this poem Like a caveLike an explosionEtc.