Michael Schlow returns to Boston fine dining with Seamark at the Encore
Chef Michael Schlow shot to acclaim with the Financial District’s fine-dining flagship, Radius, which closed in 2013. Now he’s rolling the dice on Everett: He’ll return to the local upscale dining scene with Seamark Seafood & Cocktails and cocktail bar Old Wives Tale at Encore Boston Harbor this spring. Schlow calls his nautical menu “pier to plate,” with a focus on local shellfish. This marks a turning point for the James Beard award-winning chef. His current Boston presence centers around food hall spots: Sauce Burgers at Hub Hall and Italian Kitchen at Time Out Market.
Schlow plans to “take the most amazing, fresh, pristine seafood and create a menu that offers the best raw bar, Northeast classics, and simple yet creative entrees,” he says, plus steaks and pasta.
Schlow represents a nostalgic era: His name was synonymous with stylish urban dining for years, first at the Back Bay’s scene-y Cafe Louis and later at Radius in the Financial District, which opened in 1998 and earned 3.5 Globe stars. In 2000, he was named Best Chef: Northeast at the James Beard Awards.
After Radius closed, Schlow went on to other restaurants and other cuisines: Alta Strada (Italian), Barrio Cantina (Mexican), Doretta Taverna (Greek), Happy’s (retro comfort food), Tico (South American), Via Matta (Italian), as well as operating restaurants at Foxwoods Casino and in Washington, D.C.
One important note: “I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’m pretty excited to have a new home for the Schlowburger that we served at Radius,” he says. The Globe once described it as a “beautiful synthesis of rib eye and chuck blended together, topped with horseradish sauce, cheddar, and crispy onions.”
The new spots open on Friday, April 12.