History on the menu at new city restaurant

High-profile chef Jonny Schwass’ latest culinary venture will open its history-ingrained doors this week.

His new restaurant, Harlequin Public House, will open in historic Ironside House tomorrow.

The building, on the corner of Salisbury and Montreal streets, is more than a century old, and the bygone era will be honoured by Schwass’ latest project.

The new restaurant will offer an Oyster and Champagne Bar, a 50-seat bistro for dining, a 1920s-style cocktail lounge and a private dining area for smaller occasions such as tastings and special degustation events.

Schwass lost Restaurant Schwass in the 2011 earthquakes.

Most of Schwass’ original team, including his maitre d’ and drinks expert, have remained in the city, and will rejoin the team at Harlequin Public House.

Ironside House’s owners restored it to its former glory despite it being severely damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and being red-stickered.

Co-owner Jacqui Lee said that when she saw the building after the devastating quake she thought, ‘‘How the hell are we going to fix this?’’

Saving the building, built in 1899, involved lifting and moving the house on to the nearby car park so workers could put down deep-pile foundations, and ‘‘conservatively’’ cost about $2.5 million, she said.

Ironside House was once home to a surgery and later a lecture hall for the Christchurch Teachers’ College.