photo: Courtesy the refinery

Pastry chef Hetty Arts adds finishing touches to an order. The Four Seasons alum will design the dessert menu at The Refinery. 

Does anyone still remember Old Town Brasserie? Even though the classy French spot closed more than three years ago, it’s still the most recent occupant of the space that’s about to house the Refinery (1209 N. Wells St., 312-854-2970).

An evolutionary scion of a previously announced, never opened Irish pub project called The Skeff, The Refinery—owned by Entrée Group brothers Robert and Tom Ellis—is scheduled to open at the end of June with Lawrence Letrero (Untitled, Tribute) at the helm.

“The food is based off what ‘refinery’ is—taking something well known and refining it,” Letrero says. For example, the restaurant’s burger uses short ribs, emulsified butter, and a homemade brioche bun. For another example, the surf and turf combines seared scallop and braised oxtail, alongside a green papaya salad and roasted peanuts.

The dessert menu is designed by the pastry chef Hetty Arts (above), an alumna of the Four Seasons Chicago and New York’s Eleven Madison Park. The beverage program is concocted by Cody Modeer (Ward Eight) and Enoch Cruz (the W Hotel).

Now that this address has an occupant, if only they could do something about Block 37. Oh, sorry—force of habit.