Amy Morton's Found Unveils New Concept

From Found: Restaurateur Amy Morton and her groundbreaking Evanston restaurant, Found Kitchen and Social House, are fast-forwarding into the next decade. Why? “Because I’ve changed in the last 10 years, Evanston has changed and so has the world,” says Morton. Her passion and connection with counterculture remain, transforming the restaurant from 1920s Parisian expat culture to an atmosphere capturing the politics, music and life-altering, mind-mending events of the 1960s.

“The relevance of what was going on in the 1960s could not be more parallel to what is happening today.” From women’s rights to the environment, these were key issues then and remain so today. The “social house” aspect of Found has always been about people coming together, connecting and talking about important events of the day; the food, beverages and vibe of Found are what bring them back and make them feel at home.

The Chef and Menu

While Found has been a tremendous success in Evanston, Amy taps into her belief in the Buddhist philosophy that “all things must change.” “We just can’t get attached to things,” she says. “The second you think you understand something, it changes.” And change is afoot at Found, beginning with a new Executive Chef, Bradford Phillips (Blackbird, Pump Room, NoMi). Phillips’ resume speaks for itself from his start with Paul Kahan at Blackbird to his work with Jean-George Vongerichten. “Beyond it all, he is a terrific, collaborative guy and the perfect culinary evolution for Found!” says Morton. The menu will be driven by Chef Phillips’ passion for beautiful products, the season and, of course, local ingredients.

Committed as Found has always been to all things local and working with the best quality ingredients, the new menu is “flexitarian” and speaks to Morton’s continued call to be good to ourselves and the planet. The menu will focus on vegetables and be vibrant in color and flavor with an eye to healthfulness, lighter ingredients and smaller plates.

The new menu will also be moderately priced. Morton & Chef Phillips’ are bringing the menu back to its affordable roots, making it a place you can visit several times a week with “of the moment” nightly specials so there is always something new to try. “From the get-go, Found was supposed to be a place you could go to weekly without breaking the bank. Over the years, our portions got big and, with that, more expensive than I ever wanted Found to be.” Prices on the new, still-to-be shared menu will all be under $20 (except for the caviar, which harkens back to Morton’s days at her Old Town bistro, Mirador). The menu will have a kids’ section as well, “which is a no-brainer,” says Morton, and happy hour options with some items for just $5!

The Space
The food isn’t the only thing that’s new…The design has morphed from a warm and quirky “grandma’s basement” (Julia Kramer, Time Out Magazine, 2012) to the chic modernity of the 1960s, laced with a bit of hippiedom. Morton, who has sees herself as a hippie born a decade too late, recalls a time when one could be seen in a beautiful Chanel jacket or hip hugger bell bottom jeans while the first of images of man walking on the moon or Vietnam flashed across the crackly black and white TV.

The language of the space will be warm, inviting and quirky, which Found has become known for, with lush greenery reminiscent of Cuba and vibrant Middle Eastern textiles harkening back to The Beatles’ spiritual journey to India. Informed by the iconic events of the times, the new vibe is simple and clean, and includes a beautiful bleached bar, tambour paneling and palm/jungle print, Morton’s homage to a recent family trip to Cuba. Reusing and repurposing is one of Morton’s core beliefs (“I certainly don’t want to be a slave to consumerism”) so of course “found” objects are on display throughout the space. “So much of who I am and what Found is is about being a good steward to the planet… besides “found” items tell better stories. And as amazing as the new space will be, it is still Found- we’re just moving into the next decade!” said Morton. Think light, airy and warm with colorful textiles overlaying Evanston’s lakefront and tree-centric streets.

The Bar
The bar program is going big and bold too. “I want people to know they can come in for drinks and not just dinner. In addition to more and varied seating, the newly added bar bites menu will have both wine and whiskey pairings, as well as the grooviest and finest hand-selected whiskey program outside the city, curated by whiskey aficionado, Dave Sweet, who can be “found” behind the bar chatting with guests about the newest barrel release. There will also be a nod to the ever lovin’ hippies with cocktails created to lift the spirit made from ingredients that speak directly to opening the chakras, the major vortexes of energy coming in and going out of the body.

Morton considers the reworked beverages menu a spiritual enlightenment through booze, something that speaks to her own sense of spirituality, as well as the emerging spirituality of the times. Drinks feature “flower power” essences and liquors that excite the senses, taste buds and chakras. Think lots of rose (a heart opener), lavender (amazing healing properties), bergamot (joy), and other ingredients that speak to an awakening and grounding in the universe.

The Experience
The daughter of steakhouse legend Arnie Morton, Amy Morton has a long history in the hospitality industry and Found has been widely hailed for paving the way for a blossoming restaurant revolution in Evanston. Morton continues this restaurant renaissance with the next iteration of Found. Music will play a huge role in the experience and will focus on the 1960s. A turntable will even be installed so music can be played as it was then. Sunday brunch with the Beatles boasts kombucha, house-made juices, including a special green juice, and Sparrow coffee, amongst awesome sweet and savory brunch time dishes.

Private Events
Private events span from 2-250 with three private space options and the opportunity for complete restaurant buyouts. Events can range from mixing & mingling to individually plated sit-down dinners. Custom menus, hospitable staff and a state-of-the-art audio-visual system guarantee each event at Found is amazing and unique.

Hours
Lunch
Tuesday - Saturday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Dinner
Tuesday - Thursday 4:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 4:00 p.m.
Sunday 4:30 p.m.

Brunch
Sunday 10:00 a.m.

Happy Hour
Tuesday - Friday 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday 2:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Closed Mondays, except the first Monday of every month when we host First Mondays, our way of giving back.

Photo credit: Huge Galdones