There are no ovens inside In Bloom, the wildly ambitious new restaurant from chef Thomas Boemer and Nick Rancone. The duo, who also run Corner Table and the Revival restaurants as the Twist Davis group have opened the anchor restaurant inside the Keg & Case food hall with a central 20 foot fireplace fueled only be wood for all of its cooking. During the day, prep includes a dangling deer leg that can take up to two hours to slowly roast. Poussin also linger by the flames, absorbing the smoke before getting a final, crackling roast in the heat. Everything served here comes out of the fire.
Surrounded by concrete walls, the dining room could be cold; stark, but instead the design pulls in soft touches, like the plush purple and white seat cushions and an impressive dangling light fixture that gives the illusion of twirling opals catching the firelight.
The menu is broken out by where the food comes from: seafood, vegetables, poultry, venison and a centerpiece section of large meat dishes to be shared by the table. One includes slices of pork belly, a cut that made Boemer famous in his early Corner Table days. Also available is an entire leg of venison. The meat carved off the bone and served over roasted root vegetables, garnished with edible flowers. There’s also a massive, aged long bone ribeye for guests that aim to impress.
The wine list includes selections Rancone is known for, lots of biodynamic and interesting, little-known wines from around the world that range from budget-adjacent to heavy hitter prices. There is also a full be with classic cocktails made with giant, clear ice cylinders.
For now, the restaurant is only open for dinner and the reservations have been packed. However, there are plans to eventually expand to lunch.