Old 701 Interior
Ashok Bajaj, restaurateur extraordinaire announced that 701 will close on August 2 and reopen on August 10th after round-the-clock renovation efforts including a new interior and a new chef. 701 is getting a total facelift featuring a new crystal vinyl bar topped with glass. Another new addition is a semi-private dining area designated with elegant curtain panels that can comfortably seat 24 supplementing the popular 20–seat private dining room.
Guests can anticipate a soothing color scheme of beige, brown and ivory accented by deep azure blue found on the new “Neptune” leather chairs with floral tapestry backs sprinkled throughout the restaurant. Dark rich wood and neutral earth tones provide a welcoming décor against the restaurant’s new backdrop, a striking black and white wall covering.
Bajaj has also tapped Adam Longworth as the new executive chef for 701. Chef Longworth, a 2001 Culinary Institute of America graduate, has worked with Chef Alfred Portale at New York’s acclaimed Gotham Bar and Grill since 2002. After a short stint under Tom Collichio at Gramercy Tavern in 2003, he went to Philadelphia to help Portale open Striped Bass with Chef Christopher Lee, now the executive chef at New York’s Gilt Restaurant.
