Liz Biro: Rook restaurant is moving, expanding

My favorite 2014 meal was a ramen bowl at the Fletcher Place contemporary Asian restaurant Rook. The only thing missing was the chance to see the chef cook it. Soon I, you and anyone else will get to sit right in front of his kitchen.

This fall the 2-year-old, top-tier Indy restaurant moves from 719 Virginia Ave. into larger digs, two blocks north at the new Slate development. The 3,600-square-foot space includes "a totally open kitchen, with 20 seats surrounding it, so everyone will be able to watch the action," chef/co-owner Carlos Salazar said. "I can't wait."

Rook will grow to 80 seats from 32, and there will be a few seats outside, co-owner Ed Rudisell said.

Deylen Realty's Slate building is a $10 million, 68-unit, mixed-use apartment project at 501 Virginia Ave. The project includes 9,900 square feet of street-level retail space. It is expected to open this summer.

When the new Rook debuts in November, expect fresh décor, a larger menu and wine list, plus the addition of cocktails, Rudisell said.

"It's not going to be a transfer. It's going to be a bit of a departure. We're using it as an opportunity to reimagine the space. I'm not sure if I want to say 'reimagine,' but that's kind of what we're doing," Rudisell said.

"We don't want to repeat ourselves."

Asian street food inspires Rook's menu, and that won't change, Rudisell said. But the new location will be "nicer, more fun" and allow Salazar "to bring in more of the Chinese influences he's been wanting to implement."

Salazar's Philippine roots heavily influence Rook's cuisine, as does Southeast Asian cuisine, but Mexican notes might come into play. Recent specials included soft-shell crab tempura in tamarind broth with radish, black garlic, morel conserva and green beans. What Salazar called a "Korean tostada" held bulgogi, avocado, radish, mustard greens, kimchi mayo and pickled red onion. Tofu and soft-boiled eggs adorned the coconut curry ramen that charmed me in 2014.

Salazar in 2014 garnered a nomination from Food & Wine magazine for The People's Best New Chef in the Great Lakes Region. The same year, Salazar won first place in the Taste of Elegance pork cooking contest sponsored by the Indiana Pork association.

Rudisell also operates Mass Ave.'s Black Market and Fountain Square's Siam Square. Additionally, he is a partner with barman Joshua Gonzales at Thunderbird, also in Fountain Square.

Gonzales is creating the Rook cocktail list while Rudisell taps his Black Market team to help develop the Rook wine list.

"We're designing a wine cellar into the new space to accommodate a much larger offering," Rudisell said.

Rook's growth motivated the move as much as the Salazar's creative urges, Rudisell said. Crowded mealtimes left customers awaiting tables little room to stand.

Call Liz Biro at (317) 444-6264. Follow her on Twitter @lizbiro, Instagram @lizbirodish and Facebook.