Matthew Kenney's The Gothic NOW Open in Belfast

The Gothic, taking the place of the abruptly shuttered The Lost Kitchen, opened its doors late last week. Owner Matthew Kenney, of vegan and raw food fame (who also owns restaurants in Miami and California), tells the Bangor Daily News that his latest outpost serves cooked meat, among other things: "We don't want this to just be for gourmands. ... We want health food for everybody. We're creating food that is cooked, but clean, fresh and vibrant."

Jason Paul of Los Angeles is the head chef at the 40-seat restaurant, which is open daily. The restaurant offers a bar menu as well as a three-course menu, which ranges from around $26 - $60 depending on the offerings. According to BDN, the $36 "from the land" menu on Sunday night "featured sweet pea risotto, with vegetables and carrot jus, organic chicken with rhubarb, chard and maple and smoked chocolate pudding with maple, almonds and orange."

While Kenney, a Maine native who rose to chef stardom in New York City, has earned international acclaim for his books and apps that focus on raw foods and healthy living, the Eater Maine post announcing the switcheroo with The Lost Kitchen drew a comment flurry. While there were many comments expressing excitement over The Gothic, others said his previous handling of Commissary in the Portland Public Market (which "closed as a result of financial woes at Kenney's New York restaurants following 9/11"), left (ahem) lots to be desired.

But Commissary and Kenney's financial woes were seemingly a long time ago. Kenney's found success elsewhere, but can The Gothic bring him redemption in his native state? Time will tell.
· Belfast's The Gothic Makes 'Health Food for Everybody' [BDN]
· Matthew Kenney's The Gothic Replacing Lost Kitchen [-EM-]
· Natural Foodie: Celebrity Chef Looks to Open Minds, Palates to Raw Food [PPH]
· Chef Matt Kenney On The Hot Plate With The I.R.S. [NY Observer]
· The Gothic [Official Site]