Opening Alert: Isa Brings New Blood to Bayside

Suzie St. Pierre and her chef-husband Isaul Perez are throwing open the doors to the public tonight. For its first week or two, Isa will be open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and closed Tuesdays. The restaurant will eventually open for lunch as well. Reservations are available by phone. Curious about the name? St. Pierre explained that it's pronounced "e-sa, not eye-sa," and is "a name we love. It's short and sweet and rolls off the tongue...and happens to be short for Isaul."

Friends and Family Night. [Photo courtesy Isa]

The restaurant's Facebook page has been steadily updated with development photos, focusing on homemade noodles as well as the winter light streaming through multi-pane windows. The website is also fleshed out; peppered with attractive photos of dishes and ingredients, it includes a sample menu of hearty comfort food like Braised Lamb with Gnocchi, Roasted Carrots, and Rosemary ($18) and Roasted Chicken with Escarole, Capers and Dill ($16). There's even a list of local purveyors, from Portland's Harbor Fish Market and Tandem Coffee Roasters to Lyman's Taylor Farm.

St. Pierre told Eater in January that they're excited to be in the Bayside neighborhood. Back Bay Grill has long felt like the only game in that area of town; will diners support another higher-end lunch and dinner option?