Next Huge Concepts From Ironside Owners Revealed

Though CH Project's latest big splash, Ironside Fish & Oyster, is still reveling in its honeymoon phase in Little Italy, the hospitality group is already forging ahead with its next ambitious concept, which a sharp-eyed tipster snapped a photo of and shared with Eater.

While UnderBelly North Park and CH's new juice bar will debut soon, Eater has learned that their newest brainchild may beat both to the punch. Scheduled for a mid-June launch is Rare Form, which will share the historic 1927 Simon Levi Company building in the East Village with the just-opened Stone Brewing Tap Room.

Stone CEO and co-founder Greg Koch and CH Projects' principal Arsalun Tafazoli are good friends and have been looking to open adjacent venues; Tafazoli will take 2,700-square-feet of the space for a self-described "old man Jewish deli" that will smoke and cure its own meat in-house.

Tafazoli, who lives in the neighborhood, says there's a dearth of good deli in San Diego's food landscape and hopes to tap into the local lunch market; Rare Form will borrow from Langer's, a deli institution in LA, and New York's Russ & Daughters.

Chef Aldo Negrete (Whisknladle, Jsix, Quality Social) has been honing his meat-related skills for years, and his menu at Rare Form will include porchetta sandwiches, housemade linguiça, a hefty reuben with house-smoked pastrami, and all variety of charcuterie. The restaurant will also house a bakery, which will make bread, including pretzel buns, for the deli and eventually fuel all CH Projects' holdings. Now that Bruxie's bailed on San Diego, Rare Form will fill the waffle sandwich void with homemade knockwurst encased in waffles and waffles spread with country pate or chicken liver mousse.

Renowned barman Anthony Schmidt (Noble Experiment) will be a partner here, and is putting together the country's largest schnapps collection to power Rare Form's cocktail program that will undoubtedly be a step above the syrupy peppermint and peach schnapps of yore.

Also in the works, an entirely separate concept on the building's rooftop, a rum-centric bar that may open in August. Tafazoli stops short of calling it a tiki bar, but expect tropical drinks similar to what's being mixed up at Polite Provisions and Ironside.
· CH Projects [Official Site]
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