Seth Greenberg in the Ames Building, which is being developed into the Ames Hotel. His restaurant Woodward is set to open with the hotel later this year.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
G FORCE | SETH GREENBERG
Appetite for invention
Seth Greenberg to open ‘a modern tavern’ in a new Boston luxury hotel
Seth Greenberg in the Ames Building, which is being developed into the Ames Hotel. His restaurant Woodward is set to open with the hotel later this year.
(Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe)
July 15, 2009
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As the impresario behind the Paradise, M-80, Mistral, and more, Seth Greenberg has helped shape Boston’s after-dark persona. In recent years, he’s worked on projects in New York, but now he’s planning something new for Boston: a restaurant at the Ames, a luxury hotel near Faneuil Hall. To be called Woodward, it’s slated to open in October. We spoke with Greenberg by phone about the project, his changing interests, and what’s lacking on the Boston scene.
DEVRA FIRST
Q. Tell us about the new restaurant.
A. It’s an interesting project, a historic building designed by the Rockwell Group. When I first sat down with them, they said, “Seth, give us a feel for what is the inspiration for this project.’’ And I said, “It’s Ben Franklin meets a supermodel.’’ Imagine if Ben Franklin lived in the neighborhood, but a modern-day Ben Franklin. What sort of place would he go? We’re developing what we refer to as a modern tavern, something honest with wholesome and regional foods.
Q. Where did the name come from?
A. The Ames family has a very interesting history in New England. When Mr. Ames passed, Mrs. Ames married a man named Woodward and opened a tavern in her home in Dedham.
Q. Who is the chef?
A. Mark Goldberg, who was with Mistral for seven years. He loves using local, regional foods, with a real emphasis on flavor. It’s not overly complicated; it’s classic, simple, clean food. He does an amazing bouillabaisse with local fish. He does a great sliced steak with mustard butter that’s really light but delicious. A classic roasted chicken.
Q. How do you approach planning the food for a new restaurant?
A. You want to put yourself in the mindset of what does a woman like to eat? Ultimately men always find something. Women are more finicky or whatnot, and men want to go to a place women love.
Q. You’re one of the bidders on Tavern on the Green in New York. What would you do with it?
A. I’d completely transform it and restore the original grandeur.
Q. What are you looking forward to about being back in Boston?
A. In New York you don’t have the same relationships with people. My friends here are like my brothers. In New York everyone seems to move too fast. It’s inspiring from a business point of view, but there’s a certain comfort in Boston.
Q. Has getting older changed what kind of place you want to do?
A. Definitely. I’m in my 40s. I opened my first club before my 24th birthday. I really enjoyed the nightclub business, but I couldn’t even think of myself as being able to be in it anymore.
Q. What would you change about the Boston scene?
A. You either have restaurants or clubs, but you don’t have anything in between. This is going to be like a cool, lounge-y place where you can get some food, maybe just come by for a drink, and there’s going to be cool music. It will be a fun, interactive environment. There’s a real void here for that. Where do adults go for night life?
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
