When Scott Howell, chef-owner of Nana’s in Durham, announced the
opening of a second ambitious restaurant in Raleigh, expectations were
naturally high. Nana’s Chophouse lives up to those expectations,
though the new restaurant is hardly a clone of the old one. Under the
co-direction of Howell and chef Juan Esparza, the Chophouse menu is more
eclectic than Nana’s, encompassing steakhouse, wine bar and
Mediterranean restaurant within the urban chic walls of a converted
meat-packing plant. For starters, you can’t miss with the grilled
Caesar salad or fried artichokes. Follow with herb-crusted rack of lamb
with foie gras sauce, or hickory-smoked prime rib for two. And if you
find yourself pining for a taste of the old Nana’s, you can console
yourself with one of Howell’s trademark risotti.
Excerpt from The News & Observer’s top 10 of 2004
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