A flatbread at Culinary Misfits is shown.
A Detroit-style pizza at Culinary Misfits is shown.
Culinary Misfits in Crown Point offers a Southern fried chicken dinner.
A new dining experience joined the Old Lake County Courthouse Square in downtown Crown Point, one of the hottest dining districts in Northwest Indiana.
Culinary Misfits opened in the former Antiques on Main building at 208 S. Main St. Thursday. It's a sister restaurant to Square Roots, a gastropub that brings "big city influences" to burgers, handhelds, tacos and cocktails.
"It's fun. It's huge," General Manager Kyle Sobkowicz said. "It's got a similar price range to Square Roots. It's not too expensive. But it has a different feel. It has a downtown vibe."
The massive, two-story restaurant seats 300 in the former Lake County Title Co. building that's been renovated over the past year.
"It was a complete renovation of the building," he said. "It's two stories. The original idea was to do two different restaurants on two stories. But they discovered these architectural trusses they wanted to save. They completely rebuilt the building."
Culinary Misfits seats 250 on the lower floor and will have a 50-seat party room on the upper floor that can be rented out for wedding receptions, parties, corporate functions and other private events.
Chef Aaron Hoard and Sous Chef Kurt Doudt came up with the menu, which includes Detroit-style pizza, sandwiches, salads and a classic Smashburger. The Best Cluckin Sandwich, for instance, tops chicken breast with pepper jam, shredded lettuce and sweet and spicy pickles.
Entrees include short rib bolognese, southern fried chicken, salmon de jonghe and pork cutlets with whipped potatoes, gravy and a sweet corn creme brulee. Sides include whipped potatoes, battered fries, curried couscous and heirloom carrots.
"It's a misfit menu," Sobkowicz said. "We didn't want to be tied down to a set menu like Italian. (Hoard and Doudt) do their own specials. The food is awesome. People went nuts for the sweet corn creme brulee at the soft opening. We sold out."
Salads include a Just Beet It with roasted rainbow beets, dried cherries, arugula, ricotta, pistachios and honey. Appetizers include grilled bayou buffalo shrimp, Margherita shrimp, sweet and spicy chicken lollipops, fried oyster mushrooms, a chili pork skewer, an Arrachera steak skewer, bourbon pork belly and Khachapuri, a Georgian bread and cheese dip with an over-easy egg.
"They do a fried oyster mushroom that's the best thing I've ever tasted," Sobkowicz said. "It tastes like chicken."
The interior offers a chic and contemporary dining experience, like something in Chicago.
"It's got some awesome patterns," he said. "The chairs are mismatched with plaid, black-and-white patterns and houndstooth. It's the misfits theme. It's fun."
The restaurant features a large bar that serves beer, wine and liquor. It has both domestic and craft beers, including many from 3 Floyds in Munster. It also has a wide selection of creative cocktails, including a Mezcal Old Fashion, a Misfits Manhattan with absinthe, and Cotton Candy Dreamin with El Mayor Blanco, lime, cream soda, orange and cotton candy.
"It's double the size of the bar at Square Roots," Sobkowicz said. "It's really large."
The sit-down restaurant is oriented toward dine-in but will eventually offer carryout as well. It also eventually plans to host live music, typically solo acoustic acts, on Tuesday nights.
"It's been much anticipated," Sobkowicz said. "People have been knocking on our door, trying to come in and get a look inside."
Culinary Misfits will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. It will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
For more information, visit culinarymisfitscp.com or find the business on Facebook.
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