The "European-style" 715 is set to open this morning on Massachusetts Avenue in Lawrence.
"Italian cuisine is not just about the pasta, tomatoes, cheese and
other ingredients. It's about the lifestyle that brings you those
dishes. Our goal is to emulate that feeling at 715 by offering the
closest thing to a European neighborhood eatery as you can find in the
Midwest," says Executive Chef Michael Beard.
The new restaurant is named for its street address in the historic Anderson Building.
"It's a New York space -- long and narrow with a series of small tables that line up in front of a banquet. The tables can be pushed together for large groups or stay where they are for a nice intimate, dinner," says spokesperson Kristina Patrick.
True to its name, 715 will be open from 7:15 a.m. to midnight every day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast will feature pastries made daily and a barista bar, while lunch and dinner will focus on seasonal and local ingredients for specials.
Among the salad selections is a salad with rabbit, roasted radicchio and orange
with a citrus vinaigrette ($9). The large menu includes a number
of panini, pizza, pasta and main dishes. The house ham-and-stracchino
panini ($6) and a pizza with shittakes, eggplant and goat cheese ($9) look
interesting.
"This will be a great place for foodies and
those who love to eat, and yet, the prices will be affordable for
everyone," Patrick says.
The pasta ranges from $7 to $9 with
the potato tortelli, duck ragu, and grana ($9) among the five options.
The entrees are $13 to $19 and include spalla steak to blue ridge
rainbow trout.
"It will be walk-in on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be some seating limited for reservations," Patrick says. The restaurant offers online reservations
through Open Table.
Today's opening doubles as a fundraiser. All of the day's proceeds will be donated to Douglas County's Health Care Access Clinic.
Images courtesy of Kristina Patrick.
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The penne with butternut squash and homemade sausage, I thought this one of the best things I have ever eaten, it was so simple and yet amazing. My husband tried the rabbit ravioli and really enjoyed that as well. Showed up without reservations on a very busy night, they were great, first seating us at an open space at the bar and getting us started with drinks and apps, and then getting us to a table as soon as possible. This is our new date location.
I was really excited to try 715 because of the many good reviews I had heard about this restaurant. But, to my dismay, the food was TERRIBLE!! I like to think of myself as liking pretty much anything and am pretty open to new foods but this place didn't have the finesse or the quality I was looking for. I ordered a simple ham and cheese panini and it was horrible. My boyfriend ordered a cheese pizza and he thought it was awful. I don't think that I've had a pizza I didn't like. Until I walked into 715. Neither of us could finish a slice of what we had. The service was great but that doesn't make up for bad food. I will not be returning. I do hope, however, that this restaurant continues to thrive because despite my dislike, there are others who think its fabulous.
I thought the food was refreshingly "pure" it was such a nice break from "Americanized Italian" It's simple and the tastes are clean. Thank you for a great meal and a great sip o' chocolate!
I don't know how a person can say they had "awesome food"? The taste was intolerable. I wanted to love it and it was new so I gave it a try, but there is no substitute for good food. I don't mind paying a pretty penny for good food, but I wouldn't eat this even if it were dirt cheap. Very very very very dissatisfied.
I'm sad to say that the food at 715 was some of the most mediocre I have had in my life. Unfortunately, the service was no better, thus magnifying the failure of the food. The decor was okay, but it seems as though they spent more time thinking about what the place would look like, as opposed to how the food would taste. I will not be returning. There are so many better restaurants in Lawrence and Kansas City that deserve the support.
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