“I know the uptight exec has got that secret devil tattoo somewhere,” says Jody Pennette, president of the Greenwich-based cb5 Restaurant Group L.L.C., with a track record of creating sexy, appetizing and “truly indulgent” late-night restaurants in Fairfield and Westchester counties ”“ and across the nation.
Cb5 venues can be widely different in cuisine and crowd like Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar and Gabriele”™s Italian Steakhouse, but they”™re all “designed to awaken playfulness ”¦ I want to make this (exec) feel young and sexy. It”™s kind of like people reading Playboy for the articles. It”™s a funky atmosphere with high-quality ingredients and if you don”™t like it, I think you”™d have to hate it.”
When winter rolls in and layers pile on, going out for cocktails can sound daunting, but the party doesn”™t stop at cb5”™s local hot spots, says Pennette. Join the ranks of the hip and the hungry from hot dates to single ladies getting down on salsa night to businessmen celebrating deal-closers, who will opt to wear leather jackets and loosened ties.
“We have a world-class audience in Westchester and Fairfield. They”™re aware of what”™s happening but have limited access to it ”¦ We”™re careful not to mimic Manhattan.”
On the local scene, Pennette adds that “a lot of people mimic what we do and think it”™s just the veneer. But even though we”™ve got this rock ”™n”™ roll environment, every lime is fresh-squeezed.”
With so many restaurants “trying to be everything to everyone,” Pennette built a career out of being the offbeat, cooler sibling to traditional wine-and-dine establishments and has created a setting and menu for the upscale party boys and girls who appreciate credibility in the kitchen as much as a lively soundtrack to their meals.
“If there are a lot of Steven Spielbergs, big polished productions, then we”™re the Quentin Tarantinos and Robert Rodriguezes,” he says.
“I”™d rather be this hideaway joint that”™s loud, edgy, spicy, open late and in your vocabulary” when customers seek the ultimate experience to share with friends, co-workers and lovers. He was already thinking about hosting New Year”™s Eve parties. “We rock it at like 9 p.m. on a Tuesday, so the expectations are definitely that we”™re going to be on fire.”
The way Pennette describes Lolita, “You walk down a dark alley ”¦ and there”™s this barely dressed hostess and you walk in and there”™s throbbing music, a smoldering party. Once in a while, someone will call me over and say, ”˜It”™s too dark and too loud,”™ which is astonishing because we laid such obvious tracks here.”
He”™ll tell those customers, “Maybe it”™s not for you tonight. But when your husbands go away on golf tournaments, you can count on me to have this party going.”
Images courtesy of cb5 restaurant group
