First Look: Zed451

If new Bucktown spot Mado is a Prius (read our First Look), then River North's Zed451 is definitely a Hummer.

Loud. Flashy. Decadent. Expensive. But you know what? It was also a lot of fun.

Housed in the former Sal & Carvao space, opening week was a smooth ride. Of course, they should have the routine down by now; this is just another link in the chain—there’s already one in Downers Grove and Schaumburg, with others planned for Florida.

Essentially, this is a very modest update of that whole Brazilian churrascaria thing that swept through town a few years ago, though with a more global culinary palette. The room is sophisticated, with beautiful light wood accents and an enormous bar area.

It’s the kind of place that four straight guys—dress shirts untucked—can eat together without anyone thinking, well, you know. Then they can head to the bar after dinner to scope the scene. The $49 deal includes access to the all-you-can-eat Harvest Table, a central grazing station that offers antipasti and charcuterie—including a coppa, though not as flavorful as Mado’s. There also were soups, salads and vegetable sides, each with an attendant sauce to slather on ’em.

But don’t pig out: Zed451’s never-ending parade of skewered meat is still on the way. I think 14 different cuts of meat were marched out to our table that night. One was very good (a garlic steak), one was very bad (funky goat cheese-crusted lamb chops my friend described as "mutton chops"). Most were just somewhere in the middle.

Eventually, the blaring Top 40 hits and barrage of charming servers became too much. We walked upstairs to the more subdued dining room to look around. This will be a great draw for private parties—and if you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, you may want to request seating up here. There’s also an amazing, almost tranquil rooftop deck with pergolas and a patch of green grass. However, if the indoor bar scene we saw was any indication of what’s to come outdoors, this place won’t be tranquil for long.

Yeah, the food may not be great, but we predict a summer bar scene. We may even be there. Shirts tucked in, of course.

Chris LaMorte is the metromix dining producer. metromix@tribune.com