Grant Park’s Young Augustine’s rose from the ashes of The Standard early this year. This neighborhood take on the gastro pub is the brainchild of Chris Johnson, owner of The Standard, Andy Gonzales, a well traveled chef, and Kyle Faucher, the manager who I know little about. While the fate of the Standard seemed set by a series of tragic circumstances, these three gents set out to infuse the space with a bit of life.
Frequenters of 327 Memorial’s previous tenant will remember the joint for its dive bar atmosphere and low-brow bar food. That’s all a distant memory. The one notable holdover is the bocce ball court out back. On the other hand, the interior has been blown open, leaving a community table in the middle and a long, polished wood bar against the back wall. Taking it all in one Saturday afternoon, and on the heels of some rather flattering reviews, I had high hopes for YA’s. Unfortunately, the interior was the first thing, and just about the last thing, that I actually enjoyed during my one meal there.
