Morin to Hold Pop-Ups Before Opening in Former Wazee Supper Club

Of the many restaurant openings coming down the pike this spring and summer, few are as anticipated as Morin, the French "bistronomy" restaurant that Max MacKissock, Juan Padro and Blake Edmunds have in the works for the old Wazee Supper Club space at 1600 15th Street. When the three first announced their plans, they were looking at an April opening. That isn't going to happen: "We haven’t even submitted the plans yet," says MacKissock, though he adds that that step is imminent. While changes to the restaurant will mostly be cosmetic, the chef says the group is now targeting early summer — but in the meantime, they'll be unleashing their research and development on the public via a series of pop-ups, the first of which will take place on Wednesday, March 28.

"I’ll be doing R&D on Thursdays and Fridays, and then we'll be doing these pop-ups on the following Wednesdays," says MacKissock, noting that he's aiming for an event every two weeks or so.

For the first pop-up, he'll serve four courses plus surprises and snacks, which will be paired with cocktails and wine pairings curated by McLain Hedges and Mary Allison Wright (owners of RiNo Yacht Club and the Proper Pour at the Source), who will also manage the beverage program for Morin once it opens in its permanent location. And while MacKissock won't divulge exactly what's going to be on the menu, he says that it'll be "dope French food. We're not tied to any regional cuisines, and we're not trying to be authentic in any way. It'll definitely be inspired by French flavors and dishes, but it's not going to be onion soup and steak frites. This is not bistro food. It's a much more contemporary take on the vision. We'll have a pretty strong oyster program — that’s about as classic as it will get."

He reveals, too, that he's been working on a charcuterie program. "We’re not doing anything long-cured — it's all terrines and pâtés. We’re going to do a take on a banh mi for this pop-up. We'll have pâté de campagne, crispy pork, different pickled carrots and vegetables, nuoc cham, some fun things like that. You’re not going to get a charcuterie board ever at this place — it'll always be composed dishes that incorporate terrines, pâtés and mousses."

Morin's March 28 pop-up, which will run out of the former Bremen's Wine and Tap space at 2005 West 33rd Avenue, will accept rolling reservations between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. The dinner, which includes beverage pairings, is $150 per person. Email [email protected] to secure a space.