"I wanted to be a little adventurous, and get out of the corporate scene," explains Mahony. "I wasn't able to do what I wanted to at McCormick's."

And it seems that the Perfect Landing was, well, the perfect landing place: Mahony has been given the green light to roll out a new menu there.

"I've been easing contemporary preparations into the specials, and the new menu should be ready in the next few weeks," he says. Mahony, who has a strong background in seafood, plans to offer simple presentations that let the flavors speak for themselves -- something he's happy to be doing himself these days.