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The Westland, Douglas Bacon’s long-anticipated Symphony-area restaurant, has finally opened. Bacon — whose Red Paint Hospitality Group also operates the Last Drop and Harry’s Bar and Grill in Brighton; White Horse Tavern, the Avenue, and the Hopewell Bar & Kitchen in Allston; and Corner Tavern in Back Bay — bought the space now occupied by his 124-seat brasserie-style restaurant back in 2012.
Bacon told Eater that the Westland’s bar is currently open from 4 p.m. until 2 a.m. each night, and that the kitchen will operate from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m., but he noted that there will be a late-night menu “in the very near future.” Bacon also said that there are plans for a daily lunch service and a weekend brunch service; each could happen within the next month or so.
“I’ve got a very good feeling about this restaurant,” Bacon told Eater. “I’m very happy with the team we have here, and I’m very happy with how the space looks.”
The restaurant serves “international comfort food,” per its Facebook page. Think oysters, grilled pizzas, a rotating crudo, and more. Fat Baby and Loco Taqueria alum Matt Drummond is now culinary director for the Red Paint group as a whole, and another Fat Baby alum, Danielle Dorcil, is executive chef for the Westland.
Bacon had planned to open the restaurant sooner, but issues with one of his properties in Allston (Shanghai Social Club, which is now Hopewell) forced the delay. Because Bacon had already secured the liquor license for the Westland, he was forced to make an annual trip to the licensing board to explain why he hadn’t opened yet. (Apparently the City of Boston doesn’t like it when folks sit on liquor licenses about as much as it doesn’t like issuing new ones.)
All of that is history, though, because the Westland is officially open for business.
• The Westland Will Finally Open Soon Near Symphony Hall [EBOS]
• The Westland Opens in Boston [BRT]
• First Look at the Westland Restaurant Near Symphony Hall [BM]
• Long Closed Fenway Restaurant Still Closed, But Owner Swears that this Time, Honest to Goodness, He Hopes to Open it Up Again [UH]