Here's an Early Look Inside Vitaly Paley's Imperial

Grid View

• The view from the entrance, with the kitchen at the far back wall.
• The open kitchen, home of the six-foot-long grill and a four-seat chef's counter.
• The site of the bar, which should feature 13 stools.
• Chef/owner Vitaly Paley, outside the Imperial.

[Avila, 7/20/12]

Construction's underway at chef Vitaly Paley's upcoming fine dining spot Imperial, which promises to transform the Hotel Lucia's former Typhoon! space into a 110-seat fine-dining establishment. "We're going to pay attention to what's here already," says Paley of the design, which hopes to accentuate already-existing historic features like exposed brick, concrete, and "patchwork" walls, combining the authentic elements with a new French oak floor. As guests enter from the SW Broadway entrance, the open kitchen sits directly in their line of sight, featuring a tiled wall, four-seat chef's counter, and the kitchen centerpiece: a six-foot-long grill manned by Paley and chef Ben Bettinger.

Seating throughout the restaurant comes courtesy banquettes on both sides of the wall along the back of the restaurant, and booths and tables toward the center of the space. Near the entrance, a 13-seat bar anchors the right wall, while a 12-15 foot-long communal table sits parallel to the left. And Paley's nod to the building's history extends past the name: With the Imperial's lobby rumored to once be the site of a cattle auction floor, a 10-seat private dining space will feature leather panels and (because why not) a longhorn mounted on the wall.

Imperial is aiming for an early September opening, with construction beginning on the accompanying daytime-hours-only Portland Penny Diner shortly after Imperial's debut.
· All Previous Imperial Coverage [Eater PDX]