Felix Landrum, founder of Félix Cocktails et Cuisine on King Street is bringing a new concept to the Holy City. Landrum’s second project, La Cave (pronounced “La-Cahv”) is set to open this month.
Make no mistake: it is not to be compared with its elder sibling.
A day in Landrum’s premier restaurant can be a range of things. You may stop in for a cocktail with a friend or snag a steak frites dinner. If it’s a Charleston Saturday in spring after the blistering cold leaves and before the thick heat rests above the asphalt, you may opt for outside seating over Aperol spritzes.
Landrum’s intent for Félix was always to be reminiscent of a Parisian bistro, eclectic with a metro feel.
For his second concept, Landrum has a distinctly different idea in mind.
With Félix set up to conjure the feeling of Paris, La Cave is a bar-forward space meant for lounging.
So, imagine this: You enter Félix at its entrance on King Street but rather than drop by the host stand or bar, you head back toward the hallway that leads to the kitchen. You’re led down another cave-like hallway. The path is uplit from the floor, with subway tile along the walls and stones leading you to a completely different space. You then make a left, and have arrived at La Cave.
Your favorite new sipping lounge
“It’s almost like you’re boarding a train and you’re going to the South of France, to La Cave,” Landrum said. “La Cave is very Provence-inspired as Félix is very Parisian inspired.”
Both restaurants are family projects as Landrum’s wife, Leslie, designed both concepts while his daughter contributed to decor.
Wines and whiskeys will bookend the restaurant’s bar in dual-climate cabinets made to look like armoires. The walls will be adorned with mercury glass mirrors while the ceilings will be lit by crystal chandeliers.
Along with the mirrors, the walls will be home to original oil paintings by Landrum’s daughter, who is studying studio art at the College of Charleston. In this way, the hideaway will also be a semi-gallery. The paintings will be members of their family painted in a 19th-century style.
In contrast to Landrum’s first project, his second will have a smaller cocktail menu. Again, Provincially-inspired, so its breath of life will derive from light, bright elements. Think, citrus or lavender.
Guests can expect a sophisticated menu wine-wise partially developed by former Curated Selections co-owner, Patrick Emerson. The menu will hail entirely from France. The goal here is approachability in price to encourage patrons to try a variety of wines on the menu, which will be creative and sizable, roughly 100 wines.
The beverage menu will also boast an extensive rare whiskey selection and the food menu will consist of about ten small plates for guests to snack on.
Just in time for spring, Landrum will enrich the space with sun-soaked, muted colors including herringbone blonde floors and marble with touches of warm blue shades throughout. Part of the design is the intent to double the sipping lounge as an event space where couples could potentially get married. In that respect, it is comfortable and inviting.
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