Let's say you're hosting a party, it's 2am, everyone is hungry and no one wants the usual mass-market pizza (which does have its place sometimes, let's be real). Enter chef Royce Burke's new late-night delivery concept.
Tomorrow, July 27, Secret Lasagna opens up shop at 970 North Broadway in Mandarin Plaza and it's designed for this exact scenario.
"I saw how much demand there was for late-night food and how mediocre a lot of the suppliers were," the former Chimney Coffee House chef says. "I wanted to do something for everybody, something that had that stoner-food element and the flavors are intense—I mean, most of us are gonna be high at 2 or 3 in the morning."
One of the concept's tag lines is, after all, "What you do after midnight is your business," but Secret Lasagna is more than stoner food, and it's more than lasagna. Beginning tomorrow night, find a brief menu that also includes Burke's beef-and-lamb Annette Burger (below), spiced with berbere and mint, and topped with an aged-balsamic chimichurri; a creamy tea-smoked-chicken casserole with broccoli and lemon curry mayo; and vegan grilled acorn squash tacos in charred citrus and olive oil, Burke's oft-used vinaigrette.
As for the lasagna itself, expect a rich and meaty version—involving beef-and-pork sausage or some seven-hour-braised beef— as well as a vegan version utilizing four varieties of mushroom and layers of creamed potatoes. Both lasagnas, as well as the chicken casserole, come in single servings or "It's a Party"-sized trays.
The new Thursday-through-Sunday spot is launching with delivery only (find it via UberEATS), with a walk-up window expected to open by August 17 and a sit-down space to follow sometime within the next six months—around the same time you'll find beer and wine there, as well.
In late summer, keep your eyes peeled for monthly collaborations with local chefs such as the Badmaash team, and as the weather cools, for Burke's shepherd's pie—and a vegan version of it—which he'll be adding to the menu in the fall or winter.
Secret Lasagna launches delivery service on July 27 out of 970 North Broadway.
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