In the final seconds before 3p.m., the staff of the intensely-anticipated The Ordinary was huddled around chef and partner Mike Lata, just outside the kitchen which will soon be churning out Maine lobster rolls, minute ceviche, daily specials and anything else the James Beard award winning chef dreams up. Not pictured is the 7-foot raw bar stocked with eight varieties of oysters, the mezzanine level and reclaimed walnut floors. The brainchild of Lata and his business partner Adam Nemirow, The Ordinary has been in the works for years, with Chef Lata grooming his chefs at both restaurants to ensure the places will run smoothly no matter where he's stationed.
For now, he plans to focus his attention on The Ordinary, checking in on FIG twice daily until the new oyster hall is more established. Lata, whose wife Emily and 8-month-old son Henry were at the opening, says he's running on 12 cups of coffee a day. Luckily, The Ordinary happens to have a shiny new espresso machine.