| | Published March 12th, 2014
| The Cooperage Makes a Big Statement in Lafayette
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | Andrew and Merilee McCormick Photo Ohlen Alexander |
It's big and it's beautiful. The latest addition to the already rich Lafayette culinary scene, The Cooperage American Grille, opened for dinner on Oscar night - a fitting moment for a place that claims its Americana character and makes big visual statements. In addition to its impressive size and overall beauty, the quality ingredients and craftsmanship of the food will likely turn The Cooperage into a favorite for the whole family, for all occasions.
The Cooperage team consists of 14-year Lafayette residents Andrew and Merilee McCormick, general manager Mike Iglesias and chef partner Erik Hopfinger. They came to their dream location in Lafayette armed with years of restaurant experience at City Tavern in San Francisco.
"We wanted to create a unique environment," says Merilee McCormick, "with a family friendly menu. You can have dinner in the bar, in the dining room, or choose from a couple areas that are quieter. And I also wanted kids to feel comfortable in this restaurant." She understands what it's like for parents whose kids have practices until 6:30 p.m. and the last thing they want to do is cook dinner, "so I wanted the price point to make this place a regular place to go, whether you want steak and mashed potatoes or something healthy," she adds.
Certainly the largest restaurant in Lafayette, seating up to 292 people, The Cooperage took over the spaces formerly occupied by Petar's and Storyteller at 22 Lafayette Circle across from La Fiesta Square.
The restaurant is not overwhelming, however; it has three separate spaces designed to satisfy different needs: the boardroom, the dining room, and the bar, which boasts a large beer and wine selection as well as vintage cocktails. Merilee McCormick's favorite cocktail is the Lonsdale: a base of gin or mescal with fresh apple, basil and lemon.
A wood chandelier illuminates the bar space. "It was designed by our architect, Jim Maxwell, and executed by our builder, R3 Builders," she says. "It is made of reclaimed wine barrels." Similar ceiling light fixtures are found in different parts of the restaurant, as well as other reclaimed materials. An old metal safe is used as an additional bar table; the refurbished Petar's wood bar was salvaged and is used in the boardroom, and additional reclaimed wood from Petar's is found throughout the restaurant - to create the 'communal-table' in the dining room, the suspended ceilings in the private party room, and the window soffits. Historic Lafayette photos also grace the walls.
"I met with the Lafayette Historical Society, and they gave me so many photographs," says McCormick. All the pictures are framed and referenced, like the image of the 1920 Lafayette baseball team and a 1914 picture of the building that is now Town Hall Theatre.
From the bar, patrons can move to the boardroom or the dining room. "We created what we call the boardroom in the spirit of a cozy English pub," explains McCormick. The room is intimate; it also has a bar along one of its walls, and booths. It will be open for lunch and dinner by April 1. It can also accommodate up to 50 people for a special event.
The dining room is located to the right of the main entrance, in the former Storyteller location. It is TV screen-free, with a view of the kitchen and the rotisserie. A long communal table is perfect for very large parties; many other tables of differing sizes are also available. To the side, an alcove can be separated from the rest of the dining room with a curtain for privacy.
The entire menu is available anywhere in the restaurant. Iglesias guarantees that every ingredient on the menu has been selected for its quality, like the Rocky Jr. chickens from Petaluma that are cooked in one of the two state-of-the-art rotisserie stations. "All our seafood is wild and chosen for sustainable fishing practices," says Iglesias. The beef is grass fed (Golden Gate from Montana) and the vegetables come from local farms.
Iglesias says he's been in love with Erik's macaroni and cheese for decades, and he and the McCormicks particularly love the prime rib French dip sandwich.
"There is nothing like what we're doing here in terms of celebrating Americana, with quality and thoughtfulness, in the entire East Bay," he adds. "At this scale, we probably compare to the Buckeye (Roadhouse) in Mill Valley. We offer a varied menu of things that all of us like to eat, and offer a lot of options for eating healthy." There are gluten-free choices and when making reservations, staff will ask if diners have specific dietary needs.
The Cooperage is currently open for dinner, and plans to serve brunch by mid-March, and lunch by March 24. For information, call (925) 298-5915 or visit thecooperagelafayette.com.
Lamorinda Weekly business articles are intended to inform the community about local business activities, not to endorse a particular company, product or service.
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 | | Photo Ohlen Alexander | | | | | | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA