Owners of Bocage Champagne Bar to Open New Restaurant on Phila Street
The new venture, dubbed Standard Fare, will take over the former home of Trattoria Fortunata this spring.
Turns out, the rumors were true. Zac and Clark are opening another restaurant on Phila Street.
For those who aren’t on a first-name basis with recently minted Saratoga “Night Mayor” Zac Denham and his slightly more pragmatic partner (in business and in life), Clark Gale, the duo are the owners of Bocage, the teeny-tiny, glitzy and glam Champagne bar that opened on Phila Street in 2021. Last week, they confirmed what at least one of their loose-lipped employees let slip late last year: They have indeed signed a lease at 21 Phila Street, the across-the-street neighbor of Bocage and former home of Trattoria Fortunata, and are planning to open a full-service restaurant in the space this spring.
The concept for the new venture is one that came to Zac and Clark in the midst of what some are calling the Great Phila Street Restaurant Revival. (OK, no one is calling it that, but maybe now they might.) “It's a really exciting time for Saratoga's restaurant scene, especially on this street,” Clark says, referencing the upcoming openings of Familiar Creature, Noah’s, Fillies on Phila, and Bibulous. “It’s so many restaurants. Saratoga’s restaurant and nightlife industry is kind of hitting a heyday.”
At the same time, Clark continues, we all have our tried-and-true favorite foods, which oftentimes get overlooked in the frenzy surrounding the next hottest chef, restaurant, or culinary trend.
“Foam,” Zac says. “Gastrique. How petite can it be? How creative can it be? We get caught up in this idea of ‘How do we make it interesting and something that no one's ever heard before?’ and then the quality is sacrificed. At the end of the day, some of the things that are most comforting and amazing are the things that are the most simple and familiar.”
And thus, Standard Fare was born. The name itself is somewhat of a double entendre—not only will the restaurant serve “standard fare” (think comfort food that’s nostalgic yet surprising), but it will also set the “standard” for what comfort food should be.
“We're talking a great meatloaf with a homemade tomato relish and haricots verts over sour cream mashed potatoes,” Clark says. “A double-cut Berkshire pork chop with applesauce and hot peppers. Cauliflower steak piccata, a twist on the classic chicken picatta for our vegetarian and vegan friends. And homemade mozzarella sticks.” Yes, Clark casually used the French name for green beans, and yes, the mozzarella sticks may or may not be served with an optional caviar supplement.You can take the boys out of Bocage, but you can’t take Bocage out of the boys.
Of course, the caviar supplement will be the exception, a nod to Standard Fare’s bougier sister establishment, and not the norm. While Bocage is the place you go for special occasions, Standard Fare is where you go for every occasion.
“You can come in for a Tuesday dinner grab-and-go when you’re looking for something that’s simple, high-quality, and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg,” Zac says. “You can come in a couple of times a week, and bring the kids. We're going to have a really cool, robust dessert and pastry program, where we’ll have big, dumb milkshakes. You know, you order a milkshake and it's got a cupcake on top of it.”
For those looking for a bit of a boozier nightcap, Standard Fare will (of course) have a great-but-affordable wine list, but will specialize in cocktails—specifically classic cocktails from the ’50s and ’60s, as well as low-ABV drinks and mocktails. There’ll be a bar with 6-8 seats, a family-style table that seats 8-10, and several two-tops at the front of the restaurant. Zac and Clark plan to offer lunch, brunch, and dinner, which will be served late—until midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends—as well as takeout and delivery, which will be handled in house. They plan to bring in NYC-based chef Linda Japngie (of Barmarché, Cafeteria, and the Michelin-starred Bouley fame) for the first year or two, and hire a local chef de cuisine who will work alongside Linda and eventually take the reins.
Oh, and I almost forgot to mention—amid all this planning, Zac and Clark, who previously split time between the Spa City and the Big Apple, officially moved to Saratoga full time. “This is more than just opening a business,” Zac says. “It really is the next chapter in our story. It was always our goal to end up here. That’s why Bocage is here. We wanted to invest in the community that we knew we wanted to call home.”
—Natalie
Instagram DM Exchange of the Week
“Does speed-dating actually work?”
“I think it depends on how fast you are.”
See if speed-dating works for you at our Single in Saratoga event coming to Saratoga City Tavern on February 5.
All That Jazz
This week, SPAC announced the lineup for its annual Saratoga Jazz Festival, which this year will be sponsored by GE Vernova for the first time. The June 28 and 29 event, headlined by Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Gregory Porter, and Cassandra Wilson, will feature 22 total musical groups, 10 of whom will be making their festival debut. “I believe ‘you’re only as good as your next festival’ and I’m feeling really good about this one,” says Danny Melnick, the festival producer and president of Absolutely Live Entertainment. “We have a magical kaleidoscope of artists who are going to elevate this festival to new heights.” Tickets will be available for purchase for SPAC members on January 21 and for the general public on January 24.
Skate Park
This cold weather has at least one perk: Saratoga Spa State Park’s two public ice rinks are now open for skating.
The Write Stuff
Has your teenager ever dreamt of having their writing published in Saratoga Living? Now’s their chance! Registration is now open for Saratoga Living’s first-ever writing contest, which we’re hosting in partnership with Letterly. Use the code SARATOGA100 to register for free, choose from several timely writing prompts, and receive edits from Letterly on up to two articles before you submit! All stories will be published on saratogaliving.com, and we’ll select one article to appear in our March 2025 Design Issue!
More of the Write Stuff
Too old for our writing contest but still looking to find your voice this winter? Next month, poet, yoga instructor, and Saratoga Living contributing writer Natalli Amato will host The Alchemy of Writing, a four-week Zoom series that combines journaling with breathwork and meditation to help cultivate a deeper connection to creativity and self. Learn more and sign up here.
Party On
Wondering what former downtown store owner Kirsten Lambert is up to these days? After closing up party supply shop Tailgate & Party in the fall of 2023, the retired teacher has moved on to the next chapter of her life: farming. Listen to Kirsten talk about her new venture, a rescue animal farm called After Party Farm, as well as her newfound “restful” morning routine, here.
Don’t Mind if “I Do!”
This week, our annual “I Do!” Issue hit newsstands. You can read both the Saratoga Living and Capital Region Living digital issues here. Don’t miss our stories on Spencer Sherry, who this weekend is hosting the inaugural Saratoga Film Showcase; a bride whose Saratoga wedding had to compete with the Belmont Stakes; and the ultimate winter getaway to Montreal.