388737 Thu Apr 05 12:29:16 -0700 2007 3 12 Boston Area 0 2454329 Or something like that? Is this old news I missed? Guess Pino Maffeo is totally changing concept again. Thu Apr 05 12:29:17 -0700 2007 11106 tatamagouche 1 2454359 News to me, too, though I'd heard he was buying the place to become chef/owner, so presumably will have more control over his product. I always suspected that the Louis folks had reined in his wilder impulses. I hadn't seen this item in the Globe last week, either: "Pino Maffeo is setting out to change the coolly fashionista space of Restaurant L into a more inviting Boston Public. Chef Maffeo, who will be the owner and operator of the new restaurant now under construction within the Louis Boston department store, plans darker, warmer steakhouse colors and an Asian-inspired menu. His partner is Nino Trotta. Maffeo, a Food & Wine best new chef of 2006 and a veteran of New York and California restaurants, promises Japanese, Thai, and Chinese influences in the food and Asian details in the decor, as well as a meat-heavy emphasis, affordable wines, and a new bar. All this by the end of April, says Maffeo, who adds: 'We're looking to put together something solid.'" Trotta is more of a nightlife impresario than restaurateur, as I recall (I remember him from Bricco's late-weekend-night lounge-lizard thing). Maybe Boston Public will be aiming for a bit of that, too. Thu Apr 05 12:36:52 -0700 2007 2454329 10143 MC Slim JB 2 2454431 My fear had been that with their curtailing of his creativity, he'd just head back to NY; at least he's hanging around. As long as he sticks with steakhouse COLORS and not steakhouse CUISINE. Thu Apr 05 12:54:04 -0700 2007 2454359 11106 tatamagouche 3 2456713 If his idea of steakhouse is grill-table Korean barbecue, I'm all for it. Fri Apr 06 08:01:17 -0700 2007 2454431 10143 MC Slim JB