Pillar is the neighborhood restaurant you want in your neighborhood

When the longstanding bistro Boulevardier closed unexpectedly, there was much neighborhood hand-wringing.

Now an equally compelling restaurant called Pillar commands that Bishop Arts space. It’s difficult to pigeonhole chef-owner Peja Krstic’s cuisine at Pillar. He describes it as “American bistro with unexpected twists,” but the menu seems to circle the globe.

For a starter, he drapes a thin sheet of yellowtail tuna over crab remoulade, adding roasted ginger aioli and crispy shallot for a fresh, vibrant kick.  His crisp-fried chicken dinner is all juice and crunch, glowing with nduja-spiced cream, honey butter and braised collared greens.

And this being the year for French on the menu, Krstic steps up to the plate with an avante guard version of  cassoulet, employing pork ribs, roasted leeks and apples rather than the traditional confitted duck and tarbais beans. A spacious bar upfront and a nice patio complement the casual dining room.

A version of this story appears in the January issue of 360 West Magazine, as part of the author’s monthly restaurant coverage