SALEM, November 04, 2009 - Along the sidewalk of 43 Church Street, George Harrington in the company of family, friends and staff, welcomed special guests Mayor Kim Driscoll and North Shore Arc's Executive Director Jerry McCarthy to the newly renovated restaurant he originally opened as the Lyceum Bar & Grill twenty years ago. Just above the brand new entrance, a mysterious veiled sign hung as the Mayor praised the Lyceum's local support and its reputation as a premier dining destination. The Mayor then "honored and recognized" The Lyceum's grand re-opening with an official proclamation and presented it to Mr. Harrington and his two new partners, son George Harrington Jr. and family-friend Nicola Savignano.

Jerry McCarthy, the Executive Director of the North Shore Arc then congratulated the group on their new venture and thanked both George Sr. and his wife Deborah Schneider for their ongoing support of the local charity. Reaching back many years, Mr. McCarthy highlighted George and Deborah's long-time involvement, referring to The Lyceum as a true "charity partner" of the North Shore Arc, which has been delivering life-long support services to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities for over 55 years. Mr. McCarthy then presented The Lyceum with a citation of honorable support and friendship, looking forward to a continued relationship.

To cap off the celebration, Mr. Harrington then introduced local designer Greg Bokor of Beverly Farms, who designed The Lyceum's new logo and other branding elements. He then welcomed local sign-maker Richard Honan of Winthrop, who hand-crafted and installed the detailed custom sign that now defines and signifies the Lyceum's commitment to great food. Honoring the historic nature of The Lyceum as an institution and facility, the logo and sign incorporate an antique silver "food dome", known as a symbol of fine food and service for centuries.

After the ceremonial unveiling of The Lyceum's new sign, special guests, town officials, local business folks and the press were invited inside to celebrate and enjoy a sampling of the new menu. Local celebrity Billy Costa of NECN's TV Diner and Kiss 108 FM, long-time Lyceum friend Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins, Jr. and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll were just a few of the notable guests in attendance. Proceeds from the celebration's cash bar were to benefit the North Shore Arc. A donation will be made in the near future.

SALEM - Together with a new generation of partners and a new team of talented chefs, George Harrington, who opened the Lyceum Bar & Grill twenty years ago, launches his newest venture with a major renovation, a new menu and a new name: THE LYCEUM. This famous, historic lecture hall where food for thought was the bill of fare has a long tradition of serving locals, business professionals and tourists in an elegant, traditional atmosphere. Intent on appealing to diners both old and new, the new Lyceum, now open for lunch and dinner, embraces current trends in menu and facility design with contemporary updates that are sure to dazzle and delight.

Paying careful attention to historical details and structure, the design team successfully combined the beauty of the past with modern textures, tones and elements of today. Dark mahogany dining tables are complimented by plush, tufted-leather banquets and oversized upholstered chairs. Exposed brick walls, restored fireplaces and etched windows grace each unique dining area, while the buttery yellow walls warm each room. New plush carpeting in the dining room and dark hard-wood floors in the bar add a touch of elegance. Two massive wrought iron chandeliers in the dining room and other unique iron fixtures in the bar illuminate with exposed Edison bulbs below restored tin ceilings giving each room a slightly medieval-yet-modern feel.

The Lyceum's new cuisine, presented on sleek new dinnerware atop crisp white linen, features classic bistro style food with global influences from France, Italy, Spain and Greece. Using fresh, sustainable seafood, quality meats and poultry, and other regionally-sourced ingredients, The Lyceum's chefs introduce new dishes with wholesome accompaniments that complete each plate. With a focus on serving vibrant, nourishing Mediterranean-inspired food, portion and price are considered carefully with each recipe, delivering dishes that guests will feel good about.

First, The Lyceum's raw bar offers jumbo shrimp cocktail, Cape Cod littlenecks and oysters on the half shell. Appetizers include tuna tartar with gaufrette potato chips, steamed cockles in a Pernod broth and carpaccio with arugula and shaved Parmigiano. Fresh salads of roasted beets or Belgian endive compliment house-made French onion soup with Gruyere cheese.

New seasonal entrees feature traditional pasta, fish and meat dishes with subtle twists of trendiness. Guests will enjoy pumpkin ravioli with sage brown butter, toasted pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries, or sole Meuniere with mashed potato and haricots verts, or diver scallops over a wild mushroom risotto. In addition, the duck 'orange with French lentils and braised greens, or the Berkshire pork ossobuco with gnocchi and sauteed apples will become new favorites. The grilled filet of beef tenderloin is paired with potatoes au gratin and fresh asparagus, available in 6 or 8 oz. portions, while the brick-pressed free-range chicken is served with potato puree and wilted spinach. All desserts are homemade and dinner entrees range from $10 to $26, many available in half portions for smaller appetites. Lunch and Brunch menus offer even more affordability, and chef's daily specials add plenty of variety.

These exciting renovations to The Lyceum's menu and facility usher in a conscious commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle. With new inspiration, The Lyceum presents an affordable casual-chic dining choice offering great food, elegant surroundings and a warm, friendly and inviting atmosphere.

SALEM - Together with new partners and a new vision for his well-known Salem restaurant, George Harrington has appointed Dan Friley to the position of Chef de Cuisine at The Lyceum. Friley, who most notably worked alongside chefs from The French Laundry, joins Executive Chef Hugo Corado to introduce an exciting new menu at the highly anticipated transformation of Salem's former Lyceum Bar & Grill.

Friley brings an extensive culinary background to this position, with more than a dozen years of experience at fine restaurants both near and far. Having refined his gastronomical talents most recently in Cocoa Beach, FL, Friley also spent several years in the Virgin Islands working with a few great chefs from The French Laundry. He also worked on St. John's Island at the well-known Stone Terrace and Paradiso restaurants, and even competed in the Island Culinary Olympics. Destined for culinary greatness, he dazzled and delighted Chef Corado and the Lyceum partners with simple, traditional dishes inspired by French and Mediterranean techniques.

A Massachusetts native who grew up in Lynn, MA, and completed his professional training at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, VT, Friley brings to his new position at the Lyceum a passion for food developed over years of hard work and dedication.  "We intend to feature fresh, sustainable seafood and regionally-sourced ingredients at The Lyceum," said Friley. "The focus will be classic bistro cuisine with influences from all around the Mediterranean - French, Italian, Spanish and Greek."

Executive Chef Corado, having joined the original Lyceum Bar & Grill back in 1997, is looking forward to the restaurant's evolution and is very excited about working with Dan. "This is a great opportunity to come together as a team and develop something very special - something unique that we can call our own!"
Friley's and Corado's joint vision for The Lyceum includes a series of seasonal menus featuring seafood, poultry, meats, pastas, salads and soups. Both feel strongly about using fresh, local produce and ingredients, and about making quality food affordable. "I've learned that conscious diners appreciate when you've taken the time to develop and create recipes that don't go over the top - both in portioning and in price," says Friley. "We intend to deliver a balanced plate with wholesome, fresh ingredients that people can feel good about, so we'll take extra time to plan each accompaniment with every dish."

Guests will benefit from The Lyceum's approach to serving vibrant, nourishing, Mediterranean-inspired food. As Chef Corado has often stated, "The true measure of success is a happy and healthy customer that returns often - because the food tastes great and the entire experience just feels good!"

SALEM - George Harrington, longtime owner and operator of Salem's Lyceum Bar and Grill, has been inspired to make major changes to the local favorite. Together with a new generation of partners, a new chef and a changing marketplace, Harrington is inaugurating his newest venture with a major renovation, a new menu and a new name: The Lyceum.

Harrington opened Lyceum Bar & Grill twenty years ago in Salem's famous, historic lecture hall where 'food for thought' was the bill of fare. Local residents, business professionals and tourists alike, all enjoyed quality food and fine service in an elegant atmosphere. The business grew and prospered as did the surrounding community. Harrington attributes his long-running success to his committed staff, loyal customers and small changes and adaptations to the evolving tastes and needs of his clientele. Today, Harrington recognizes that his willingness to change and adapt on a larger scale is vital to future success. "This economy inspires innovation and a new way thinking - being more conscious, more efficient and more passionate about everything you do is the key to growth", says Harrington.

Committed to appealing to diners both old and new, Harrington says the nascent Lyceum will embrace current trends in menu and facility design while maintaining the same easy comfort that has characterized the place for decades. The first floor renovation will include a greener, more energy-efficient infrastructure featuring new textures and finishes that pay respect to the historic beauty of the building, while delivering contemporary comfort and interesting aesthetics.

The new menu, created and developed with Executive Chef Hugo Corado and Chef de Cuisine Dan Friley, will reflect a passion for local, sustainable and humanely-treated food sources. As a classic American bistro with Mediterranean influences, the food will be wholesome and balanced, both in portion and in price. With a commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle, The Lyceum will position itself as an affordable dining choice offering great food, elegant surroundings and a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Helping to steer this storied establishment into the next decade and beyond are Harrington's two new young partners. His son, George Harrington Jr., who joins as part owner, brings his financial expertise as Managing Director and Senior Sales Trader with Jones Trading in Boston, along with his passion for great food and wine to The Lyceum's table. Nicola Savignano also joins as part owner, bringing with him his Mediterranean roots and entrepreneurial experience in European hospitality. Savignano and his family own a 12-room hotel and farm in the Tuscan countryside, and manage the marketing and distribution of their own wines and oil. Together with their wives, the duo brings new energy and a new generation of experience, perspective and enthusiasm to help deliver the Lyceum into the future.