Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours founding chef Deborah VanTrece is opening new restaurant called Oreatha’s at the Point in historic Cascade Heights. Named after her mother, Oreatha’s will put an elevated spin on dishes prepared by mothers from around the world. The mid-century modern spot will begin serving the public on April 13.
While working as a flight attendant prior to becoming a chef, VanTrece noticed that tourist fare was very different from local fare. She decided to showcase the dishes mothers serve to their own families across the globe.
“I want to expand people’s perceptions of moms and their influence,” VanTrece says. “We want to be more inclusive of what moms look like and play with the recipes. Kim Kardashian is a mother!”
“The secret ingredient is always love, and it shows in the flavor and in the sourcing of ingredients,” she continues. “Modern day mothers are more concerned about what they’re putting into the bodies of their children.”
VanTrece says her mother used to make chicken pot pie, so she’ll be serving smoked duck pot pie at Oreatha’s. Executive chef Christian “Lucke” Bell grew up dining in a lot of Jewish homes and was inspired to create a potato latke with salmon roe.
“We like to create dishes that take people back to memories that have and hone in on that home cooking people miss when they’re out and about,” Bell says.
Other dishes include Thai seasoned catfish with tamarind hot sauce, coconut grits, and curry coleslaw; harissa grilled cauliflower steak with mafe sauce, chickpea dumplings, and blistered heirloom tomatoes; and tempura miso fried artichokes with okra, shishito peppers, smoked garlic, and roasted chile harissa aioli. The bread service, offered for purchase, features breads from a variety of cultures, intended to mimic that served in different regions.
Oreatha’s will serve dinner Wednesday through Saturday, plus brunch on Sundays. Offerings may include French omelets with boursin cheese, benedicts, and a sweet potato cinnamon roll with fried chicken. In the future, Oreatha’s will offer Sunday Supper with a meat-and-three menu featuring family-style dishes like fried chicken, meatloaf Wellington made with turkey, and catfish and spaghetti.
“Sunday Supper is about family and community, and this neighborhood has a lot of strong churches,” VanTrece says.
For dessert, Oreatha’s is outsourcing to local pastry chefs Safe McMullen of Sam & Izzy’s Sweets and Briana Riddock of the Seasoning Bottle. “It’s a way to give some incredible female African American pastry chefs an opportunity to shine,” VanTrece says.
Her daughter, Kursten Berry, will also get her name out there, serving as beverage director. She’ll serve creative cocktails, primarily focused on bourbon, with names like Mother May I and the Lady with the Blonde Hair (VanTrece). There will be 11 wines available by the glass, plus an ever-changing variety of local beers. Oreatha’s does not have its liquor license yet—instead it’ll be pouring complimentary glasses of wine.
Once Berry gets Oreatha’s bar underway, she’ll turn her focus to a nearby underground speakeasy called Dulcet—a name that means soothing or pleasing. With only 24 seats and a jewel-toned interior, it will serve cocktails and fine dining fare like steak, seafood, caviar, and duck foie gras corn dogs.