“We don’t know if people want a bar with good food or a restaurant that has a bar,” said chef and restaurateur Kelly English on Friday night at the buzzy, busy sneak peek of Pantà.

“We’re happy to go either way,” said English.

David Quarles IV details design vision of Kelly English’s Pantà

On Oct. 29, Pantà, a Catalan-style restaurant in the former Restaurant Iris space on Monroe Avenue, just off Overton Square, was more the former, standing room only as guests took in the new ambience and tested out parts of the menu in bite-sized portions. 

But when it opens to the public, first on Saturday, Oct. 30 and then for its regular days and hours starting on Thursday, Nov. 4, the tables will grow shorter, to accommodate sitting rather than standing, and the portions will grow larger, to accommodate sharing, and Pantà will begin its journey to becoming, in part, what its customers make it.

When English decided to temporarily close his beloved Restaurant Iris in preparation for the move to a much larger space formerly occupied by The Grove Grill (coming spring/summer 2022), the converted Midtown home evolved from upscale New Orleans to casual but hip Barcelona.

The woodsy mural north of the bar remains from the last Iris remodel, and it inspired the new restaurant’s name. (Pantà is roughly Catalan for “swamp”.) But under the eye of local interior designer David Quarles IV, the color scheme has lightened, from the blacks, grays and dark greens of Iris to the burnt oranges, golds and leafy greens of Pantà.

Larger Restaurant Iris expected to open by end of year

The footprint of the space, a big central bar surrounded by three dining rooms of various sizes, hasn’t changed, but the vibe has grown more playful, from the dragon emblem that adorns the door (and provides a moniker for the smallest, most intimate of the dining rooms) to the empty wood picture frames highlighting the floral wallpaper in one room to the whimsical lines along the walls or ceilings in other rooms. 

Listen to Kelly English talk about his new restaurant, Pantà

“It’s fresh, it’s vibrant, it’s not intensely heavy and it’s joyful,” English said this week on the “Sound Bites” podcast, talking about the Spanish cuisine he first brought to the Iris space as an early COVID pop-up experiment. 

“One of the hardest things for me, at least from (the start of) the pandemic to now is to cook joyful food when you’re so stressed out. And all of us have been so stressed out. I’m really excited to have all of this food that to me represents joy.”

Among the menu items sampled on Friday night was Patatas Bravas, potatoes roasted with garlic and served with a chili pepper-and-paprika bravas sauce. 

One of the most popular tapas dishes from the Catalan region of Spain, Patatas Bravas is an English favorite from his time spent in Barcelona two decades ago and both a hit and a holdover from Catalan pop-up at Iris that became a launching pad for Pantà.

New to the menu, but also featuring the winning combination of potatoes and brava sauce (plus a bright charred green onion aioli) is Bomba Barceloneta. Think Italian favorite aranci, but instead of rice the bite-size fried balls contain mashed potatoes and a bit of Memphis barbecue from nearby Payne’s.

“We want to be really traditional with what we do but reserve the right to Memphis the hell out of anything we want,” said English. 

Elsewhere, the menu is rich with seafood. Gambas al Ajillo, gulf shrimp cooked with “good olive oil,” shaved garlic and lemon, was succulent, and Pulpo amb Llimona, grilled octopus with olives, hazelnut and burnt lemon aioli, seems destined to be a hit. 

Esqueixada, similar to a ceviche, replaces the more traditional Catalan salt cod with crab and scallop, marinated in sherry with tomato, onion and herbs. 

Also on the menu is Peix Crua, dubbed “the best fish we can find,” with citrus, tarragon, burnt butter and hazelnuts. 

But there is grilled and roasted meat as well: A harissa-roasted duck on baguette, grilled beef short ribs with mushroom pan sauce and Secreto a la Plancha, herb-charred pork with olives, leeks, chiles and almonds. 

The drink menu will feature Spanish wine and beer, sherry, vermouth and craft cocktails, with an emphasis on gin and tonic, the favored drink of Barcelona nightlife.

Pantà is avoiding the terms “tapas” or “small plates,” instead dubbing its menu “daily snacks,” but the portions are small, geared towards ordering a variety of options and sharing them. 

Hours will be geared toward late nights, with reservations available early in the evening only. Pantà will be open 6 p.m. to midnight Thursday-Saturday for now.

“We want to have a solution to great food late,” said English. “A lot of times when you go out late, you can only find a greasy cheeseburger, which I love. Or you can find a portion of the hospitality that people offer. We really want to put our foot into late night.”

The “late” orientation will extend to Sundays, when Pantà will punt the traditional Sunday brunch into later in the day, instead offering a “siesta service” from 2-6 p.m, with sangrias and food.

With English’s Second Line restaurant next door (the two spaces share a kitchen) open earlier on Sunday, English has customers covered for Sundays whatever their early/late orientation. 

“We’ve got brunch for the saints and the siesta service for the sinners and we don’t judge,” English jokes. 

Pantà Memphis is at 2146 Monroe Ave. Open Thursday-Saturday 6 p.m.-midnight and Sundays (starting Nov. 7) 2-6 p.m. 901-417-7491. pantamemphis.com.