Renowned Philly chefs and longtime friends Jason Cichonski and Chip Roman first collaborated last spring to open Mica in Chestnut Hill. Last week they launched their newest venture, in Queen Village at the corner of 3rd and Bainbridge. Named after Cichonski’s mother, Ela is a charming, rustic space that seats 40 at polished wooden tables adjacent to a 15-seat bar, with an adjacent semi-private room seating 10 more.

The tables are set beside a series of large, multi-pained glass windows, while the bar looks towards the restaurant’s customized 16 bottle Cruvinet wine dispensing system, designed to reduce oxidation. The enhanced preservation method allows Ela to offer 20 selections by the glass at any one time, many more than comparably-sized bars have available.

In addition to wine, Ela offers a rotating list of 25 craft beers. Also on the drink menu is a series of innovative cocktails created by Cichonski, all named after songs by Brand New, one of his favorite bands. His favorite is the Jude Law and a Semester Abroad, made up of Bluecoat Gin, burnt sugar sage and absinthe. Others include the Jaws Theme Swimming (toasted cedar wood/vodka/Lillet Blanc/vermouth martini) and the Sowing Season (Laphroaig whiskey, Yards Love Stout beer, amaretto and maraschino liquor).

Cichonski (formerly at Lacroix at the Rittenhouse) and Roman (Conshohocken’s Blackfish) both know what they’re doing when it comes to food. The menu is based around seasonal ingredients that bring creations like sweet potato soup with porcini and coffee caramel, gnocchi with maitake mushrooms, cauliflower and Japanese pumpkin, and scallop noodles served with shaved carrot, sesame and blood orange slivers. Alongside the autumn-appropriate pumpkin pie, there are also creatively enticing dessert offerings like hot chocolate chip cookie dough with vanilla semifreddo and banana.

There are currently no happy hour specials, but it’s a great, window-lit space for an after-work drink (if you can manage to get there before the sun goes down). The cocktails did seem to be slightly on the weaker side, but the spot is less than seven days old, and they emphasize filling out the comment card at the end of your experience. Come in soon and you can help them tweak the menu while they finish getting the restaurant off its feet.

Photos by Danya Henninger