New restaurant opening at historic location this fall
TWISTED FORK evolved from a prize-winning mac-and-cheese recipe to a pop-up restaurant. Now, the up-scale diner brand is getting a home of its own.
Amanda Sandner – who co-owns the business with husband Jered Sandner – confirmed paperwork recently was inked to lease the restaurant space in the St. Nicholas Apartments, formerly home of NU-VOH AT THE ST. NICHOLAS.
“We were actually looking into getting a food truck when we got word about (the) Nu-voh (space) being available,” Sandner said of the 400 E. Jefferson St. building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “We love the history of the space, downtown.
“Our mission is to create a memorable experience with high quality food and create jobs.”
TWISTED FORK AT THE ST. NICHOLAS is projected to open this fall.
Amanda Sandner previously worked for STARBUCKS eight years managing locations in Springfield and Chatham, as well as overseeing the coffee chain’s openings of new stores in Illinois south of Chicago.
Twisted Fork will be the Sandner’s first restaurant. But the couple has been feeding Springfield diners via pop-up events at GEORGE RANK’S after winning a macaroni-and-cheese competition held at the South Sixth Street bar.
“The bar never re-opened its kitchen after Covid,” Sandner said, “so after winning the competition they asked us to work out of their kitchen.”
Of course, the Sandner’s winning recipe – a scratch-made, aged white cheddar cheese sauce – is part of the planned lineup. But they didn’t stop there. In fact, the couple have seven takes on the classic comfort food dish such as smoked Gouda with bacon, queso with tortilla chips and a lobster mac-and-cheese.
They apply the same variety to their top selling smash burgers that come with scratch-made sauces like Bourbon-mushroom and curry. Twisted Fork’s menu will also include elevated versions of diner standards, ranging from pork tenderloins to tuna melts.
The restaurant space at the St. Nicholas Apartments has been vacant since Nu-Voh closed in the spring of 2022.
The building – originally The Saint Nicholas Hotel – was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The hotel opened in downtown Springfield in 1855 and has hosted many notable guests, including three U.S. presidents: Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy.
But, perhaps, the guest The Saint Nicholas Hotel is best known for is former Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell. Shoeboxes stuffed with cash were found in Powell’s hotel suite residence after his death.
FREDDY’S FROZEN CUSTARD & STEAKBURGERS is celebrating National Frozen Custard Day Monday with a free custard offer.
A voucher for a free mini single-topping sundae will be available to all Freddy’s app holders Aug. 7 to everyone who has signed up for the chain’s reward’s program. The app can be downloaded at www.freddys.com/rewards.
The voucher – located in the app’s offers section – is good through Aug. 11.
The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closing, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: New restaurant opening at historic location this fall
