O'Neil Preps New Winnetka Restaurant Trifecta Grill

Winnetkans may have noticed a subtle change to the building along Chestnut Street that previously housed JP McCarthy's. New awnings are a sign of a changing tide, ushering in Patrick O'Neil's eighth restaurant, Trifecta Grill.

The restaurant, which will mark the third O'Neil restaurant in the area, is set to open in "two weeks" owner Patrick O'Neil told Patch. "I give everyone the line 'two weeks,' but I think it actually might happen," O'Neil laughed, adding that today, Monday, marks an intensive week of tasting, with all the cooks in tow.

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The tapas-esque menu and industrial makeover of the eatery will largely target young adults in their 30s and 40s as a sans kids, hangout spot, O'Neil said. But the defining characteristic of Trifecta will be its California-inspired wine sampling.

In addition to a dining room, the restaurant will boast a wine-tasting room where patrons can sample 28 climate-controlled wines from around the world in two to six ounce servings. The wine is housed in stainless steel and accessed through spouts.

"We'll be issuing in-house credit cards...it will be in a lounge-type room where people can sit and sample wine all night," he said.

"This wine system has never been implemented in the Midwest before."

O'Neil's newest endeavor is one of four businesses slated to open in the coming months, according to Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce Director Terry Dason. It's one of two food establishments, the other being Once Upon a Bagel. Eateries are more of what the community wants, according to Dason.

"The caucus did a whole survey in 2011 and residents said they would like more restaurants," she said. Trifecta is set to strike a middle chord between its sister restaurants and , she added.

But not all local business owners view the new eatery as positive.

"I think Winnetka is very a small city to have three restaurants by one person," said Cafe Aroma owner Mitra Ryndak.

While Ryndak questions how it will effect the vitality of the rest of Winnetka's business community, she did wish the establishment well.

Meanwhile, O'Neil admits that his desire to open Trifecta in Winnetka was in part to keep competition out.

"It's kind of a self-defense move," he said, "Instead of allowing more competition to move in, we'd rather do something totally different."

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