Art Inspired Restaurant, KNVS, Opening In Oceanside
KNVS (pronounced Canvas), an innovative concept developed by Kevin Shin, where immersive-art-gallery meets restaurant and bar, is opening on July 30.
A first-of-its-kind venue, KNVS restaurant and bar is a space where guests can indulge in a chef-crafted, eye-catching menu reflective of the dynamic art that surrounds them.
The fourth eatery on The Fin Hotel Campus, KNVS finds its home among Kevin Shin’s three other concepts – historic and Hawaiian-inspired restaurant and bar, The Switchboard Restaurant; coffee shop, North County Roastery; and pop-up Korean street food lounge, Haetae.
An integration of creatives, KNVS will rotate its featured visual artist quarterly while the food and beverage team creates a coinciding menu inspired by the art on the walls.
KNVS features Oceanside local artist
Kicking off the restaurant/art gallery experience, Oceanside local, Margaret Alexis Chiaro, is the first artist to be featured at KNVS, where she will debut her collection, The Floral Guild. Whimsical and feminine in its nature, The Floral Guild contrasts suggestively feminine subjects with darker energetic polarities, and will remain on display through the end of October.
Emphasizing duality in all of her pieces, Margaret creates a stark contrast between light and dark and masculine and feminine with each stroke of her brush, which represents her symbolic and personal approach to art.
Art on your plate
The direction of the menu, created by co-chefs, Chef Michael Mitchem and Matthew Monko, is inspired by the contemporaneous dark and light highlighted in Margaret’s art.
Menu items include a vegan Ratatouille Bouquet and a Berry Cured Salmon. The cocktail menu, created by Beverage Director Wyatt DeMars, also appeals to the same multi-thematic balance in The Floral Guild.
The drinks that appear bright and cheerful on the outside will be found to have darker, moodier flavors within, while drinks that appear strong and unyielding reveal delicate intricacies.
Some cocktails on the menu are Love Bush with jamaica rum, lime, bell pepper, chartreuse and agave and Iris with rye, cognac, apple, lemon, black pepper and charcoal.
Giving back to the community
Having served in the United States Marine Corps for 13 years, a Fire Captain for Culver City Fire Department for the last 17 years, and on the boards of the Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside Chamber of Commerce and KOCT, Kevin is staying true to his value of giving back to the community by taking an alternative approach to gallery sales.
Rather than taking a commission from the artists featured in KNVS, Kevin will instead be donating 15% of proceeds to a nonprofit of the artist’s choice. Margaret, the first featured artist, has chosen Studio ACE of Oceanside, a studio dedicated to enriching lives through art, community and education.
As part of each exhibit, KNVS will also spotlight corresponding community artists, such as live musicians and florists, that will work to seamlessly integrate their work with that of the visual artists, chefs, and bartenders.
To keep up to date with KNVS restaurant and bar, visit their website here and follow them on Instagram.
See you there, San Diego!
