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NOTE: Slideshow Fixed We didn't preview the space for The Trenchermen— it's still under construction; the event was held at Architectural Artifacts amid carnival posters and dusty chandeliers. And we didn't preview all that much of the food— just a few appetizers and cocktails, all interesting, but no Sheerinologist would say they could discern the direction of the menu from a few bites. So what did we see at the Trenchermen preview last night? Mainly, the Sheerin brothers having a good time, working together at last. "It was always the plan to work with my brother, even when it was Trencherman," Mike told us. "That's why I moved back to Chicago [from New York]. Everybody knew it; it was frustrating to have to lie to people all the time, oh no, he's staying at The Signature Room."

Last night they were working together like brothers do, joking and laughing as they enjoyed the good vibes of the crowd, and excited by the progress being made in their space (the former Spring, before that an ancient Russian bathhouse). Where Spring was art-museum-white inside, Trenchermen will be more urban and gritty, keeping the bathhouse's iconic white tile walls but getting other surfaces down to brick. Being the former bath, the dining room at Spring was several steps below street level, a point reached somewhat awkwardly via a staircase, and Mike Sheerin was excited by the design of a new staircase being installed to welcome customers in a more stylish manner. As for the food, Mike suggests it will be somewhere in between his fine dining background (WD-50, Blackbird) and his recent consulting gig doing meaty comfort food at Three Floyds, though the bar will be a big part of the space and part of the menu will certainly be aimed at that. The opening is planned for around February.