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August 12, 2024
GREEN BAY – In its last 17 years in business, Plae Bistro has undergone three renovations.
“Every four to eight years, I start doing something major to give it a little facelift,” Owner Jill Bassett said.
The most recent, she said, just wrapped up.
“This is our third time renovating,” she said.
The others came in 2013 and 2015.
Bassett said she was inspired to open Plae Bistro in 2007 by the idea of serving contemporary American cuisine and creating Plae – an acronym for “A Place to Laugh and Eat.”
Thought process
Choosing to start the remodel in the summer, Bassett said, was key for a few different reasons.
“Summer is always our slowest time of year,” she said. “And we wanted to get it done before the (NFL) draft next year.”
Though remodeling every four to eight years may seem like a hassle or daunting to some, Bassett said she enjoys making changes to the space.
“I get bored with the decor and (want) to keep it new and refreshing for our customers…,” she said. “We’ve been open for 17 years, so you don’t want the same thing all the time – just like when we change up our menu.”
This round of renovations, Bassett said, came with a slew of new – “and exciting” – changes, including an entire bar remodel, two new booths additions, new decor, a redo of the outdoor patio and chef’s room changes.
The chef’s room, she said, allows guests to have a front-row view of Chef Michael Madigan while he prepares a six-course meal.
“We redid our entire outdoor patio,” she said. “We made it bigger, added outdoor lights and all new planters.”
The patio itself, Bassett said, took about three weeks to complete – which was started in May.
The entire building was shut down for five days, and then the original dining room and patio were open for 10 days while the bar went through renovations.
Bassett said they also added new signage, a new sound system and a wine rack wall, which replaced the wine tree the restaurant used to have.
She said Plae even got a custom-made tree put into the restaurant.
“It was a complete makeover,” she said.
Out of all of the changes to the restaurant, Bassett said the bar is her favorite.
“Our bar is fantastic,” she said. “You won’t see anything like this in Green Bay, let alone Wisconsin.”
The inspiration for the 30-seater, wraparound bar Bassett said came from the her home down south.
“My husband and I have a home in Sarasota, Florida,” she said. “There’s a place there we love, and we mimicked that a little bit.”
Bassett said she and her husband sent their contractor, Pat Drury of Drury Designs to Sarasota so he could see exactly what they were looking for.
“He nailed our vision – absolutely nailed it,” she said. “It looks exactly how I wanted it to.”
Since the reimagined bar has opened, Bassett said people have loved sitting at it.
“Our bar is filled from the time we open until the time we close,” she said.
The goal of this remodel, Bassett said, was to give off a contemporary vibe.
“(It’s) more warm contemporary, not cold contemporary,” she said. “Soft lighting, bigger booths, the huge custom-made tree and wine display.”
The menu
Though the restaurant saw many changes throughout the summer, Bassett said the menu stayed the same.
And that, she said, is due to it having its own rotating, seasonal schedule.
“Our summer menu came out as we were doing the patio,” she said. “Now, our fall and winter menu will come out Oct. 1.”
Some of the items on Plae Bistro’s summer menu, Bassett said, include a fresh strawberry and almond salad, a beet burger and tequila lime chicken pasta.
The purpose
When Bassett opened Plae Bistro in 2007, she said she wanted everyone to have a full experience – “not just good food, not just good service.”
“I wanted the whole atmosphere,” she said. “The looks on people’s faces when they walk in – it’s worth every penny we’ve sunk into this.”
The overall response from customers, Bassett said, “has been insane.”
“Mondays and Tuesdays are usually slow days in the restaurant,” she said. “(Now) we’ve been booked out. We couldn’t get another soul in here if we tried this past Monday and Tuesday. It’s been great.”
The main purpose of the remodel, Bassett said, was to give customers “something new to look forward to.”
“It’s almost like being at a new restaurant, with a different feel and vibe,” she said. “It makes it exciting to come back again for people who maybe haven’t been here in a while – and especially our regulars who are here all the time.”
Restaurant life
Though she’s owned Plae Bistro for the last 17 years, Bassett said her experience in the restaurant industry can be traced back to when she was 15 years old.
“My parents made me get a job at that age, and this industry is the only one that would hire a 15-year-old,” she said. “I never left after that.”
With the exception of an executive chef, Bassett said she has worked every position there is in the industry.
To learn more about Plae Bistro, visit plaebistro.com.
