The Iron Horse rides again

Jason Druso has teamed up with Glendale entrepreneur Robin Thomas, and they're planning to re-open the Iron Horse Restaurant in Glendale. Druso was the co-owner of Aqua in Mount Lookout, but recently sold out his half to his partner. Before that, he spent eight years with Jeff Ruby, including time as general manager of Carlo and Johnny.
They'll be remodeling the historic building on Glendale Square. "I like to buy a building where someone else has done all the work that people don't see, and I can do the work that people do see," he says. It will be a mix of new and old, aknowledging the historic character of the building, but updating it. The downstairs dining room will no longer be red when they're through with it. Upstairs will be a supper club with a jazz trio. On the menu: New American food, simple, changing seasonally, local products, clean flavors.
Then the pair are opening an 8-room boutique hotel on the other end of Glendale Square, The Glendalia, with a restaurant called The Black Squirrel Bistro next door to it.
They hope the Iron Horse will be ready to open this summer.