South City Prime to close

South City Prime in Little Falls, the luxury steakhouse from the owners of South City Grill that opened last January, won't make it to its first birthday.

The restaurant will close after dinner service on Jan. 17, a Saturday, and reopen Jan. 21 as Fire & Oak, the casual concept that the restaurant group was already planning on opening in Montvale and Jersey City,

"This was an expensive restaurant, and we thought we would continue to struggle along with everyone else," principal owner Graeme Dorras said today. "I believe we need to do something more in line with the economy and what people can afford."

The more casual concept was announced in October, when South City decided to abandon plans to open 'Prime' steakhouses in Montvale and Jersey City and open less-fussy restaurants in their places. The menu, while not finalized, will consist of dishes that are easy to prepare and easy on the wallet, such as ground-to-order burgers, rotisserie chicken and barbecued ribs.

Kenneth Trickilo, formerly of Napa Valley Grille in Paramus, who joined South City last week, will be executive chef for the Fire & Oak restaurants. He'll start in Little Falls but eventually move to the Montvale restaurant when it opens.

The Montvale restaurant, in the Courtyard By Marriott, expects to open in mid-February, but the project has been beset by construction delays. The Jersey City restaurant, in the new Westin hotel, also will open around the same time.