South End craft beer bar to reopen Friday with new menu and renovated interior

Bart Whitney wasn’t planning to close his South End bar, Helles & Dunkel for a full week. The owner just wanted to rearrange some things to better suit a new chef and expanded menu.

But what started as a minor rearrangement last Friday quickly turned into a full-blown renovation, causing Whitney to shut down the bar for a week. And when Helles & Dunkel reopens Friday, Jan. 13, things will look — and taste — a little different.

First, the interior.

Bands used to set up near the door at Helles & Dunkel, but that area has been taken over by a food prep area and display cooler. Whitney decided to move the live music to the back of the bar — and do it right. He built a large stage in the back corner, on the far opposite end of the space from the bar.

Whitney plans to double the amount of live music in the bar to about three to five nights a month. He’s also considering a regular open mic night on Sundays.

Whitney also tore down the wall and door that separated the bar area from the back room where the stage is now, opening it up into one large space. The walls in the back area are painted red and the stage is black. Whitney said he’d like to have local artists come in and put their mark on the interior.

About that expanded menu.

When Whitney first signed on with the bar in late 2015 — back when it was still World of Beer — there was no food. He and his partner started working with food trucks to get some sandwiches in the place. Gradually, the Helles & Dunkel started offering a fairly basic bar menu. Then came the “Sushi Experiment.”

It started back in October. Marlon Caycho, who used to live above the bar, started making sushi for Helles & Dunkel three days a week. Then it grew to four days a week, then six, and now Caycho is taking over the kitchen and crafting a new menu.

Caycho used to work at Sushi Guru in SouthPark. He plans to combine that Asian food background with his Latino heritage to craft a unique menu.

“I want to have options that a lot of bars don’t have,” Caycho said.

Like, well, sushi. But also pork and veggie dumplings, Cuban sandwiches, pork belly tacos, and daily specials that could include things like empanadas. There will still be your typical bar food, too, like wings, sandwiches and pizza.

Caycho said everything will be made from scratch daily, and he hopes to start sourcing more from local farms and producers. He’s already planning to get bread daily from Nova’s Bakery. And he hopes to eventually start doing brunch on the weekends.

The Asian influence has carried over to the alcohol. Sapporo and Kirin Ichiban are on tap, and Helles & Dunkel will start serving sake.

With 60 taps and hundreds of bottles, beer is still the star at Helles & Dunkel. But Whitney hopes more people will start coming for the food.

“We’re just trying to up our food game to match our beer game,” Whitney said. “Nobody calls to make reservations for a beer.”

Helles & Dunkel: 222 E Bland St, Charlotte.

Photos: Corey Inscoe; Food photos: Jesse Metzger/Helles & Dunkel

This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "South End craft beer bar to reopen Friday with new menu and renovated interior."