Nationally acclaimed Chef Adam Evans, in partnership with Chef Luke Joseph and owner Raymond J. Harbert, has announced plans for a forthcoming restaurant, Current Charcoal Grill.

Set to open this spring in downtown Birmingham, Current Charcoal Grill will pay homage to the flavors, ingredients and techniques of Asian cuisine, including using a centuries-old approach to cooking with traditional Japanese Binchotan charcoals, per Evans’ announcement. Evans and Joseph will serve as chef-partners and collaborate on a menu that they say highlights sustainably sourced proteins and quality ingredients.

A Muscle Shoals native, Evans spent many years honing his culinary expertise alongside renowned chefs before opening his first restaurant, Automatic Seafood & Oysters in Birmingham, with his wife in 2019. Evans is the 2022 winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef: South Award.

Hailing from New Zealand, Joseph brings a wealth of experience, having worked at multiple establishments in Australia before relocating to Birmingham, where he joined the team at Automatic Seafood & Oysters.

The menu

Drawing from the chefs’ combined experience, the menu will feature spear-caught fish and Gulf seafood, as well as produce from local farmers. Dish highlights will include whole roasted duck, Cantonese-style crispy pork belly, a selection of raw fish and rice preparations, scallion pancakes and seasonal offerings of tempura vegetables. On the sweet side, customers can expect a variety of Japanese shaved ice.

The beverage program will showcase an array of Japanese spirits and sake alongside a curated wine selection and imported Asian beers on draft. The seasonally driven cocktail menu will feature a variety of familiar favorites and creative riffs.

Chef Kwame Onwuachi, left, awards Chef Adam Evans with the Best Chef: South award at the 2022 James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards in Chicago. (Jeff Schear / Getty Images for James Beard Foundation)

The space

Dating back to the 1920s, Current Charcoal Grill’s interiors at 1625 Second Ave. South feature soaring ceilings and double-layer brick walls. Designed by Suzanne Humphries Evans, the concept’s palette is heavily influenced by the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, according to the announcement. It incorporates touches of teal, blue and black intermixed with earth tones of clay and copper throughout.

The restaurant will be outfitted with Shou Sugi Ban wood paneling, a 200-year-old Chinese altar table, shibori-dyed fabrics and rice paper lanterns. Seating can accommodate up to 120, with dual bars, a 70-foot-long banquette, expansive booths and a lounge.

Additional details on the opening date, hours and reservations will be available soon. Follow @currentcharcoalgrill or visit currentcharcoalgrill.com for updates.