The divide between pub and restaurant has thinned quite radically over the last few years, due to the emergence of the London-based gastropub revolution, as well as the advent of a generation of chefs seeking to extricate snobbery from the fine dining experience. Shila, the gastropub named after chef-owner Sharon Cohen’s pet dog, has toed this line for over six years, declaring his restaurant as "the bar with the best food, or the restaurant with the best bar.” His pompous statement has the reviews and strong client following to back it up.
Directly influenced by the culinary style and carefree atmosphere of the Barcelona kitchen, chef Cohen offered a rotating daily menu based on availability of ingredients, as well as his arbitrary whims. The menu leans heavily on seafood, usually left raw or pickled, with a focus on small plates to share with a partner and a bottle of wine. The area stresses casual, and the crowd consists mainly of those 35 and above.