Brasserie Opening Delayed, But Pushing Forward

People who dine at Avert, the new restaurant under construction in West Hartford Center, will get an authentic French brasserie experience.

They’ll just have to wait longer than expected, according to owner Dorjan Puka.

Indeed, Puka, who with his wife owns Treva Restaurant and Bar in West Hartford Center, anticipates opening his second restaurant sometime in early to mid October. He had expected to open sometime in mid-September.

The delays, according to Puka, have to do with obtaining construction materials from vendors. For example, Puka said that he ordered 1,000 tiles from Italy only to be told by the vendor that 800 were on their way. It will take several weeks, Puka said, to get that order squared away.

But the wait will be worth it, Puka said during a quick tour of the restaurant located at 35 LaSalle Road. The space was formerly occupied by Thirty5 Bar & Grille, which closed on April 12.

Avert (pronounced “Av-air”) will have all the trappings of an authentic French brasserie, from the zinc-topped bar to the subway tiles on the walls.

“I want to give it a European look,” said Puka, noting that he chose the name Avert because it means “green” in French and it’s also Treva spelled backward. “We want to do it right.”

The fare will be light, with escargot, and steak frites on the menu.