The Chophouse replaces OPUS in Howland

HOWLAND -- A Trumbull County restaurateur has closed his upscale OPUS Twenty One restaurant and replaced it with a more casual alternative, The Chophouse, adjacent to the Avalon Inn & amp; Resort.
Owner John Kouvas decided to make the change, said spokesman Jeff Cataffa, to tap into what he sees as a need in the area for a fine steakhouse with a casual atmosphere.
Kouvas is a managing partner of the Avalon Inn & amp; Resort, and he also owns Ristorante Allora, an Italian eatery that opened last summer inside the inn on the site of the former Tall Oaks restaurant.
OPUS opened in 2000 and did a good business, especially around the holidays, Cataffa said. After evaluating the market, however, the owner decided a less formal setting would attract more consistent crowds.
"OPUS was a New York-style restaurant with the marble and the granite. Some people walked in and were a little intimidated," he said. "More people are looking for a relaxed atmosphere, and the Chophouse has that."
Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner only, The Chophouse offers steaks, chops and seafood and a lounge. Meanwhile, Cataffa said an inn renovation is continuing with the refurbishing of its 144 guest rooms. The first round, about 40 first-floor rooms, will be complete by midsummer.