NEW YORK RESTAURANT NEWS ARCHIVE

Openings

Annisa Lo has unveiled her West Village barbeque joint, Bar Q. The 120-seat space, tricked out with slate and marble, boasts Asian ‘cue like tea-smoked chicken and salmon. Diners can mix and match with different sauces, like Korean red pepper paste, with their meals. Bar Q, 308-310 Bleecker St., 212-206-7817.

Artichoke is generating buzz among pizza-philes, who are calling it a Manhattan competitor to the legendary Di Fara Pizza. It’s too soon to tell whether the hefty slices, (including Sicilian, Neapolitan, and artichoke-spinach varieties) at this East Village storefront will gain a similar following, though. Artichoke, 328 East 14th St., 212-228-2004.

Jason Denton, of Lupa, is ready to present Bar Milano, his first effort focusing on food from the northern regions of Italy. Look for grilled tuna with veal sweetbreads along with a special selection of sweets and cocktails here. Bar Milano, 323 Third Ave., 212-683-3035.

Robert DeNiro adds another flourish to the New York dining scene this week with Ago Ristorante in the Greenwich Hotel. Ago will focus on the cuisine of Liguria and Emilia-Romagna. Modeled on the Ago locations in Los Angeles, Vegas, and Miami, this Italian restaurant features a ceiling decorated with 90,000 wine bottle corks and simple fare like spaghetti with clams, and pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Ago Ristorante, 377 Greenwich St., 212-925-3797.

Le Cirque is expanding–now there’s Le Cirque Lounge. Where you’re seated at isn’t as fraught with meaning here, thanks to the banquettes and low tables behind the bar area. Look for small bites like mini cheeseburgers and salmon tartare on the menu. Le Cirque Lounge, 151 East 58th St., 212-644-0202.

The ramen wars continue to escalate: Ippudo, a popular Japanese chain, has opened their first New York location. Run by a chef known as “The Ramen King,” the focus here is on that famous noodle soup, with variations including shrimp tempura, vegetables, and pork on offer. Ippudo, 65 Fourth Ave., 212-388-0888.

Pichet Ong’s P*ong spinoff, Batch, is open. This take-out dessert shop is next door, serving recipes Ong is testing out for the menu at P*ong. Look for cookies, pastries and ice cream. Batch, 150B West 10th St., New York, 212-929-0250.

Pomme de Terre is the newest addition to the burgeoning dining scene in Ditmas Park. The owners of the Farm on Adderley are behind the venture, featuring a French menu designed by the Farm’s chef. Look for dishes like duck confit and skate in brown butter–and at Pomme de Terre, butter is churned in house, as are many of the other ingredients. Pomme de Terre, 1301 Newkirk Ave., Brooklyn, 718-284-0005.

The Plaza hotel is back on the New York dining scene this week with the Palm Courtand Champagne Bar. Featuring menus crafted by Didier Virot, look for standards like Muscovy duck breast and venison chops plus a swank champagne bar, open all day long. Palm Court and Champagne Bar, Plaza Hotel, 59th St. and Fifth Ave., 212-759-3000.

DuanePark marks the return of Shawn Knight, last seen making delectable Southern fare at Natchez in the East Village. The restaurant was last known as the Duane Park Café. Duane Park 157 Duane St., 212-732-5555.

West Village newcomer I Sodi isn’t your average Italian joint. Chef Michael Genardini, previously at Alto and L’Impero, will be preparing a menu of rustic Italian fare that changes weekly. The space is designed by one of the restaurant’s partners, a Brooklyn-based artist. I Sodi, 105 Christopher St., 212-414-5774.

You can eat just like Gwyneth Paltrow at Broadway East, where her former personal chef mans the kitchen. This vegetarian-friendly spot boasts meatless dishes like coconut-crisped tempeh and Portobello confit. Broadway East, 171 East Broadway, 212-228-3100.

The Rusty Knot is Ken Friedman’s (The Spotted Pig) newest hot spot. In the space last occupied by the bar West in the West Village, this drinking spot with pub grub (and a pool table) is sure to be packed with celebs sipping on classic tiki drinks, and maybe even nibbling the occasional pig in a blanket. The Rusty Knot, 425 West St., 212-645-5668.

Akhtar Nawab’s Elettaria is open. On a stretch of Eighth Street better known for swarms of NYU students than for haute cuisine, his restaurant serves Southeast Asian-inflected fare like saag paneer spinach gnocchi and capon with sweet and sour tomato ravioli. Eletteria, 33 West Eighth St., 212-677-3833.

Lomito is the city’s only Italian-Argentinean fusion restaurant. This Soho boite features grub like ravioli rellenos stuffed with duck and linguini with shellfish and a spicy red pepper sauce. Lomito, 300 Spring St., 212-929-9494.

Burger Shoppe is bringing burgers to the shores of Manhattan. This South Street Seaport joint brims with authentic detail, including a 20-foot bar and material poached from a diner in Philadelphia. Aside from burgers, mixed salads, sandwiches and shakes are on the menu. Burger Shoppe, 30 Water St., 212-425-1000.

The owners of wine and cheese shops Smith & Vine and Stinky Bklyn are expanding. Jakewalk, a Prohibition-era name for a strange walk one made when under the influence, will sell high-end cheeses, cured meats, wines and spirits. Jakewalk, 282 Smith St., Brooklyn, 347-599-0294.

Located near the restaurant-desolate area of Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, Cooper’s Tavern serves up elevated American fare with international flair. Julian Clauss-Ehlers mans the stoves. Cooper’s Tavern, 481 Eighth Ave., 212-268-8460.

Midtown East is the new home of Turkish eatery Savarona. The 85-seat restaurant boasts Tevfik Alparslan in the kitchen. Savarona, 220 E. 59th St.

Olana is open, in the space last occupied by Mad 28, serving local foods with an Italian spin. Look for dishes like burnt-orange-and-goose ravioli in a space that’s subtly evocative of the upstate mansion after which the restaurant is named. Olana, 72 Madison Ave., 212-725-4900.

The Mercury Dime is a new coffee shop from cocktail maven Sasha Petraske (of Milk and Honey) and T.J. Siegal. With cheeses, pastries, and a daytime clientele taking use of free wireless, it’s a bit more straight-laced than Petraske’s other projects, but expect it to be similarly popular among the hipster set. The Mercury Dime, 246 East 5th St., 212-533-3295.

Terroir is ready. The wine bar, down the street from owners’ Marco Canora and Paul Grieco’s East Village restaurant Hearth, will feature varietals representative of the “terroir” of different regions. The wine is paired with small bites like veal-ricotta meatballs and sausage-stuffed sage leaves. Terroir, 413 East 12th St., 646-602-1300.

Ed Brown has finally reappeared on the New York scene, after departing the Sea Grill in Rockefeller Center last year, with Eighty One. The restaurant, in the Excelsior Hotel, will turn out American fare like fennel and parsley soup and pumpkin risotto. Juan Cuevas has been named chef de cuisine. Eighty One, 45 West 81st St., 212-873-8181.

Mia Dona is the return of Dona–sort of. Michael Psilakis and Donatella Arpia have teamed up here to create another restaurant that serves a blend of Italian and Greek dishes, including gnudi with truffle butter and speck and Florentine meatloaf. Mia Dona, 206 East 58th St., 212-750-8170.

La Zarza introduces Argentine-Spanish fusion to the East Village. Look for stuffed dates wrapped with bacon and rib eye with patatas bravas and chimichurri. La Zarza, 166 First Ave., 212-477-1111.

New to the East Village is Argentine and Spanish eatery La Zarza, which serves up tapas and other Nuevo Latino treats. La Zarza, 166 First Ave., New York, 212-477-1111.

South Gate is ready. The former Café Botanica space, in the Jumeirah Essex House hotel on Central Park South, is helmed by Kerry Heffernan (late of Eleven Madison Park). The kitchen specializes in weighty American fare like braised rib of beef and butter-roasted lobster in a gilded space with mirrored tile ceilings and a working fireplace. South Gate, 154 Central Park South, 212-484-5120.

Commerce, a former speakeasy on the West Village street of the same name, features many period touches, including a bar that dates from 1941. Luckily, the food is fresh and includes hearty classics including fricassee and steak. Commerce, 50 Commerce St., 212-524-2301.

By day it’s a casual green market-driven eatery and by night it’s a dimly lit upscale-seeming restaurant. Gusto Organics, located on the border of the West Village and Chelsea, serves Italian- and Argentine-inspired dishes. Gusto Organics, 519 Sixth Ave., New York, 212-242-5800.

Pinch & S’Mac: two great tastes that taste great together? These New York-based pizza and mac n’ cheese chains have teamed up to rent a space that was last the Columbus Bakery on the Upper West Side. Look for both of them to do what they do best here. Pinch & S’Mac, 474 Columbus Ave., 646-438-9494.

Marcus Samuelsson, the Ethiopian-born and Swedish-raised chef behind Aquavit and Riingo, has opened Merkato 55, a Meatpacking District eatery that’s an ode to all things African. Andrea Luz Bergquist is the executive chef. Merkato 55, 55 Gansevoort St., New York, 212-255-8555.

Pata Negra, located in the East Village, is a wine bar serving tapas and Spanish wine. Pata Negra, 345 E. 12th St., New York, 212-228-1696.Adour Alain Ducasse in The St. Regis Hotel, New York is open. The deluxe restaurant, with an interior designed by David Rockwell (in the space last occupied by Lespinasse) is fanciful without the same over-the-top qualities of Ducasse’s last effort in the city. Highlights include a 12-seat private tasting room with touch screen menus, and muscular French fare from executive chef Tony Esnault like Colorado lamb loin with piquillos and slow cooked haibut with mixed vegetables. Adour, 2 East 55th St., New York, 212-710-2277.

Bar Veloce has reopened their far downtown location—in the interim, the space was Room 4 Dessert and Bar Tonno—with the same mix of Italian wines by the glass and small plates you’ll find at the group’s Second Avenue base. Bar Veloce, 17 Cleveland Pl., New York, 212-966-7334.

Hotel Delamo is Williamsburg’s swankiest new cocktail joint. Owned by the same team behind Union Pool, the interior is rife with early-20th-century details including ceiling fans and a large marble bar. Look for high-priced, high concept cocktails, too. As for the hotel part, it’s just a name for now. Hotel Delamo, 82 Berry St., Brooklyn, 718-387-1945.

Persephone is the newest project from the Steve Tzolis and Nicola Kotsoni, the owners behind Periyali. Look for a similar selection of modern Greek fare like braised cuttlefish and meatballs in tomato sauce with yogurt, in addition to cocktails made with ouzo and an extensive Greek wine list. Persephone, 115 East 60th St., New York, 212-339-8363.

Bagatelle is the newest French bistro in the burgeoning Meatpacking District. Expect classic French dishes here, from cote de boeuf to coquilles Saint Jacques. Nicholas Cantrel, late of Bobo, is in the kitchen at this subdued, cozy spot. Bagatelle, 409 West 13th St., New York, 212-675-2400.

Padre Figlio is an Italian steakhouse from a father and son team (hence the name). In addition to a wide selection of Italian beef, the restaurant serves hearty fare such as wild boar in a reduced limoncello sauce and lobster agnolotti. Padre Figlio, 310 East 44th., New York, 212-286-4310.

Sakae Sushi, a popular sushi chain based in Singapore that's already 65-locations-strong have opened their first U.S. location, in Midtown. The fresh fish here is ordered by computers at the table and delivered via a conveyor belt. Sakae Sushi, 405 Lexington Ave., New York, 877-725-2387.

Another chain from outside the U.S. is opening on the University Place: Wok to Walk. The youth-friendly spot allows customers to select their ingredients, which are subsequently stir-fried to order. Wok to Walk, 106 University Pl., New York, 212-206-8584.

Cupcake fans, rejoice: Magnolia Bakery's Upper West Side branch is open for business. Look for the same Sex and the City-approved sweets that are available downtown, in a homey black-and-white space with checkerboard floors. Magnolia Bakery, 20 Columbus Ave., New York, 212-724-8101.

Café Notte, located on the Upper East Side, is a coffeehouse (with Internet access) by day and then at night transforms itself into a sleek wine bar. Café Notte, 1626 Second Ave., New York, 212-288-5203.

David Ruiz, last at davidburke & donatella, unveiled Buceo 95 this week. A wine bar with a menu of small bites accompanying the eighteen wines on the menu, this sleek space has marble tables and counter seating inside. Buceo 95, 201 West 95th St., New York, 212-662-7010.

Covo is open. From the same owners behind the Max mini-empire, look for home-style Italian (rabbit, short ribs) in this restaurant west of Harlem. The bi-level space also features an after-hours lounge. Covo, 701 West 135th St., New York,212-234-9573.

Ushiwakamaru, the singularly named sushi spot, has opened in a below ground spot on Houston street after a long remodeling process. With blond wood and a long bar, it’s austere on the inside. The fish selection is extensive, and includes rarities like fluke, abalone, and giant clam. Ushiwakamaru, 136 Houston St., New York, 212-228-2141.

Felice Wine Bar, owned by part of the same team that’s behind Sant Ambroeus, is open. There’s a full menu of Italian fare at this Upper East Side spot, though lighter bites like crostini, paired with house wines, are also available in the sleek space with the occasional rustic accent. Felice Wine Bar, 1166 First Ave., New York, 212-593-2223.

Opening in early February, Mia Dona–helmed by Donatella Arpaia and Michael Psilakis–will serve up rustic Italian cuisine with a nod to Greece. Mia Dona, 204 E. 58th St., New York.

Seymour Burton is a joint project from chef Adam Cohn–who spent time at Barbuto–and Adam Kushner. This East Village boite, last occupied by Le Tableau and named after the duo’s fathers, features a Continental menu that includes brisket and caviar crepes. Seymour Burton, 511 East 5th St., New York, 212-260-1333.

It seems nothing can stop Fatty Crab's Zak Pelaccio. He’s now the consulting chef on new Times Square eatery Chop Suey, scheduled to open in January. Rounding out the all-star show is pastry chef Will Goldfarb on desserts. Chop Suey, Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square, 714 Seventh Ave., New York.

New York’s burger craze now includes vegetarians, as Zen Burger opens this week. Owned and operated by the same team as vegetarian mainstay the Zen Palate, the burgers here are made from soy and mushrooms, while chicken sandwiches (also soy) arrive with a dollop of imitation mayonnaise. Zen Burger, 465 Lexington Ave., New York, 212-661-6080.

Xai Xai may be New York’s first South African wine bar. Look for vintage wines from the region, like pinotage and the sweet Klein Constantia. As for the food, expect hearty fare like meat turnovers, snoek paté, and yellowcake with apricot jam. Xai Xai, 369 W. 51st St., New York, 212-541-9241.

La Rural takes over the space last occupied by Pampa on the Upper West Side. Look for Argentinean grub–the restaurant is named for a fair in Buenos Aires–more on the order of street food like empanadas and grilled skewers than the country’s famous steaks. La Rural, 768 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-749-2929.

National Underground has opened in the old Martignetti Liquors space. Backed by singer Gavin DeGraw, plans are afoot for a downstairs music venue as well, but for the moment the focus is on a selection of draft beers and, starting in February, a serious cheeseburger meant to rival New York standbys like Corner Bistro and Burger Joint. National Underground, 159 East Houston St., New York, 212-475-0611.

Legendary eatery Second Avenue Kosher Deli is back open after it was forced to shut its doors in 2007. But don’t mistake the new location–curiously, near Third Avenue–for a change in the menu. Second Avenue Kosher Deli, 162 E. 33rd St., New York, 212-689-9000.

John Fraser (last seen at Compass) has opened a new spot in a townhouse on the Upper West Side: Dovetail. Boasting an adventurous menu (lamb’s tongue muffuletta, quenelles of pike with lobster thermidor gratin) and a selection of 25 sherries, it’s a home run in the making for a restaurant-starved neighborhood. Dovetail, 103 West 77th St., New York, 212-362-3800.

Bar Blanc, a Greenwich Village bistro run by a trio of Bouley vets, lives up to its name with white banquettes and walls. Luckily the food branches out into other parts of the spectrum: look for elegant dishes like Japanese rice risotto with shrimp and oxtail consommé. Bar Blanc, 142 West 10th St., New York, 212-255-2330.

Kuta Satay House brings upscale meat on a stick to the Lower East Side. Expect the eponymous skewers (but dolled up in varieties like short rib with Asian pear) along with a full menu of pan-Asian dishes paired with the occasional American import (read: Garlic fries). Kuta Satay House, 65 Rivington St., New York, 212-777-5882.

Former Sushi Samba chef Eiji “Taka” Takase mans the sushi bar at Omido, a new Midtown sushi spot next to the Ed Sullivan Theater. Omido, 1695 Broadway, New York, 212-247-8110.

Daniel Boulud’s Lincoln Center restaurant, Bar Boulud, will swing open its doors just in time to ring in the New Year. The New Year’s Eve inaugural dinner will be a four-course prix-fixe for $150. Bar Boulud, 1900 Broadway, New York, 212-595-0303.

Peter’s Since 1969 is a rotisserie joint in Williamsburg; it used to be a butcher shop, hence the name. Look for juicy birds at this takeout spot, which aims to maintain the vibe of the previous owners with tile walls and the original meat hooks. Peter’s Since 1969, 168 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, 718-388-2811.

Radegast Hall is finally open after months of trouble obtaining the necessary permits. The Williamsburg beer hall with a retractable roof features a selection of beers and food from across central Europe, ranging from spinach and shallot blintzes to veal schnitzel with scallion sour cream potato salad. Radegast Hall, 113 N. Third St., Brooklyn, 718-963-3973.

The mother of all Pop Burger locations is here: Pop Burger Midtown, a three-story space with a lounge, pool table, and ground floor takeout area. The brioche sliders, fries, and shakes from the downtown locations made the trip above 42nd street. Pop Burger Midtown, 14 East 58th St., New York, 212-991-6644.

Tre joins the already crowded market for Italian restaurants on the Lower East Side. There are some nice touches here, though, including exposed beams on the ceiling and bamboo tables, plus a menu that goes above and beyond the norm with dishes like fried ravioli with chorizo, corn and potato and skate with cauliflower purée. Tre, 173 Ludlow St., New York, 212-353-3353.

It didn’t take long for acclaimed pastry chef Will Goldfarb to get back on the scene after his Room4Dessert shut down earlier this year. His newest venture is Dessert Studio at Chocolat Michel Cluizel, tucked away in ABC Carpet & Home. Dessert Studio at Chocolat Michel Cluizel, 888 Broadway, New York, 212-477-7335.

Former Top Chef contestant Dave Martin is at the helm of the new Westside comfort-food-meets-bistro-fare Crave on 42nd in the space that formerly housed Terra Vento. Crave on 42nd, 650 W. 42nd St., New York, 212-564-9588.

Cooper’s Tavern has opened at 481 Eighth Ave. (212-268-8460). Part of the rehab of the New Yorker Hotel near Madison Square Garden, the 1930s style bar and restaurant features crowd-pleasers like roasted duck breast with wild mushroom risotto and a “skyscraper burger” with grilled portobello and smoked Gouda.

Gottino is a new wine bar in the West Village with small plates and a menu designed by Jody Williams of Morandi. Look for bites of cheeses and salumi in addition to items like broccoli rabe crostini and shaved Brussels sprouts salad. Gottino, 52 Greenwich Ave., New York, 212-633-2590.

The Smith—not to be confused with Danny Abrams’ restaurant Smith’s—has opened on Third Avenue. A significant upgrade from the Pizzeria Uno that used to be in the space, the American-inspired menu from Glenn Harris and Jeffrey Lefcourt runs the gamut from potato chips with Gorgonzola fondue to Parmesan-crusted lamb schnitzel. The Smith, 55 Third Ave., New York, 212-420-9800.

Philippe Massoud, the chef and owner of Ilili, is helming the city’s first high-profile Lebanese restaurant in a long while. Leather and cedar are the predominant decorating cues on the inside while the menu boasts both traditional meze like hummus and baba ghanouj and high-end items like Wagyu beef kebabs and charcoal roasted lamb chops with cardamom and garlic. Ilili, 236 Fifth Ave., New York, 212-683-2929.

David Chang’s expanded Momofuku Noodle Bar is now open. The restaurant is just down the street from the original location, seats twice as many customers, and features sit-down tables and expanded kitchen facilities. The menu’s the same, with ramen and pork buns the highlights as always. Momofuku, 171 First Ave., New York, 212-777-7773.

Kellari’sParea is open, replacing Parea which closed earlier this year. It has a Greek taverna theme—lots of reclaimed wood on the inside—but the food is far from typical Greek fare. Look for dishes like filet mignon souvlaki and 24-hour oven-roasted lamb. Kellari’s Parea, 36 E. 20th St., New York, 212-777-8448.

Danny Abrams has unveiled his second Mermaid Inn location, this time on the Upper West Side. While the décor is much the same down to the stainless steel bar and nautical charts and fish advertisements on the wall, chef Laurence Edelman tweaked the menu uptown. Only three items overlap between the two spots, and new items like oysters grilled with olive oil and pork sausage are available. Mermaid Inn, 568 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-799-7400.

Solex transformed a space that used to be a Polish diner into a sleek wine bar with small bites. With a swooping ceiling, lots of wood, and bottles of wine artfully lining the walls, the kitchen turns out snacky items like a beef Wellington éclair and cromesquis de foie gras. Solex, 103 First Ave., New York, 212-777-6677.

Owners Cindy Smith of Raoul’s and Danny Abrams of the Mermaid Inn have partnered to open Smith’s in Soho. It’s the same Abrams formula, pairing American dishes like artichoke pasta and roast lamb saddle with tomato red-pepper ragout in a sleek, comfy space. Smith’s 79 MacDougal St., New York, 212-260-0100.

Not to be sidelined by his other opening Abrams’ fish shack, the Mermaid Inn, has opened a second location, this time on the Upper West Side. Despite the same name, the restaurant doesn’t share a menu with its downtown sib, and boasts new items like grilled oysters with pork sausage and skate wing with Israeli couscous. The interior maintains the cozy, nautical theme from downtown. Mermaid Inn, 568 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-799-7400.

Lunetta replaces haute-diner Mayrose in the Flatiron. A second location of a popular Italian spot on Smith Street, the specialties from across the river remain on the menu here including cavatelli with braised lamb and house-made ricotta. The interior, meanwhile, has transformed from industrial chic of Mayrose to old-world gilt. Lunetta, 920 Broadway, New York, 212-533-3663.

John McDonald, owner of Chinatown Brasserie and Lure Fishbar, brings his signature magic to the new Brasserie 44 in the Royalton hotel. He’s hooked Scott Ekstrom of Oceana to tend the kitchen, and he’s borrowed elements of Lure’s nautical decorating scheme. Look for gussied-up basics like pan-roasted veal chops and black bass en papillote to be served in the combination restaurant and lounge space. Brasserie 44, 44 West 44th St., New York, 212-869-4400.

Chef Andy D’Amico is the man behind the stoves at Nizza in Hell’s Kitchen. The name is the Italian word for the French city of Nice and the menu of small and mid-sized plates reflects a blending of French and Italian sensibilities; fried ravioli with crescenza cheese and duck liver mousse both are on the menu. Nizza, 630 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-956-1800.

T-Bar is aiming to raise the bar for steakhouses on the Upper East Side. Beef is clearly the focus, from a raw bar with different flavors of steak tartare to four prime cuts of cow. If you don’t want steak, T-Bar has some non-beef bites like salmon ravioli and chopped Caesar salad. T-Bar, 1278 Third Ave., New York 212-772-0404.

Café Katja is a 25-seat homage to Mitteleuropa below Delancey. It has real credentials—an Austrian chef paired with an American one, Austrian beers on draft and enough wurst and pretzels to feed all of Vienna. Café Katja, 79 Orchard St., New York, 212- 219-9545.

Athens Tavern is no souvlaki joint. With Greek owners and a chef imported from Athens—naturally—this is a Greek take on the gastropub. Look for baby lamb with fresh oregano and yogurt croquettes among the spins on classic Greek fare that you’d find elsewhere in Astoria. Athens Tavern, 23-01 31st St., Queens, 718-267-0800.

Johnny Schaefer, formerly the chef de cuisine at Gramercy Tavern, is now manning the kitchen at Irving Mill. Steps from the Union Square Greenmarket, the menu is greatly influenced by that resource. He’s serving seasonal dishes like grilled quail with sweet corn relish and smoked paprika and rabbit ragout with roasted shallots and garlic sausage in a space reminiscent of a rough-hewn farmhouse. Irving Mill, 116 East 16th St., New York, 212-254-1600.

Back Forty is a new project from Peter Hoffman and his co-chefs at the Soho mainstay Savoy. This East Village spot, as countrified as the name suggests, pairs a homey space with an unpretentious menu. American dishes like a blue crab roll with mustard and celery and shrimp and bacon beignets are available here, paired with specialized cocktails and microbrews on tap. Back Forty, 190 Ave. B, New York, 212-388-1990.

Cantina brings upscale Cuban cuisine to the East Village. The shabby chic interior with gilt fixtures and candles speaks to aspirations of a romance, but foodies will flock there to sample fare like a lamb’s tongue sandwich and pulled pork dulce de leche—Jason Neroni, of the late, scandal-riddled Porchetta, is a consulting chef. Cantina, 29 Ave. B, New York, 212-228-0599.

Need an Aussie food fix in Midtown? Go see The Australian, a new down-under themed spot, boasting a selection of wines, beers, and proteins (barramundi and kangaroo) from Oz. The Australian, 20 West 38th St., New York, 212-869-8601.

Allen & Delancey is finally here! Long delayed (and down the initial chef) it is now operating with Neil Ferguson, late of Gordon Ramsay’s NYC kitchen, at the helm. Look for continental fare like caramelized bone marrow with caviar and shallot puree and slow roasted pork belly with pickled pear and parsnips in all served in a loungey space. Allen & Delancey, 115 Allen St., New York, 212-253-5400.

Primehouse, an offshoot of the Chicago original, opens this week in the former home of the Park Avenue Country Club. Chef Jason Miller will be searing the beef, all of it literally descended from Hanson’s studly bull Prime (also the inspiration for the restaurant’s name). Expect pricey dishes like Kobe “Tootsie Rolls” and steaks topped with sauces like three peppercorn, blue cheese mousse, and lobster. The Porterhouse, for two, tops out at $86. Primehouse, 381 Park Ave., New York, 212-824-2600.

Lucy of Gramercy, in the same building as ABC Carpet, is a Puerto Rican restaurant by Miami-import Carmen Gonzalez. She’ll prepare Nuevo Latino dishes like pork chops with sweet plantains and peekytoe crab with avocado terrine and Key lime mayonnaise. Lucy of Gramercy, 35 East 18th St., New York, 212-475-5829.

Fans of West Side tiny tapas fave Tia Pol will be pleased to hear that the team behind it has opened El Quinto Pino. The restaurant features a rotating wine list and a sleek interior; the menu is Spanish small plates like fried cod fritters, anchovies, and an “uni panini.” El Quinto Pino, 401 W. 24th St., New York, 212-206-6900.

Fabio Trabocchi (formerly of The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner) is unveiling his new creations at the new version of Fiamma. While the kitchen sorts out the kinks, the Steve Hanson operation is offering a twenty percent discount on Trabocchi’s modern Italian fare like vermicelli with sardines, pine nuts and sea urchin. Fiamma, 206 Spring St., New York, 212-653-0100.

Grayz, the long-delayed restaurant from Gray Kunz, is finally open. Housed in a former mansion, the two-floor space will play host to a bustling lounge and an eclectic menu ranging from crab meat fritters to chicken Marsala dosas with a tamarind glaze and even pretzels, made in-house. Grayz, 13-15 W. 54th St., New York, 212-262-4600.

Arte Around the Corner has expanded to incorporate a new wine bar with small plates, called Artevino. The menu is designed by Egidio Donagrandi (of Paprika in the East Village). Look for rustic fare like roasted beets topped with shaved pecorino. Artevino, 274 Columbus Ave., New York, 212-875-2195.

Picknick is the newest project from Will Goldfarb (of the late Room4Dessert) and it’s a sandwich shack in Battery Park. Overlooking the harbor, sandwiches and cookies comprise the whole of the menu. Look for gourmet touches, though; that’s heritage pork, slow-roasted and topped with lime mayo, in the “Pork n’ Roll” and free-range chicken in the chicken club. Picknick, East of Castle Clinton in the Battery Bosque, New York, no phone.

Chef Nicolas Cantrel (most recently the executive sous chef at Country) has created a heavily French- and Italian-accented menu at Bobo in the West Village. The two-story space located in a brownstone will serve items like bouillabaisse and fritto misto. Bobo, 181 Tenth St., New York, 212-488-2626.

Tailor, Sam Mason’s long delayed bi-level SoHo restaurant, is finally open (despite last-minute troubles with the liquor license). Look for a menu divided into sweet and savory small plates, with dishes like tomato-peach, black sesame ice cream, lime and shiso on the sweet side and foie gras, peanut butter, cocoa and pear on the savory. Tailor, 525 Broome St., New York, 212-334-5182.

Cocktail lounge impresario Mark Grossich has unveiled Madison & Vine in the Library Hotel. The bar and restaurant with a gothic interior will turn out crowd-pleasers like a burger with beefsteak tomatoes, chicken paillard, and a Kobe beef club sandwich. Madison & Vine, Library Hotel, 299 Madison Ave., New York, 212-867-5535.

Pamplona is Alex Ureña’s new project in the space previously occupied by his eponymous restaurant Ureña. Version 2.0 is less expensive and features snack-y Basque cuisine like manchego cider fritters. Pamplona, 37 E. 28th St., New York, 212-213-2328.

Joey Campanaro and Mikey Price of the Mermaid Inn have teamed up to open Market Table in the West Village. The space, which used to be Shopsin’s, is now a restaurant and a grocery store. The grocery will provide meats and veggies while the kitchen will turn out seasonal fare like braised lamb shank with wilted greens or watermelon and feta salad with pickled onions. Market Table, 54 Carmine St., New York, 212-255-2100.

Café Tapeo is the latest addition to the restaurant row along Bergen Street. The eatery serves tapas that draw influences from around the globe, so there are classic Spanish items alongside pierogies and sliders. Café Tapeo, 52 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, 718-638-1066.

Chef Frank Lania unveiled Focolare Bistro in Little Italy last month. The restaurant serves more modern cuisine than many other Italian spots in the neighborhood, including beet ravioli with mascarpone and seared scallops with truffled mashed potatoes. Focolare Bistro, 115 Mulberry St., New York, 212-993-5858.

Lello Arpia, Donatella’s father, has opened another restaurant of his own, called Fiorini. This Upper East Side Italian spot isn’t as glamorous as his daughter’s efforts, serving rib-sticking red sauce Italian fare like osso bucco and veal parmigiana. Fiorini, 209 East 56th St., New York, 212-208-0830.

Sue Torres (of Sueños) has designed the menu at Los Dados, a sleek Mexican spot in the burgeoning Meatpacking District. Look for classics like a shrimp and pork tamale and coconut-infused halibut, washed down by an extensive cocktail list featuring any liquid that has ever been near a blue agave plant. They plan of open a taqueria next door as well. Los Dados, 73 Gansevoort St., New York, 646-810-7290.

Toloache is the newest Mexican joint from touted taquisto Julian Median (also of Pampano). This bi-level spot in Times Square incorporates European and Asian flavors too; look for Thai basil incorporated into taco permutations like beer-braised brisket, or dishes like a chile relleno filled with au gratin potatoes. Toloache, 251 West 50th St., New York, 212-581-1818.

Crave Ceviche Bar makes raw fish global by serving versions that span the world; shrimp with Tuscan beans, Maine lobster with Meyer lemon and chives, and calamari salad with clementine juice are all on the menu. Crave Ceviche Bar, 946 Second Ave., New York, 212-355-6565.

Chef Talel Hamdi will be in the kitchen at North African spot Elyssa Dido, open this week. The fare hews to classics like tagine and couscous, but roast duck and other French-influenced dishes will make an appearance. Elyssa Dido, 85 Orchard St., New York, 212-991-9880.

The BLT empire just got a bit bigger. Enter BLT Market, the latest from soon-to-be super prolific chef Laurent Tourondel. Housed in The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, the eatery serves up creative and seasonal dishes. BLT Market, 1430 Avenue of the Americas, New York, 212-521-6125.

Don’t be fooled by the name. Academia di Vino is not necessarily an Italian school of wine. But it could be. Created by Anthony Mazzola, of ‘Cesca fame, the wine bar has over 500 different Italian wines. They’ll also serve Italian snacks and cheese plates. Academy di Vino, 1081 Third Ave., New York, 212-888-6333.

Caminito has a beef with you–Argentinean beef! The Argentine steakhouse formula is now in Harlem. Owner and chef Fabian Manca will cook cuts from Uruguay, blood sausage, and that South American steakhouse staple, garlic fries. Caminito, 1664 Park Ave., New York, 212-289-1343.

Flatiron Joes has taken over in the space last occupied by Lonesome Dove Western Bistro. Operated by the owner of Schaffer City Oyster Bar and Grill, Flatiron Joes serves inexpensive bar food like pizza and burgers for now, with an extended menu to follow later this fall. Flatiron Joes, 29 West 21st St., New York, 212-414-3139.

West 8th Street, crammed with cheap shoe shops and as much ambience as a Staten Island boulevard, is ripe for an ambient wine bar. Enter Eighth Street Wine Cellar, which offers vino by the bottle and the glass, and serves small plates. Eighth Street Wine Cellar, 28 W. 8th St., New York, 212-260-9463.

Noble Food and Wine is open and prepared for you to try their new wine preservation apparatus. Built to contain eight different bottles at a time, it allows the restaurant to serve higher-end wines by the glass (some for as much as $30 or $60) without spoilage. The wines are twinned with rustic cuisine like roasted chicken and lamb chops. Noble Food and Wine, 7 Spring St., New York, 212-777-0877.

Sangria 46 is named for the street it’s on–not the number of types of sangria they offer. But they might as well. Specializing in Spanish tapas and sagria, this Midtown West restaurant serves up tantalizing sounding dishes like fried baby artichokes and cod fish croquettes. Sangria 46, 338 W. 46th St., New York, 212-581-8482.

Named after the congressman from Minnesota who sponsored the bill to start Prohibition in 1919, Volstead is the newest speakeasy in New York. Owned by the team behind Punch & Judy, this 300-seat lounge will combine an extensive selection of high-end cocktails (bourbon Collins, caramel apple martini) with a menu from chef Dominic Guiliano. Look for clever finger foods like mac ‘n cheese lollipops. Volstead, 125 East 54th St., New York, 212-583-0411.

Forum is a nightspot for the pretty young things of Union Square. Umberto Guallpa designed the menu with dishes like duck confit empanadas and steak and kielbasa meatballs to accompany the 12-plus beers on tap. Forum, 127 Fourth Ave., New York, 212-505-0360.

It’s time to slip on your leather chaps. Johnny Utah’s has fired up its mechanical bull, the first one to run rampant in New York City. Oh yeah, the 225-seat eatery also serves Texas-sized barbeque dishes. Johnny Utah’s, 25 W. 51st St., New York, 212-265-8824.

At long last, the Gramercy Park Hotel has a restaurant as exclusive as the hotel itself: Wakiya is open. After struggles with a previous chef, Japanese chef Yuji Wakiya was brought on board to deliver a restaurant similar to the Chinese restaurants he owns in Tokyo. Expect difficulties scoring a table and an emphasis on a mix of Northern Chinese fare. Wakiya, Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Ave., New York, 212-995-1330.

Time to get excited, Batali-philes: Anne Burrell’s Centro Vinoteca is now open. Molto Mario’s longtime sous (in restaurant kitchens and on “Iron Chef”) opened a Batali-esque restaurant of her own this week, serving hefty dishes like pork chops crusted in fennel pollen and pici pasta with sweet and spicy sausage ragu. The interior is a more restrained, with plenty of neutral colors and a curved bar. Centro Vinoteca, 74 Seventh Ave. S., New York, 212-367-7470.

Mitchel London Pizza, abutting Mitchel London Burgers and Cupcakes, rounds out a selection of crowd-pleasing food on Ninth Avenue. The pizza is of the thin-crust variety, topped with mostly Mediterranean goodies like anchovies, feta and olives. Mitchel London Pizza, 456 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-563-7741.

Guantanamera, steps from Times Square, may serve classic Cuban fare, strong mojitos, and guests apparently will gain a proclivity for dancing while dining. Guantanamera, 939 Eighth Ave., New York, 212-262-5354.

Purnima is a new Indian restaurant from the former executive chef of Salaam Bombay. The cuisine here is a bit more upscale than the typical curry row (or curry hill) joint and will include dishes like tandoori chicken stuffed with spinach and figs, though the real question is whether the restaurant benefited from Gordon Ramsay’s deft touch—he consulted the owners here on their re-launch as part of a television show he filmed earlier this year. Purnima, 245 West 54th St., New York, 212-307-9797.

Located in the Lower East Side space that formerly housed Tenement, The Blue Seats is the neighborhood’s first high-end sports bar. The menu consists of Philly cheese sliders, fried oysters, and wings. And the walls are bedecked with the usual monster-sized TVs. The Blue Seats, 157 Ludlow St., New York, 212-614-1494.

Bodum Mediterranean opens this week. The food is more along the lines of the kind you’d find in a seaside town than one in Turkey specifically, as dishes like pizza and shrimp risotto are on the menu alongside Turkish grub. Bodum Mediterranean, 584 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-799-2806.

Named after a mountainous region in southern France, Massif Central will serve food from that area in a 40-seat restaurant. Look for the pork vegetable stew and salmon in red wine sauce with lentils among the highly regional fare. Massif Central, 323 Bleecker St., New York, 212-488-2326.

Cote D’Or, owned by the same restaurant group as Nice Matin, will focus on flavors from the coast of Burgundy. The menu, designed by Philippe Roussel of Café D’Alsace, includes cassoulet, eggs in red wine and beef bourguignon. Cote D’Or, 225 Varick St., New York, 212-727-2775.

Johnny Utah’s is open for business and ready to create an “urban cowboy” experience at Rockefeller Center. In addition to a mechanical bull and horsehide furniture, the restaurant features Southern chow like beer-braised pork belly and crispy catfish with sweet potato fries. Johnny Utah’s, 25 West 51st St., New York, 212-275-UTAH.

Bocca is the latest restaurant to open that’s operated by the owners of Cacio e Vino in the East Village. This Italian restaurant will feature similar cuisine, like chickpea gnocchi with shrimp and porcini mushrooms and veal saltimbocca with prosciutto and sage. Bocca, 39 East 19th St., New York, 212-387-1200.

The saga of what restaurant will occupy Ian Schrager’s Gramercy Park Hotel is finally over: Wakiya, a Japanese restaurant helmed by chef Yuji Wakiya, has opened its reservation line and will begin serving meals the last week of July. One caveat: they’re imposing an offensive-to-fine-dining two-and-a-half hour time limit on tables. Wakiya, Gramercy Park Hotel, 2 Lexington Ave., New York, 212-995-1330.

New York’s newest hip downtown hotel, the Bowery Hotel, now has a restaurant to match. Gemma swung open its pearly doors the first week of July and scenesters not-so-casually took notice. The rustic-meets-chic interior is befitting of the modern slant on Italian fare that’s on the menu. Gemma, 335 Bowery, New York, 212-505-9100.

Cuban-themed with a faux-commie design, Socialista serves up Latin treats made by Fernando Echevarri (of Las Ramblas fame) in the West Village. Socialista, 505 West St., New York, 212-929-4303.

Elementi is the newest spot to open on Seventh Avenue’s restaurant row in Park Slope. The menu features dishes from all over Italy–hence the restaurant calls their cuisine “blended Italian.” Elementi, 140 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, 718-788-8388.

Solace, with David Ruggiero in the kitchen and Nish refugee Joe Scalice as GM, is now open. This American spot has a back garden and will serve items like butter-braised lobster and gnocchi ragout. Solace, 406 East 64th St., New York, 212-750-0434.

Gruff restaurateur Kenny Shopsin has returned with a version of Shopsin’s in the Essex Street Market. The menu is not as extensive as before (how could it be?) but you can still get the mac and cheese pancakes. Shopsin’s, Stall No. 16, Essex St. Market, New York, no phone.

Thalia and Stephen Loffredo, the duo behind Jovia, have transformed the Upper East Side townhouse space into an eatery that more reflects their SoHo restaurant Zoe. In fact, the Zoe Townhouse offers a menu similar to its SoHo sister. Zoe Townhouse, 135 E. 62nd St., New York, 212-752-6000.

Ronnybrook Farms in the Chelsea Market reopens this week. Completely refurbished on the inside, the "Milk Bar" offers shakes and other bovine-sourced specialties. They also make sandwiches and snacks, including Egg in a Hole and a full Ploughman’s lunch, at a four-sided bar. Ronnybrook Farms, 75 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-741-6455.

Chef Ovidiu Pastae is turning out classic French eats at Belle de Jour, housed in a flourmill from the 1800s. With 120 seats and both indoor and outdoor seating, Belle de Jour should last more than one day at this lovely downtown location. Belle de Jour, 259 Front St., New York, 212-226-7676.

Lola has moved downtown after two years between locations. The restaurant, previously found in Chelsea, is now in Soho; they will continue to serve their “gospel brunch” and, of course, the 100-spice fried chicken, but with a new chef. Lola, 15 Watts St., New York, 212-675-6700.

Kyochon Chicken, the 800-pound gorilla of Korean fried chicken chains (with over 1,000 locations worldwide), is now open in the U.S. Their first franchise in Queens is located in Flushing; two more are set to open in Bayside. Kyochon Chicken, 156-50 Northern Blvd., Queens, 718-939-9292.

Brasserie 8 ½’s pastry chef, Martin Howard, is getting some space all to himself in the restaurant’s lounge. Dubbed After 8.5 because it opens at 8:30 p.m., the lounge will serve desserts (think “flight of cupcakes”) with cocktails and sweet wines. After 8.5, 9 West 57th St., New York, 212-695-9930.

Po is moving across the river. At least its doppelganger is. A near exact replica of the Greenwich Village Italian eatery has opened in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Po, 276 Smith St., Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, 718-875-1980.

Hill Country, named after a region in Texas famous for barbecue, opens this week. Cooking meat in the style of the famed Kreuz Market in Texas, Hill Country will sell their barbecue piecemeal (by the sausage link or rib) with authentic sides like beer can baked beans, confetti cole slaw, and sweet potato bourbon mash. The bi-level space is also Texan; that is to say, very, very big. Hill Country, 30 West 26th St., New York, 212-255-4544.

American Grill opens this week in the space once occupied by Kiev. Don’t expect something quite so odd this time, though. Instead, the restaurant has transformed into a classic diner with outdoor seating. American Grill, 117 Second Ave., New York, 212-777-1086.

Public House opens in New York this week, the third in a series of restaurants opened nationwide by a team of four owners. You’ll find easy-to-like foods here, such as buttermilk chicken tenders and hot crab, spinach and artichoke dip and rib-eye steaks in a space that can seat up to 300. Public House, 140 East 41st St., New York, 212-367-3876.

Emilia Romagna has come to the East Village. Or at least the taste of it. The narrow Caffe Emilia serves up delicious panini and baked goods inspired by the owners’ home region. Caffe Emilia, 139 First Ave., 212-388-1234.

TarBeach isn’t an unpleasant stretch of sand along the East River, but the new rooftop lounge of The Kitano New York. The hotel will host cookouts and clambakes overlooking Midtown, supplying beer and sangria in addition to grilled favorites. Tar Beach, 66 Park Ave., New York, 212-885-7017.

Dean’s is the newest Pizza purveyor on the Upper East Side. Made in a brick oven, the pies will have a crisp, thin crust. Dean’s dining room dates from 1902. Dean’s, 215 West 85th St., New York, 212-875-1100.

Smith and Mills debuts in the Financial District this week. Owned and operated by bartenders from Employees Only, they will serve basic cocktails in a 1930s-style space, with a menu inspired from the same time period. Look for pickled fish and cold-roasted chicken available until 4 a.m. Smith and Mills, 71 North Moore St.,212-219-8568.

The East Village Yacht Club is quite a few blocks from the ocean, but that hasn’t stopped the owners from decking it out with nautical-themed items in the space formerly occupied by Chez Es Saada. Yes, there will be yachting trophies and lobster rolls. East Village Yacht Club, 42 First St., 212-777-5617.

Rayuela is a new two-level Latin American-flavored restaurant on the Lower East Side. Cozy up to the ceviche bar or dive into dishes like duck confit-stuffed Chilean papaya. Rayuela, 165 Allen St., 212-253-8840.

Chef Paul di Bari is making high-end Italian tapas at Bar Stuzzichini in the Flatiron district. The dishes are grouped according to category (fried, cheeses, charcuterie and so on). More sizeable dishes, like short ribs and rigatoni with ragu, are also served. Bar Stuzzichini, 928 Broadway, New York, 212-780-5100.

Alex Garcia isn’t limiting himself to the May opening of Carniceria; he’s also opening Gaucho Steak Company in Hells Kitchen. The theme here is South American fast food paired with Uruguyan beef and Argentine wines. Gaucho Steak Co., 752 Tenth Ave., New York, 212-957-1727.

Cecel Crepe Café is opening in the East Village. They’ll be preparing crepes in the classic French style, made with fillings from nuts to tofu. Cecel Crepe Café, 135 First Ave., New York, 212-460-5102.

Fans of secret hangouts and hot dogs can rejoice now that PDT is open. Accessible only via the phone booth in late-night favorite Crif Dogs (they share an owner and a kitchen), the bar serves specialty cocktails and selections from the Crif Dogs menu in a small, clubby space. Claustrophobes will likely be found on the backyard smoking patio. PDT, 113 St. Marks Pl., New York, 212-614-0386.

Chef Rob Ziser has rented the kitchen at Company Bar to create The Kitchen @ Company Bar. He’ll be making bar food there, including noshes like peppedew lollipops stuffed with cream cheese and garlic and smoked duck quesadillas. Kitchen @ Company Bar, 242 East 10th St., New York, 212-420-7101.

Hudson River Café is housed in a 6,000-square-foot space that used to be a garage. Opening this week, the Upper West Side eatery (with Ricardo Cardona of Yuca Bar in the kitchen) has a menu as grand as the space, covering seafood, a raw bar, grilled meats, and pasta. The outdoor patio is equally impressive. Hudson River Café, 697 West 133rd St., New York, 212-491-9111.

Kushi-Q is the first of five planned locations of a Japanese yakitori chain. There are a scant 12 seats, so takeout and delivery are options if you’re craving their marinated meat from the grill. Kushi-Q, 723 Third Ave., New York, 212-682-5814.

Carniceria is the new Porchetta, re-imagined by chef Alex Garcia of Calle Ocho as a Latin steakhouse. Garcia is turning out other Latin specialties at this Brooklyn spot, including ceviche and dishes like oxtail empanadas. Carniceria, 241 Smith St., Brooklyn, 718-237-9100.

China de Puebla has opened. Look for fusion dishes such as lemon grass chili chicken and hoisin-braised duck carnitas at this Mexican restaurant with an Asian twist in Harlem. China de Puebla, 3143 Broadway, New York, 212-222-8666.

Prime Burger Café is the outdoor outpost of Meatpacking granddaddy Old Homestead Restaurant. The meat mecca’s outdoor menu was gently tweaked for alfresco dining, but you can still order Old Homestead’s Kobe beef frankfurter. Prime Burger Café, 56 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-242-9040.

Aurora SoHo is the twin of Aurora, the Williamsburg Italian restaurant. Located, natch, south of Houston, expect a Roman cuisine similar to that of the first Aurora, including goat roulade with crisped artichokes. Aurora SoHo, 510 Broome St., New York, 212-334-9020.

The Striped Marlin will open as the second restaurant from chef April Bloomfield and owner Ken Friedman. Fans of The Spotted Pig, the pair’s gastropub, will have to trek to Tenth Avenue (by Del Posto) for a taste of the English oyster bar when it opens in the fall.

Sandro Fioriti’s third restaurant in New York is named, fittingly enough, Sandro’s—just like the other two. The Upper East Side Italian will serve up similar fare as the other locations, with plates like sea urchin ravioli and fried artichokes. Sandro’s, 306 E. 81st St., New York, 212-288-7374.

Saucy is letting diners do it for themselves. In this 75-seat restaurant, eaters can slather their entrées (like beef or pasta) with a choice of 50 different sauces ranging from a simple white sauce to tandoori and French-orange caramel. Saucy, 1409 York Ave., New York, 212-249-3700.

Soto is the latest contender in New York’s sushi wars. Headed up by Atlanta émigré Sotohiro Kosugi, the West Village fish emporium will serve up adventurous aquatic eats like broiled langoustine and uni wrapped in squid. The menu changes daily. Soto, 357 Sixth Ave., New York, 212-414-3088.

Perilla, the 65-seat restaurant long in the works from “Top Chef” season one winner Harold Dieterle, opens this week. The menu is thematically similar to The Harrison, where Dieterle was sous chef, and includes roasted chicken with hen of the woods mushrooms and Chinese sausage and crispy braised pork belly with pea tendrils. Perilla, 9 Jones St., New York, 212-929-6868.

Monkey Bar is open—halfway, at least. The barroom of the Midtown hangout revamped by Patricia Yeo opened last week, the dining room to follow soon. Look for Southern touches on the bar menu, including bite-size “carpetbagger steak” with oyster and pancetta and potato skin nachos. Monkey Bar, Hotel Elysée, 60 E. 54th St., New York, 212-838-2600.

No, it’s not a reference to its wide selection of drinks: GoGo Curry (named after Yankee Hideki Matsui’s uniform number in Japanese, as “go go” means “five five”) is a tiny Japanese spot focusing on a selection of meats drizzled in that eponymous curry sauce. The meats, including pork sausage and shrimp, are served over rice. GoGo Curry, 273 W. 38th St., New York, 212-730-5555.

Nelson Blue’s owners claim it’s the first restaurant serving the cuisine of New Zealand here in New York. In the kitchen, Darren Pettigrew and Eric Lind have created a menu of classic kiwi fare; many of the dishes are grilled, including a pork chop with chili-ginger sauce and, of course, the New Zealand lamb. Nelson Blue, 233-235 Peck Slip, New York, 212-346-9090.

Manhattan remains on a sugar high, now thanks to Grom, a popular Italian gelateria opening its first U.S. location. In a sweet foodie touch, fruit flavors will be changed seasonally. Grom, 2165 Broadway, New York, 646-290-7233.

Roasting Plant may sound like a business from the industrial revolution, but this futuristic coffee shop is anything but behind the curve. In addition to a selection of pastries and snacks, the big draw is the unique coffee machine that roasts and brews seven different sorts of coffee beans all at once. Roasting Plant, 81 Orchard St., New York, 212-775-7755.

Suba returns! The Lower East Side restaurant has reopened. Seamus Mullen, also of Boqueria (the restaurants share an owner) will be in the kitchen at this revamped Spanish boîte. Expect foodie-friendly dishes like pork belly with smoked potatoes and greens and foie gras with smoked eel. Suba, 109 Ludow St., New York, 212-982-5714.

FR.OG is Didier Virot’s newest project with his partner Philip Kirsch from Aix. Opening in SoHo, FR.OG—the name stands for France Origine—will take inspiration from classic French cuisine and that of former colonies alike. FR.OG, 71 Spring St., New York, 212-966-5050.

Chef/owner Marco Canora and his partner Paul Greico of nouvelle American restaurant Hearth in the East Village unveiled their newest project this week: Insieme, located in the Michelangelo hotel in Midtown. The word means “together” in Italian and represents the joint nature of their restaurant. A combination of old-fashioned Italian and Californian cuisine, the menu features lasagna, lamb carpaccio and three house blends of wine here. Insieme, 777 Seventh Ave., New York, 212-582-1310.

Landmarc’s newest outpost—in the totally gnarly mall that is the Time Warner Center—is now open. The 300-seat restaurant (don’t call it a food court!) retains the industrial chic look of the downtown Landmarc as well as the same continental menu. Landmarc, Time Warner Center, Columbus Circle, New York, 212-823-6123.

Revel, formerly a nameless and phoneless space in the Meatpacking District, is now open with an expanded menu, name and digits. Owned by Paolo Secondo of I Tre Merli and Barolo, the main event here is meaty proteins served in skillets or atop heated rocks. Revel, 10 Little West 12th St., New York, 212-645-5369.

Former
Spice Market pastry chef, Pichet Ong, will get his
first stab at the limelight with his very own dessert
bar. P*Ong, located in the West
Village, will serve up elevated sweets. P*Ong, 150
W. 10th St., New York, 212-929-0898.

Look
for some Brooklyn-to-Manhattan mojo with the opening
of Chai Home Kitchen in Midtown West.
A spin-off from their Williamsburg original, this Thai
eatery specializes in traditional staples like fried
dumplings stuffed with chicken, crab and mushrooms
and spicy seafood. Chai Home Kitchen, 930 Eighth Ave.,
New York, 212-707-8778.

Provence is
open again after a six-month leave of absence. The
restaurant was purchased by Vicki Freeman and Marc
Meyer (of Five
Points and Cookshop)
and boasts Provencal cuisine, like baby octopus with
pine nuts and seared calamari. Lynn Mcneely of Barbuto
is behind the stove here. Provence, 38 MacDougal St.,
New York, 212-475-7500.

Zipper
Tavern brings some much needed pizzazz to
the area around Madison Square Garden. A combination
restaurant, bar and theatre located in former zipper
factory, Zipper Tavern seeks to capture some of the
glamour of New York’s Vaudeville era. That
translates to a menu that skews toward dense, filling
favorites like lasagna, pierogies, and brisket. Zipper
Tavern, 336 West 37th St., New York, 212-695-4600.

The
two blocks in the West Village stretch of Seventh
Avenue between W. 10th and Perry Streets have
become quite a foodie destination: Chanto,
Central Kitchen, Tasca, and Morandi have
all set up shop in the last year. Now comes Birdbath,
a “green” bakery
that’s an offshoot of the City
Bakery. Birdbath
serves up organic baked goods in a shop made entirely
of recycled material. Birdbath, 145 Seventh Ave. S.,
New York, 646-722-6570.

From
Peter Poulakakos, the man behind Harry’s
Café and Harry’s Steak on Hanover Square,
comes another Downtown eatery. This time it’s Gold St., a 24-hour diner-like eatery
that serves up sushi as well as pancakes. Gold St.,
2 Gold St., New York, 212-747-0797.

Mandler’s
the Original Sausage Co. hopes to
improve the bleak dining options for office workers
in Midtown with a selection of big brats and pork byproducts.
Near the Port Authority, it is ideal for toting an
Italian pork sausage with fennel on the bus (by way
of the “mustard bar” with seven varieties
of the condiment). Mandler’s the Original Sausage
Co., 601 Eighth Ave., New York, 212-244-4777.

Stella
Maris is adding some much needed authenticity
to the commercial South Street Seaport. This Irish
seafood spot will feature cockles and mussels and black
cod, all prepared in the Dublin style, in addition
to a full raw bar. Stella Maris, 213 Front Street,
New York, 212-233-2417.
Park
Slope recently welcomed the addition of Turkish restaurant Alaturka. It is taking over half of Chip
Shop’s space. Look for low-cost Turkish eats here, with
plenty of kebabs and grilled seafood. Alaturka, 381
Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, 718-499-2660.

Local is the latest entrant into the crowded Soho coffeehouse
market. They’re bringing in the cavalry,
including coffee from Massachusetts and cheese from
Joe’s Dairy. Local, 144 Sullivan St., New York,
212-253-2601.

Located
in the recently shuttered English is Italian space,
Jeffrey Chodorow’s latest restaurant offering, Wild Salmon, focusing on the cuisine of the Pacific
Northwest, features a raw bar, a menu loaded with northwestern-caught
fish and a wine and beer list that offers Washington
and Oregon libations. Wild Salmon, 622 Third Ave.,
New York, 212-404-1700.

Ralph
Scamardella wants to stuff diners uptown, too. Formerly a chef
at Carmine’s, he has opened the San Luigi Italian
Kitchen, on the Upper West Side. Old-school Italian comfort
food abounds, which will surely satisfy all the anxious moms who
want their children to eat in that part of town. San Luigi Italian
Kitchen, 311 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-362-8828.

Hot
weather, beer and the outdoors—was there ever a better combination
than that? Heartland
Brewery doesn’t think so, which is why it has opened
a temporary beer garden, the Waterfront Beer Garden,
at Pier 17 of the South Street Seaport. The 600-seat tent will
be open until October 1, serving Heartland’s specialty ales
(and homemade sodas) as well as items from its menu, including
barbecued pulled-pork sandwiches. Waterfront Beer Garden, Pier
17, South Street Seaport, New York, no phone, www.heartlandbrewery.com.

All-night
Ukrainian diner-hipster hangout Veselka has spun off a to-go operation, Little Veselka.
Located near the Second Avenue subway on Houston Street, Little
Veselka’s menu features some of Veselka’s more popular
(and more portable) menu items, including blintzes, borscht and
pierogies. Additions to the menu include sandwiches named after
famous Slavs, like Leon Trotsky and the Milla Jovovich. Little
Veselka, 75 E. First St., New York, no phone, www.veselka.com.

Betty
Park, owner of Manna’s in Harlem and Brooklyn, is teaming
up with chef Jamie Blatt, of Bar Six, to open a seafood restaurant
in Harlem called Pier 2110. Strange though it
sounds, the menu has both Asian and Soul Food influences, a combination
that produces entrées like pan-roasted catfish with sweet
potato purée, broccoli florets, fig/rosemary compote and
a bourbon cider sauce and grilled spicy shrimp with chilled Asian
soba noodles, fennel citrus salad and pomegranate molasses. Open
Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
Monday-Sunday for dinner. Pier 2110, 2110 Adam Clayton Powell
Jr. Blvd. at 125th St., New York, NY, 10027, 212-280-7437.

Combine
down-home cooking and Ditmas Park, one of Brooklyn’s newest
gentrified neighborhoods, and you get The Farm on Adderley.
Named after a busy street in Cape
Town, South Africa, it features a menu that sticks closer
to America for inspiration. Ingredients are drawn from local and
sustainable sources to make dishes like double cut pork chops
with butter poached dirt carrots and Jerusalem artichoke purée,
or Claire Island salmon, smoked to order, with wilted summer greens
and a breakfast radish. Owners Gary Jonas and Allison McDowell
will keep the farm open for dinner seven days a week, 5:30 p.m.-10:30
p.m. The Farm on Adderley, 1108 Cortelyou Rd., Brooklyn, NY 11218,
718-287-3101, www.thefarmonadderley.com.

Bocce
and burgers? You bet. That’s the pairing at Union
Hall, where the indoor bocce courts round out a sleek
lounge space serving comfort food. Patrons can nestle in huge
club chairs underneath portraits of assorted early 20th century
gentlemen while munching on haute bar food. Think fried blue cheese
balls covered in apple-cinnamon cheerios and mini-angus burgers.
The space will also serve as a small concert venue. Union Hall,
702 Union St. at Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, no tel., myspace.com/unionhallny.

Restaurateur
Frank Falesto replaced Upper East Side favorite Martell’s
with Wicker Park, but he managed to retain much
of Martell’s spirit. Also retained were the fixtures, including
the mahogany bar and mosaic tile floors. The food, however, is
improved, and features the now ubiquitous sliders, this time made
with filet mignon, in addition to other pub food selections. Wicker
Park, 1469 Third Ave. at 83rd Street, New York, NY, 212-734-5600.

Lunchtime
in Midtown just got a little crunchier—thanks to Krunch
Pizza Bar. Serving “grandma-style” pizza
(read: square), the bar also dishes out salads and panini, but
the pizza remains the star attraction. Options include the prosciutto
crudo pizza with prosciutto, arugula, fresh tomato and mozzarella
and the krunch gamberi pizza, with shrimp, olives, lemon, tomato
and mozzarella. Pizza is also available by the slice. Krunch Pizza
Bar, 980 Second Ave., New York, NY 10022, 212-207-4122, krunchpizza.com.

What
happens when Sydney beach culture and the Lower East Side collide?
Find out at Bondi Road, a culinary temple to
all things fish and chips named for Australia’s most famous
beach. Fish, wine and beer from Australia and New Zealand are
on offer. Bondi Road, 153 Rivington St., 212-253-5311.

Pichet
Ong, former pastry chef at several of Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s
New York restaurants, will have a place to call his own this fall. P*Ong, located in the West Village, will be a
dessert bar with other savory selections. P*Ong, 150 W. Tenth
St.

S’Mac,
a new macaroni and cheese joint in the East Village, serves ten
different kinds of mac ‘n’ cheese—from hamburger
to Brie and whole wheat pasta to various veggies. S’Mac,
345 E. 12th St., 212-358-7912.

Hitting Midtown East is Zip Burger. Organic,
free-range meats and a gourmet bun selection immediately make
Zip a contender for best burger joint. Ted Pryor, formerly of Les
Halles and La
Goulue, is the head burger-flipper. Zip Burger, 300 E. 52nd
St., 212-308-1308.

George
and John Papakostas are the father-son team behind the new Upper
East Side eatery, Green Kitchen. The 24-hour
restaurant dishes up comforting plates like lemony griddlecakes,
warm goat cheese salad and miso-marinated hake. Green
Kitchen, 1475 First Ave., 212-908-4163.

Sirio
Maccioni

Le
Cirque has finally flung open its pearly gates for the
see-and-be-seen masses. This is the third incarnation of Sirio
Maccioni’s much-heralded eatery. The altar of the $18
million, 16,000-square-foot, bi-level restaurant is the 27-foot
wine tower. Le
Cirque, 151 E. 58th St., 212-644-0202.

Tom
Colicchio has expanded his empire to the Central Village. A new
outpost of 'wichcraft has opened at 60 E. Eighth
St. 'wichcraft,
212-780-0577.

Bobby
Van’s Steakhouse has set up shop in the space that
was recently Osteria Stella. This is the fourth Manhattan Bobby
Van’s branch. 135 W. 50th St., 212-957-5050.

Located
on the corner of Grove St. and Bedford St. in the West Village,
the new 28-seat Little Owl serves up American-Mediterranean
fare. The Little Owl, 90 Bedford St., 212-741-4695.

George
and John Papakostas are the father-son team behind the new Upper
East Side eatery, Green Kitchen. The 24-hour
restaurant dishes up comforting plates like lemony griddlecakes,
warm goat cheese salad and miso-marinated hake. Green Kitchen,
1475 First Ave., 212-908-4163.

The
downtown sushi institution, Megu,
has spun-off. The new Megu Midtown, housed in
the Trump World Tower (across from the U.N.), is smaller than
the TriBeCa location, but the fish is just as fresh. Megu Midtown,
Trump World Tower, 85 U.N. Plaza, 212-964-7777.

Lisa
Cannistraci (of Henrietta Hudson’s and Chick-Inn fame) has
opened Setacci in the West Village. The eatery
serves Italian cuisine from the tip to the top of the boot. Setacci,
420 Hudson St., 212-675-0810.

Thomas
Keller has expanded his empire to include a bakery in the Time
Warner Center. It’s just one floor down from Per
Se, but we’ll gladly take it. Bouchon Bakery serves up everything from pâté de champagne to croissants
to foie gras-stuffed dog biscuits. Bouchon Bakery, Time Warner
Center, 10 Columbus Circle, 212-823-9366.

Chef
Don Pintabona, late of Tribeca
Grill (375 Greenwich St., 212-941-3900) and currently of Trina
at the Atlantic Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, is the man behind the
new West SoHo-Hudson Square eatery, Dani. The
menu features rustic Mediterranean dishes that combine the flavors
of Sicily with those of the neighboring North African and European
cuisines. Dani, 333 Hudson St., 212-633-9333.

Sascha,
the palatial Meatpacking District eatery run by Sascha Lyon, has
opened. The 10,000-square-foot, multi-level eatery (with outdoor
dining and a bakery), serves up classic American fare. Sascha,
55 Gansevoort St., 212-989-1920.

Stephen
Starr’s West Chelsea eatery Buddakan has
opened at 75 Ninth Ave. (212-989-6699). The majestic offspring
of his Philly restaurant, Buddakan,
finds Michael Schulson (a Stephen Starr vet) and Angelo Sosa (most
recently of Yumcha) at the helm in the kitchen.

Buenos Aires has come to town—in the form
of an East Village restaurant. Serving up authentic Argentine
dishes (including lots of free-range beef), the eatery also boasts
a large selection of wine from Argentina. Buenos Aires, 513 E.
Sixth St., 212-228-2775.

Mexicana
Mama, the tiny West Village Mexican eatery, has opened up
an outpost in the East Village. The restaurant takes the space
that was once occupied by Terra 47. Mexicana Mama, 47 E. 12th
St.

What
do you get when you put sushi chefs from Nobu 57, Megu,
Kisso and Onigashima together? The new East Village sushi restaurant Le Miu, which serves reasonably priced fare in
a sleek, minimalist setting. Le Miu, 107 Ave. A, 212-473-3100.

The
owners of the hip East Village eatery Momofuku
Noodle Bar are planning a spin-off. Momofuku Ssam
Bar (207 Second Ave.), a 40-seat restaurant, will serve
Korean-style wraps.

The
restaurant formerly known as Porcao, then known as Rio, and now
known as Porcao again, serves up juicy Brazilian-style
steak in what is becoming the Park Ave. South restaurant row.
Like many Brazilian steakhouses in New York, Porcao serves its
offerings rodizio-style: skewer-holding waiters circulate the
room, plopping down meat on a diner’s plate. Porcao, 360
Park Ave. S., 212-252-7080.

Je'Bon
Noodle House, located at 15 St. Marks Pl. (212-388-1313)
in the East Village, serves up noodle and dumpling treats in tasty
broth.

After
first opening a café and a Champagne bar, Geoffrey Zakarian
has finally unlocked the doors of the much anticipated eatery, The Dining Room at Country. The restaurant features
an $85 four-course dinner with highly seasonal offerings. Former
Alain Ducasse protégé, Doug Psaltis is serving as
executive chef. The Dining Room at Country, 90 Madison Ave., 212-889-7100.

Former Calle
Ocho chef Alex Garcia is at the helm of Novo,
a new nueva Latina eatery in west SoHo (or Hudson Square). The
eatery, which is modeled after Latin American neighborhood eating
joints, boasts communal tables and a menu that criss-crosses South
America. Novo,
290 Hudson St., 212-989-6410.

Everyone’s
talking about Palà, a new Roman pizza
joint on the Lower East Side. The smartly designed space serves
up oval-shaped pizza by the inch. Palà,
198 Allen St., 212-614-7252.

Butterfield
8, a new restaurant with an Old New York feel, serves
up American cuisine with a few modern flairs. Steak and seafood
is the focus of the menu. Butterfield 8, 5 E. 38th St., 212-679-0646.

Alex
Ureña, who manned the stoves at Suba,
finally has his own place. The eponymous eatery, Ureña,
serves up Spanish-inspired fare with the chef’s modern flair.
Ureña, 37 E. 28th St., 212-213-2328.

The
Lower East Side is home to a new Mexican tapas joint. El
Bocadito, which means “a small taste of something,”
serves up tacos, layered sandwiches and taquitos. El
Bocadito, 79 Orchard St., 212-343-3331.

The
Upper West Side’s favorite French eatery, Aix,
is stripping itself down to a more casual restaurant. Brasserie
Aix will serve sandwiches, salads, burgers and other
grilled items. Brasserie Aix, 2398 Broadway, 212-874-7400.

After
nine years, Donatella Arpaia’s Bellini (208 E. 52nd St.)
has shut its doors. The good news is that they won’t be
closed for long. Her newest venture, dona, will
be born in the same space. Arpaia is teaming up with Michael Psilakis,
who will help create a menu that looks toward southern Italy.
The restaurant is slated to open this spring.

Grilled
South American meat has finally landed on its feet in TriBeCa.
Welcome to Industria Argentina, which offers
brick-oven baked and grilled meat as well as Italian dishes. Industria
Argentina, 329 Greenwich St., 212-965-8560.

Is
there room in the West Village for another pig? Sure, as long
as it’s not spotted. Enter The Bourgeois Pig West,
the East Village offshoot of the New Orleans-inspired eatery.
The Bourgeois Pig West, 124 MacDougal St., 212-254-0575.

Now
you can go to Las Ramblas and not worry about
being pick-pocketed. Named for the long (and notoriously petty
crime-ridden) pedestrian street in Barcelona, this West Village
eatery serves up Spanish tapas and wine. Las Ramblas, 170 W. Fourth
St., 646-415-7924.

When
Le Cirque 2000 closed in late 2004, restaurant watchers were wont
to speculate what would become of the grandiose space inside the New
York Palace Hotel. Enter Gilt, a new eatery
headed by chef Paul Liebrandt (late of Bouley Bakery, Atlas and
Papillon). The ghost of Sirio Maccioni has been excised: gone
are the flamboyant streams of color. The interior is more befitting
for its location, with original ceiling friezes being restored
and an opulent neo-classical look in full effect. Gilt, 455 Madison
Ave., 212-891-8100.

David
Burke (who heads the kitchen at davidburke
& donatella) has opened two new eateries inside Bloomingdale’s. The Burke Bar Café offers a $30 prix-fixe
menu for dinner. Breakfast is also served. The more casual Burke
in the Box offers an eclectic array of take-out food
such as chicken dumplings with coffee barbecue sauce. Burke Bar
Café/Burke in the Box, 1000 Third Ave., 212-705-3800.

Philippe
Chow, the chef known as “Mr. Chow,” is about to fire
up the stoves at his new eatery, Philippe. The
240-seat restaurant, located in the former RM space, officially
opens its doors on December 20. The menu will be contemporary
Chinese with nods to old Shanghai. Philippe, 33 E. 60th St., 212-644-8885.

Bill
Telepan, formerly of JUdson Grill, is finally ready to open his
eponymous eatery. Telepan (the restaurant), set
in a townhouse on the Upper West Side, will serve a nouveau American
menu with locally produced ingredients. Telepan, 72 W. 69th St.,
212-580-4300.

After
months and months of reconstruction, Mario Batali’s
Del Posto is finally about to unshutter its doors. The
22,000-square-foot eatery, located on Tenth Avenue and spearheading
a Westside restaurant row, will feature upscale Italian cuisine.
Dishes such as shoulder of pork ($220) and whole king salmon that
serves four to eight people ($200) will be on the menu, but for
those with lighter wallets, there’ll be plenty of pasta
dishes to choose from as well. Del Posto, 85 Tenth Ave.

Kurt
Gutenbrunner

Wallsé chef Kurt Gutenbrunner apparently isn’t slowing down after
the early success of Thor.
He’s just opened Blaue Gans, a casual Austrian
eatery in the old Le Zinc space in TriBeCa. Blaue Gans, 139 Duane
St. (no phone yet).

Geoffrey
Zakarian’s Country is slowly uniting. The Café
at Country recently opened, and the restaurant is scheduled
to fire up its stoves soon. The Champagne Bar at Country has recently popped its cork. Located on the second floor of Country,
the bar is a sleek space with a menu of Champagne cocktails created
by mixologist Nick Mautone. Champagne Bar at Country, 90 Madison
Ave., 212-889-7100.

Former
San
Domenico and Daniel chef, Andrew Carmellini, will man the stoves at the new Madison
Avenue Italian eatery, A Voce (41 Madison Ave.,
212-545-8555). The new restaurant was originally called Orto.

The
Double Seven, a new bar in the Meatpacking District,
is betting on an unusual pairing: cocktails and chocolate. Using
Debauve & Gallais, one of France’s oldest chocolate
makers, and drinks made with fruit purées, squeezed juices
and high-quality spirits, the bar believes you’ll come for
the chocolate and stay for the drinks. The Double Seven, 418 W.
14th St., 212-981-9099.

The
Place on West 10th Street has opened in the West Village.
Situated in the 1800s carriage house that was formerly home to
Merge, Marco NY and a slew of other eateries, let’s hope
The Place lasts. The Mediterranean-inspired restaurant is owned
by Alexander Achilleos, who also owns The Place (on W. Fourth
St.). The Place on West 10th Street, 142 W. Tenth St., 212-462-2880.
Pair of 8’s, located on the Upper West Side, is
serving creative New American dishes with great nightly specials.
Monday, for example, is Neighborhood Night—guests get an
appetizer, entrée and a cocktail for $25. Pair of 8’s,
588 Amsterdam, 212-874-2742.

Comfort
has hit Nolita. New York can’t seem to get enough comfort
food. 24 Prince is a restaurant serving all the
staples, with a menu created by executive chef Darryl Burnette,
formerly of Nice
Matin and Spice
Market. 24 Prince, 24 Prince, 212-226-8624.

It
turns out there’s life after Rocco’s after all. Chef
Tony Acinapura has just opened a Midtown eatery that focuses on—surprise,
surprise—Italian-American cuisine. Aquaterra (loosely translated as “surf and turf”) serves up
salads, pizza and all the other big-portioned delights you’d
expect. Open for lunch and dinner. Aquaterra,
209 E. 56th St., 212-644-4447.

We
sometimes wonder: How many hip new eateries can the residents
of Park Slope accommodate before they combust? Answer: apparently
a lot. Enter Beet, a just-opened Thai eater on
Seventh Avenue (which is quickly becoming the new Fifth Avenue).
Mix-and-match curries highlight the menu. Beet, 344 Seventh Ave.,
718-832-2338.

The
uptown institution of all-things-Mexican-food has come downtown. Rosa Mexicano has opened on East 18th Street
near Union Square. The new 225-seat eatery, designed by David
Rockwell, will feature signature dishes like lamb shank marinated
in tequila and chilies and slow-cooked in parchment paper. Yum!
Rosa Mexicano, Nine E. 18th St., 212-533-3350.

There
has been an empty space at the New
York Palace hotel since Le Cirque 2000 shut its doors. But
not for much longer. Brit chef Paul Liebrandt has been hired to
head the kitchen of a new 62-seat eatery inside the Palace called Gilt. An adjoining dining room, to be used for
breakfast and private parties, will be called the Madison
Room. The restaurants are scheduled to open sometime
in November. Gilt and Madison Room, 455 Madison Ave., 212-891-8100.

It’s
autumn. Are you ready to hit the beach? If so, check out the newly
opened OBW Bar & Grill,which
brings the beach to Midtown Manhattan. The restaurant also features
beach-themed art work from local artists—just to get you
in the mood. OBW Bar & Grill, 20 W. 38th St., 212-869-8601.

After
the initial success of The Spotted Pig, it was surprising a gastro-pub
movement didn’t spring up in New York. It may have taken
a while, but this fall, the East Village will host European
Union (already announced on this page) and, the latest, Jimmy’s, which comes to us by way of Jimmy
Carbone. He’s not necessarily calling it a gastro-pub, but
with its great beer and haute Euro-ish pub grub, it’s hard
to call it anything else. Jimmy’s, 43 E. Seventh Ave., 212-982-3006.

From
Frederick Twomey, the man who brought us Bar Veloce, Bar
Carrera (right next door to his bibulous drinking spot)
is a tapas eatery with Basque-flavored dishes on the menu. Bar
Carrera, 175 Second Ave., 212-375-1555.

The
Hideaway (185 Duane, 212-334-5775) might not be hidden
for long. Chef Alex Oefeli serves upscale Americana snack-ish
food like smoked deviled eggs in a TriBeCa space that’s
believed to be a former speak-easy.

The
Waldorf-Astoria hotel will reopen its in-house eatery, Peacock
Alley, on November 1. Alsatian-Haitian chef Cedric Tovar,
formerly at Django,
will be the chef de cuisine. The restaurant was closed on September
20, 2001. A $5.5 million renovation began May 10, 2005, on the
96-seat restaurant. Peacock Alley, The Waldorf-Astoria, 301 Park
Ave., 212-335-3000.

Situated
on the corner of Tenth Avenue and West 20th Street in Chelsea, Cookshop brings a great combination of good American
food, friendly service and meaningful design to the emerging neighborhood.
Chef and owner Marc Meyer and his partners Vicki Freeman and Chris
Paraskevaides have put together a modern American menu. Cookshop,
156 Tenth Ave., 212-924-4440.

Starting
in mid-September, Jovia will hit the Upper East
Side with its version of American cuisine with nods to Italy.
Josh DeChellis, late of Sumile,
will man the stoves. The two-story townhouse on East 62nd Street
features treetop views from the second floor parlor and beautiful
woodwork set against rich, jewel tone colors. Jovia, 135 E. 62nd
St.

Opening
in late September or early October will be Town chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s Country. Located
in a restored two-story space with original tile floors from the
1920s and a rediscovered Tiffany glass dome, Country brings to
life the successful union of old New York and new ideas in food.
Zakarian has tapped Alain Ducasse protégé and former
executive chef at Mix in New York, Doug Psaltis, to serve as executive
chef. Country, 90 Madison Ave., The Carlton Hotel on Madison Avenue,
212-889-7100.

The European Union is expanding…to the East
Village. The guys behind the new West Village eatery, Diablo
Royale, bring us this new gastro-pub which will serve pan-Euro
pub grub. Anne Burrell of Iron Chef fame is in the kitchen. Opens
in October. European Union, 235 E. Fourth St.

The
owners of the haute Indian eatery, Devi, are
going downtown. American Masala will put some serious spice on
Wall Street with Indian dishes and Indian-inspired takes on American
treats. Opens in November. American Masala, 60 Pearl St.

Mario
Batali

It’s
not a fall restaurant season unless Mario Batali is somehow involved.
And boy is he involved. Enter Del Posto, an 18,000-square-foot
Italian eatery on the border of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District,
that’s set to open in November. Word on the street (or in
the dining room) is that this is going to be Batali’s grandest
restaurant yet. Del Posto, 85 Tenth Ave.

5
Ninth’s Zak Pelaccio has a new vehicle in which to show
off his cooking skills: Fatty Crab will serve
Asian street food-inspired fare in the Meatpacking District. Fatty
Crab, 643 Hudson St., 212-352-3590.

Simpson
Wong has re-opened Jefferson. After a heart attack
forced him to shut down the restaurant for the summer, the eatery
is back with a lower priced menu of small plates and mix-and-match
items. Jefferson, 121 W. Tenth St., 212-255-3333.

Citron,
the West Village small plates eatery with a great beer and wine
selection that opened last year, has already closed. Owner Gavin
Citron, along with Arlene Weston, the owner of Maroons, is converting
the space into Maroon’s Smoke Shack, which
will have a menu loaded with ribs and other meaty goodies. Maroon’s
Smoke Shack, 228 Bleecker St., 212-924-9717.

Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights, whose Vanderbilt Avenue has
recently been slapped with the moniker “the new Smith Street”
because of the sudden onslaught of trendy bars and restaurants,
is home to Alexandre Tchistov’s new eatery. Restaurant
Sorrel serves up a prix-fixe American-inspired (with
French technique) “market menu” that changes daily
($20-$25). Restaurant Sorrel, 605 Carlton Ave., 718-622-1190.

Frederick
Twomey, creator and owner of New York's Bar Veloce, is now turning
his attention to Spain. In keeping with the European tone of the
Veloce model, which serves both as a "pit stop" and
as an alternate to pub culture, swank lounges and the current
cocktail bar trend, Twomey's new bar, Bar Carrera,
will introduce some serious Spanish sherry by the glass, wines
from the Iberian peninsula, and Basque-inspired tapas. Opens in
mid-September. Bar Carrera, 175 Second Ave.

Once
a lecture hall for medical studies, Chemist
Club in the Dylan hotel is trying to wipe out the dubious scent of Britney Spears’
failed foray into the restaurant scene (remember her restaurant,
NYLA? We didn’t think so). Hence, a return to its former
glory with this new steakhouse. Oversize mirrors, super-high ceilings
and a meaty menu make this the place for diners to experiment
with their taste buds. Chemist Club, Dylan, 52 E. 41st St., 212-297-9177.

After
a sufficient amount of buzz that comes along with any new Jean-Georges
eatery, Perry St. has finally opened its pearly
gates in one of the new glass Richard Meier-designed towers along
the West Side Highway. Richard Brainin is at the stove of this
60-seat eatery. Perry St., 176 Perry St., 212-352-1900.

For
those Uptowners who just can’t get up the energy to go all
the way down to Nobu and Next
Door Nobu in TriBeCa, Nobu Matsuhisa has come to them. Nobu
57 has recently opened to much applause. The two-story
space was designed by—who else?—David Rockwell. Nobu
57, 40 W. 57th St., 212-757-3000.

Murray
Hill, often referred to as “Curry Hill,” just got
another Indian restaurant. Copper Chimney, a
welcome addition to the ’hood, serves up southern and northern
sub-continental delights. Nazeer’s Dum Biryani is worth
a visit alone: based on a family recipe that was passed down to
owner Nazeer Ahmed from his father, this chicken or goat specialty
dish includes basmati rice that is steamed with the gravy so that
the flavor is infused throughout the dish, and served with eggplant
chutney and raita. Copper Chimney, 126 E. 28th St., 212-213-5742.

Spaghetti
Western: The re-restaurant-ification of West Tenth Street continues
with Maremma. Named for the rugged coastal part
of Tuscany, this restaurant serves up cowboy-inspired Italian
cuisine. Maremma, 228 W. Tenth St., 212-645-0200.

For
those who can’t get out of the city, there’s always Lodge, a new cabin-inspired eatery in Williamsburg.
The menu sticks to the theme, serving up countrified cuisine like
chicken and dumplings with orange-lemon gremolata. Lodge, 318
Grand St., 718-486-9400.

Zakuro is stirring things up. Literally. This East Village eatery serves
up Japanese cuisine with some serious leanings toward France and
Italy. It’s the vision of the late Tsuneo Hashizume, who
passed away a month before the restaurant’s opening. Toki
Numasawa has taken over in the kitchen. Zakuro, 143 Second Ave.,
212-505-5624.

The
barbecue smoke keeps pouring into New York. The latest to fire
up the ’cue is Smokey’s 11101 (for
those who know their zip codes, that’s Long Island City).
In addition to the usual barbecued goodies, grilled thin-crust
pizzas are also available. Smokey’s 11101, 5-16 51st Ave.,
Long Island City, Queens, 718-937-1111.

Sporting
a rustic look, the latest haute Mexican restaurant to pop up on
Manhattan is Diablo Royale. Set in the West Village,
just around the corner from another newly opened upscale Mexican
eatery, Mercadito Grove, Diablo Royale has a small menu of tacos
and fish platters. Keith Harry, formerly of Chanterelle and Butter,
mans the stoves. Diablo Royale, 189 W. Tenth St., 212-620-0223.

Word
on the street—and on the “Now Hiring” sign posted
outside the hip Hotel on Rivington (107 Rivington St., 212-475-2600)—is
that the hotel’s restaurant is at last about to un-shutter
its doors. There are few details about Thor (yes,
that’s actually its name), but we do know that this 100-seat
space is a vehicle for Wallsé chef, Kurt Gutenbrunner.

The
Great Neck, New York restaurant, Turquoise, is
about to throw its Mediterranean-inspired hat into the Manhattan
eatery ring. Serving up dishes like cold seafood salad, baba ghanouj
and crispy calamari, the eatery will undoubtedly be a refreshing
splash on the Upper East Side. Turquoise, 240 E. 81st St., 212-988-8222.

After
recently closing down the nine-year-old Middle Eastern favorite,
Layla, Drew Nieporent has transformed the old space into Centrico,
a Mexican restaurant. James Beard nominee Aaron Sanchez, late
of Paladar, is on board. Centrico, 211 W. Broadway, 212-431-0700.

Famed
Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr is making his way to Gotham.
He plans to open a version of his Philadelphia restaurant Buddakan (pictured) in the Chelsea Market this autumn. Michael Schulson
will man the stoves.

Matt
Hamilton is a name you’ll soon be hearing a lot. In addition
to playing a role on the Discovery Channel’s new cooking
game show, Hamilton has recently left the kitchen at Prune to start Uovo. A former chef at Zuni
Café in San Francisco, Hamilton pumps out New American
faves, many of which, not surprisingly, revolve around eggs (“Uovo”
is Italian for egg). Uovo, 175 Ave. B, 212-475-8686.

East
Village Mexican joint, Mercadito,
has spun off: meet Mercadito Grove, which will
be serving the same succulent Mex fare as its Eastside hermano.
Mercadito Grove, 100 Seventh Ave. S., 212-647-0830.

After
a fire sidelined the Mary’s Fish Camp Brooklyn outpost—Brooklyn
Fish Camp—just before it was going to open its
doors a few months ago, the lobster-roll-centric eatery is finally
open for business. Expect the same high-quality seafood that you
came to know and love from Mary Redding’s West Village eatery—only
the Brooklyn version has a garden. Brooklyn Fish Camp, 162 Fifth
Ave., 718-783-3264.

Gusto has quietly swung open its doors on Greenwich Avenue and Perry
Street. Mixing the aesthetics of Italian cinema of the ’50s
and ’60s with modern yet simple fare, chef Jody Williams’
menu races up and down the Italian boot: expect dishes from different
regions depending on the season, traveling south to the coastlines
and islands of Capri and Sicily in the summer and exploring northern
Piedmont, Liguria or Venice in the winter. Gusto, 60 Greenwich
Ave., 212-924-8000.

The
much beloved Chez Es Saada has reopened as Ludo,
and East Village lovers of chic are rejoicing. Einat Edimony who
has manned the stoves at Danube and Patria serves up boundary-less dishes like pork belly spring
rolls (with a tamarind dipping sauce) and prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe
gelato. Ludo, 42 E. First St., 212-777-5617.

Secretes,
a new East Village global tapas restaurant, has a menu that’s
divided between “savory” and “sweet.”
Chef Jordy Lavanderos (formerly of Mercer
Kitchen and Vong)
spins out dishes like squid stuffed with porcini-manchego risotto
and mango ravioli with mint sauce, among others. It’s BYOB
till the restaurant gets its liquor license in June. Secretes,
513 E. Sixth St., 212-228-2775.

The
only ice you’re going to find at the Rockefeller Center
ice skating rink this summer will be in your cocktail glass at
the newly opened Rink Bar. The outdoor space
offers nightly drink specials including $6 featured cocktails
like mojitos, cosmos, daiquiris and margaritas. Crispy coconut
shrimp, stone-ground guacamole, the Rink Bar’s signature
antipasto, and other delicious bites set the stage for the fun-filled
night out of cocktailing, snacking and socializing. Rink Bar,
Rockefeller Center, 20 W. 50th St. For more information, visit www.restaurantassociates.com.

The
brothers behind the legendary Buddha Bar have christened a new
eatery. Frederick and Laurent Lesort have recently opened Frederick’s—which
is a resurrection of sorts, since they ran a Midtown lounge in
the ‘90s under the same name—focusing mostly on Med
cuisine. Frederick’s, 768 Madison Ave., 212-737-7300.

You
no longer have to get on a plane to get to the French Quarter.
Instead, restaurateur Nick Donovan is bringing it to you (or,
rather, Murray Hill). Crawfish étouffée, chicken
jambalaya and andouille sausage are a few of the Big Easy classics
that are on the menu. French Quarter will also
be serving Nola-inspired cocktails, like the Hurricane. French
Quarter, 102 E. 25th St., 212-598-4555.

Two of India’s most famous exports are Bollywood films and
Indian cuisine, and they have been married at Masala Bollywood.
Recently opened in Curry Hill, menu items are named after films
with Indian themes (such as the “bend it like chili chicken”).
The space is decorated with photos of Bollywood film actresses.
Masala Bollywood, 108 Lexington Ave., New York, 212-679-1284.

Barcelona
has emerged as a hip tourist spot; Boqueria,
named after a famous market in that city, hopes that some of its
stylishness will rub off. Serving Catalan cuisine, the Flatiron
tapas restaurant, which features a communal 20-seat table in the
dining room, will also serve full-size portions. Entrées
include a fisherman’s stew with seafood, saffron, tomato
and fennel; smaller items include air-dried tuna with fig, pickled
sardines, and gazpacho. Boqueria, 53 W. 19th St., New York, 212-255-4160.

Not
all restaurants in Chinatown have to serve Asian food; witness
Christopher Cheung (of Little Bistro in Cobble Hill) and his Almond
Flower Bistro, located on the far south end of the Bowery.
His kitchen turns out American cuisine, including Maryland crab
cakes with corn. No need to ignore the tradition of fresh seafood
in Chinatown, of course. Almond Flower Bistro, 96 Bowery at Grand
St., New York, 212-966-7162.

With
over 75 beers on tap, The Village Pourhouse offers
ample opportunity to find the proper beer to pair with the food
on its menu. The tavern, located on a bar-heavy strip of lower
Third Avenue, also has 21 high-resolution TVs showing sports from
around the world. Expect a menu that’s equally guy-oriented.
The Village Pourhouse, 64 Third Ave., New York, 212-979-2337.

Not all wine bars pair the fruit of their cellar with fancy cheeses;
home cooking matches up just as nicely. That’s the theory,
at least, behind Wine & Roses. This new wine
bar is owned by Todd Klein and operated by his wife, Stephanie.
Look for pâtés and panini to be combined with a selection
of approximately 100 different bottles of wine. Wine & Roses,
286 Columbus Ave., New York, 212-579-9463.

Momofuku

David
Chang, owner and chef of East Village smash hit noodle house Momofuku,
just opened a new restaurant a few blocks away called Momofuku
Ssäm Bar. In a bigger space—one that includes
tables, at long last—he is serving ssäm, or “Asian
burritos”. They are made with the same Berkshire pork he
uses in Momofuku’s pork buns, combined with ingredients
like kimchi purée and edamame as fillings. Ssäm, 207
Second Ave., New York, 212-254-3500.

What
better way to ensure a quality selection of alcohol at a restaurant
than opening it as a spin-off of a club? Brothers Tom and Anthony
Martignetti have done just that by opening Bar Martignetti.
Expect tried and true brasserie-style staples on the menu. The
brothers already own Martignetti Liquors on the Lower East Side.
Bar Martignetti, 406 Broome St., New York, 212-680-5600.

No
one in his or her right mind considered the dingy New York City
Port Authority bus terminal as a destination for haute cuisine—or
any edible cuisine at all—but that conception may soon change.
After a $3 million renovation of the Silver Bullet saloon, Simon
Oren and Steve Tenedios are opening Metro Marché in the selfsame terminal. The food will be French brasserie staples—also
available as take-out for those with a yen for steak frites on
the bus ride home. Metro Marché, 625 Eighth Ave. at 41st
St., New York, 212-239-1010.

Anyone
opening a restaurant named Petite Crevette must
be at peace with embracing their inner shrimp. It’s not
a surprise, then, that when Neil Ganic moved the restaurant from
Brooklyn Heights to Carroll Gardens, it would reappear in a smaller—dare
we say shrimpier—incarnation. Happily, the menu of casual
seafood eats remains as brawny as ever. Petite Crevette, 144 Union
St., Brooklyn, 718-855-2632.Gilt in Midtown, has reopened after a summer break and is poised for
the arrival of Christopher Lee from Philadelphia’s Striped
Bass. Lee, who previously worked at Jean
Georges, Daniel and Oceana,
was named one of the ten best chefs in America by Food &
Wine just four months ago for his work at the contemporary
American seafood restaurant. Lee replaces Paul Liebrandt. Gilt, 455 Madison Ave., New York, 212-891-8100.

Make room for another restaurant on Van Brunt
Sreet. in Red Hook, albeit a small one this time. Tini is a tiny wine bar on that busy strip, serving a variety of finger
foods—olives, charcuterie, organic salads and panini—in
addition to staples like Brooklyn egg creams. The wine list will
be heavy on selections from lesser-known places, with an emphasis
on wines made by women. Tini, 414 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, 718-855-4206.

Operating
under the theory that there can never be too many french fries
in New York, Skel Islamaj—a partner in the late B. Frites
restaurant—has opened a Belgian restaurant on the Upper
East Side. Expect the usual Belgian fare to accompany those fries,
including mussels and a wide variety of beer. B. Café,
240 E. 75th St., New York, 212-249-3300.

Ultra-formal
dining may be fun for a select few, but many diners prefer their
meal with a bit less starch. Lentini learned this lesson, and has reopened as Tini Ristorante
Italiano. The menu has been updated to include more seafood,
and a raw bar was installed during the renovation. Tini Ristorante
Italiano, 1562 Second Ave. at E. 81st St., New York, 212-628-3131.

Film
Center Café, in Hell’s Kitchen, just completed
a $2 million renovation. The menu still sticks to picnic-style
comfort food basics like buttermilk fried chicken, but the space
itself was seriously upgraded. Art Deco flourishes abound, including
tufted leather banquettes and a terrazzo floor. Film Center Café,
635 Ninth Ave. by 45th St., New York, 212-262-2525, www.filmcentercafe.com.

Take-out in a townhouse? That’s the concept
behind Chat Noir. Located in an Upper East Side
space that used to be a home, chef Sebastien Baud will be serving
up three squares a day—plus take-out—of French food.
Inside, the restaurant will double as a wine bar with an outdoor
patio space. Chat Noir, 22 E. 66th St., New York, 212-794-2428.

Pan-Asian
cuisine is an evergreen choice for opening a restaurant, but the
continent still contains some surprising cuisine combinations. I-Chin bills itself as Sino-Indian, which seems
like a clever pairing. The menu backs up the conceit with dishes
like crispy Szechwan lamb with capsicum fried rice and minced
chicken and paneer balls in Manchurian sauce. I-Chin, 247 E. 50th
St, New York, 212-223-4959.

Not
all chefs are afraid of opening a restaurant in a mall. Michael
Lomonaco, of Windows on the World, seems to embrace the challenge
of opening a space in the Time Warner Center. Located in the space
formerly occupied by Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s V Steakhouse, Porter House New York is a 100-seat steakhouse.
Think safe fare like oyster pan-roast and—naturally—a
dry-aged porterhouse for two. Porter House New York, 10 Columbus
Cir., Fourth Fl., New York, 212-823-9500.

Chef
Todd Mark Miller, of Philadelphia’s Barclay
Prime, is set to unveil STK in the Meatpacking
District this week. Meant to appeal to the ladies as much as the
men, the restaurant eschews dark leather and wood paneling for
a DJ, black and white lacquer and faux-crocodile trim. The food
is hardly frou frou, especially with dishes like “surf,
turf & earth;” Bigeye tuna, black truffles and foie
gras. STK, 26 Little W. 12th St., New York, 646-624-2444.

Ted
Turner may have conquered cable news and major league baseball,
but will he make it in the New York City restaurant scene? Only
time will tell after he opens Ted’s Montana Grill in Rockefeller Center. It’s the 50th Ted’s to open
in the country, though the formula remains the same, hewing to
a nearly all-bison menu: bison steaks, bison burgers and bison
meatloaf. Thankfully, the lemonade is bison-free. Ted’s
Montana Grill, 110 W. 51st St., New York, 212-245-5220, www.tedsmontanagrill.com.

Phuman
Singh is replacing his Upper West Side Columbus Grill with an
Indian restaurant. He’s hired away Durga Prasad and Alexander
Paul Xalxo of Tamarind to help him; expect a focus on curries and tandoori. Earthen
Oven, 53 W. 72nd St., New York, 212-579-8888.

Chef Tim Love of the Lonesome Dove in Fort Worth
opened the New York satellite of the restaurant this week. From
Texas, he brought a considerable number of untreated cow skin
rugs and a new restaurant vocabulary for New York diners, starting
with “prairie butter”—roasted buffalo marrow
with chilies and onions—and the “tomahawk chop,”
a 32-ounce cut of rib-eye on the bone. Lonesome Dove, 29 W. 21st
St., New York, 212-414-3139, www.lonesomedovebistro.com.

The
Manhattan Chili Co. has opened an outlet in the dining
concourse at Grand Central Terminal. Its chili, made with hormone-free
all-natural meats, is available for track-entrance delivery, as
are salads and snacks. Manhattan Chili Company, Grand Central
Terminal, New York, 212-730-8666, www.manhattanchili.com.

The
new Urban Lobster, from husband-wife team Susan
Austin and Rony Brovda, will offer snappy delivery in the owners’
own pimped-out Toyota. The 12-seat nook in the East Village, serves
comfort seafood including chowder, lobster rolls and peel-and-eat
shrimp. Urban Lobster, 240 East Houston St., New York, 212-677-2626.

Dos
Caminos Soho

The Dos Caminos franchise is heading to Midtown. Dos Caminos
Third features a menu familiar from the restaurant’s
first two locations. All three offer nearly 100 tequilas, guacamole
prepared tableside and fresh vibrant tacos. Dos Caminos Third,
825 Third Ave. at 50th Street, New York, 212-336-5400.

Café
Cluny, in the West Village, has opened. The bistro menu,
designed by Odeon executive chef Vincent Nargi, includes solid
fare like steak frites and pan-seared sea scallops. Café
Cluny, 284 West 12th St. at West Fourth Street, New York, 212-255-6900.

D’Or
Ahn, a short-lived haute Korean spot, has given way to Izakaya
Ten, specializing in small plate Japanese pub grub (with
a long list of accompanying sakes to choose from). Dishes include
poached pork belly and barbequed eel. Izakaya Ten, 207 10th Ave.
between 22nd and 23rd, New York, 212-627-7777.

Frederick’s
Downtown, the third outpost in the Frederick’s
empire, opens this week. The restaurant, run by Frederick and
Laurent Lesort, will serve the cuisine of the French and Italian
Rivieras as interpreted by executive chef Vincent Cirico. Frederick’s
Downtown, 637 Hudson St. at Horatio Street, New York, 212-488-4200.

Fika,
which means coffee break in Swedish, has opened in Midtown. The
casual restaurant imports its coffee beans from a roaster in Sweden.
The chef, nicked from the Swedish consulate, prepares light fare
like gravlax salad and Swedish meatball sandwiches. Fika, 41 West
58th St. near Sixth Avenue, New York, 212-832-0022.

Just
as the Upper East Side location of Sushi of Gari closed for renovations last week, a new outpost appeared in the
Theater District. The menu is much the same, focusing on super-fresh
sushi—over 130 different kinds—as well as adventurous
takes on Japanese cuisine, including tempura ice cream. Sushi
of Gari 46, 347 West 46th St., New York 10036, 212-957-0046.

Cacio
e Vino is the new wine bar extension of rustic East Village
Italian restaurant Cacio e Pepe, further north on Second Avenue.
They’ll serve bar snacks—including Italian flatbread
and pizza—and a choice of some 80 wines. Cacio e Vino, 80
Second Ave., New York NY 10003, 212-228-3269.

Marshall
Stack is the latest high-low hybrid to open on the Lower
East Side. Look for gimmicky treats like “blue balls”—grapes
rolled in nuts and blue cheese—along with sandwiches and
wines by the glass. Marshall Stack, 66 Rivington St., between
Allen and Eldridge, New York, 212-228-4667.

They’ll know where to get the best meat, at least:
Tartare, a Hell’s Kitchen butcher shop, is now Café
Tartare, an Italian restaurant offering simple, filling
fare like frittatas and panini's. Café Tartare, 653 Ninth
Ave., New York NY 10036, 212-333-5300.

Star-crossed
restaurant E.U. is ready for round two. They
have reopened with Sara Ochs, formerly of Esca, in the kitchen.
This time the menu features “unique twists on European classics”—presumably
that’s what they meant when they called the place a gastropub
the last time around. E.U., 235 East 4th St., New York NY 10009,
212-254-2900.

A
restaurant named Mantra may conjure up images
of zen simplicity, but with a menu that adds French and Thai flair
to Japanese fundamentals, it promises to be anything but bland.
Mantra, 828 Ninth Ave., New York NY 10019, 212-265-8828.

Michael
Ayoub, of Fornino Pizzeria in Williamsburg, has made the leap
across the East River with his new Cronkite Pizzeria and
Wine Bar. Tomatoes for the pies are flown in from Italy.
Toppings vary from the tried and true—mushrooms, prosciutto—to
the more esoteric, like potatoes and radicchio. A 75-bottle wine
list is also available. Cronkite Pizzeria and Wine Bar, 133 Norfolk
St., New York, 212-375-1500.

The
new Zenkichi in Brooklyn, billed as a brasserie,
specializes in hearty westernized takes on Japanese fare like
oyster risotto and miso-glazed spare ribs. Zenkichi, 77 North
Sixth St., Brooklyn, 718-388-8985.

Graydon
Carter has brought some Vanity Fair juice to the restaurant business
with the Waverly Inn, the new West Village spot
he co-owns with Sean MacPherson and Eric Goode (of B-Bar and Maritime Hotel fame). Despite the low-key vibe, Carter promises
the best martini in town. Look for comfort food standards like
potpie, roast chicken and short ribs. The Waverly Inn, 16 Bank
St., New York, 212-243-7900.

A
downtown branch of Taksim – a popular Turkish
spot in midtown - opens this week, featuring late hours and a
kebab heavy menu. Taksim, 99 Second Ave., New York, 212-979-5400.

Babouche
Restaurant and Lounge, the new spot from the owners of
Barbès, features a bi-level Moroccan interior and a menu
of North African classics. Babouche Restaurant and Lounge, 92
Prince St., New York, 212-219-8155.

The Wombat has landed in
Brooklyn. The new Williamsburg spot, named for the cuddly marsupial,
promises to satisfy homesick Aussie cravings with, among other
things, vegemite and aboriginal soup. The Wombat, 613 Grand St.
at Lorimer, Brooklyn, 718-218-7077.

Hell’s
Kitchen Redux: Gordon Ramsay at the London is
open. TV star cum celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay unveiled his 45-seat
fine dining restaurant this week. The adjacent London Bar, featuring
small plate fare, seats 70 in a less formal setting. Look for
Ramsay creations like swordfish carpaccio and lobster ravioli
with celery root cream. Gordon Ramsay at the London, 151 West
54th St., New York, 212-468-8888.

The Dylan
Hotel, home to several failed restaurant projects, is giving
the classic steakhouse a whirl. Peter
Luger expat Arturo McLeod will oversee the beef. Expect big
cuts in a nostalgic environment. Benjamin Steakhouse,
52 East 41st St., New York, 212-297-9177.

Midtown
welcomes yet another French restaurant this week with the opening
of Brasserie 52 (not to be confused with Rue
57). The menu features crowd pleasers like coq au vin and
steak frites served in a sprawling dining room with an indoor
waterfall and oversized chandeliers. Brasserie 52, 772 Ninth Ave.,
New York, 212-586-5006.

Hurapan
Kitchen has opened in the West Village. Boasting two
dining areas with separate menus (a pan-Asian menu on the ground
floor and a smaller, Thai menu downstairs), the restaurant is
owned by a father-son team who previously worked uptown at Rain.
Hurapan Kitchen, 29 Seventh Ave. South, New York, 212-727-2678.

East
Village wine and beer bar Grape and Grain has opened a beer-only
space next door aptly named Against the Grain.
The small menu features beer-friendly food like beer-poached shrimp.
Against the Grain, 620 East 6th St, New York, 212-358-7065.

Nolita
hotspot Public has opened the Monday Room, a
tiny adjacent wine bar. Seating 24, the lounge will feature snack-sized
portions and a selection of over 60 wines. 210 Elizabeth St.,
New York, 212-343-7011.

Sasabune
NY, an East Coast version of an acclaimed omakase-only
LA sushi bar, has opened on the Upper East Side. With a ban on
serving California and spicy tuna rolls, this slim spot will be
slicing only the freshest most rarefied fish. Sasabune NY, 401
East 73rd St., New York, 212-249-8583.

John
Gargiulo has opened Swich, an haute-sandwich
shop in Chelsea. The sandwiches run the gamut from buffalo chicken
on French bread with crumbled blue cheese to turkey with homemade
stuffing on cranberry walnut bread. Delivery is available. Swich,
104 Eighth Ave., New York, 212-488-4800.

Move
over Bohemian Beer Hall, there’s a new brewmeister in town. Manor Oktoberfest is serving frothy beer and
warm wurst in the middle of a Queens shopping center. Servers
are decked out in lederhosen for that additional touch of authenticity.
Manor Oktoberfest. The Shops at Atlas Park, 80-28 Cooper Ave.,
Queens, 718-326-2201.

The owners of Belgian chainlet Petite
Abeille head south of the border this week with the opening
of Vamos Tacos & Tequila. The focus of the
restaurant, as the name indicates, is on tacos (a dozen or so
varieties) and tequila (in a half dozen flavors). Vamos Tacos
& Tequila, 348 First Ave., New York, 212-358-7800.

EN
Japanese Brasserie has remade its front room into
the stand-alone EN Sochu Bar, highlighting the
potent spirit made from distilled rice, sweet potatoes and other
various and sundry foodstuffs. A bar menu will also be available.
EN Sochu Bar, 435 Hudson St., New York, 212-647-9196.

Brooklyn
Label, opening this week in the historic Astral Building
in Greenpoint, will be serving only brunch and lunch specials
at the outset, along with a wide variety of sandwiches. Brooklyn
Label, 180 Franklin St., Brooklyn, 718-389-2806.

Big
box restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow (of Ono and China
Grill fame) is back with yet another venture, the aptly named Kobe Club, in the space formerly occupied by
the ill-fated Mix in New York. Some 2,000 Samurai swords hang
from the ceiling. The classic steakhouse menu goes right for the
arteries. Wagyu beef, offered as steaks or tartare, is one obvious
highlight. The “double stuffed crab,” featuring lump
crabmeat sandwiched between two crab cakes, is another. Kobe Club,
68 West 58th St., New York, 212-644-5623.

French-Mexican
fusion, an unlikely combination, is on the menu at Juliette in Williamsburg. It remains to be seen whether locals will warm
to the idea of following a steamed artichoke starter with spicy
guacamole and chicken. Juliette, 135 North Fifth St., Brooklyn,
718-388-9222.

15 East, from husband and wife team Marco Moreira
and Jo-Ann Makovitzky, opens this week in the slim space formerly
occupied by their restaurant Tocqueville (which moved to larger digs up the street). Sushi and other Japanese
dishes will be prepared by Masato Shimizu, formerly of Jewel
Bako. 15 East, 15 E. 15th St., New York, 212-647-0015.

New
Tex-Mex joint Enduro is bringing quality eats
to a Brooklyn neighborhood with few restaurant options. Jim Mamary
of Pacifico and Richard Krause of Union Smith Café are
behind the project. Enduro, 51 Lincoln Rd., Brooklyn, no phone.

The
ambitious Varietal Restaurant and Wine Bar opened
last week, highlighting the inventive cooking of chef Ed Witt,
formerly of Rubicon in San Francisco and the River Café
here in New York. The bi-coastal menu features dishes like fuyu
persimmon with sheep cheese and tobacco-braised pork belly. Pastry
chef Jordan Kahn, who has worked at Alinea in Chicago, will be
integrating unlikely ingredients into Varietal’s sweets,
including celery root wild rice, and fenugreek. Varietal Restaurant
and Wine Bar, 138 West 25th St., New York, 212-633-1800.

BRGR,
the latest combatant in the burger wars, has opened in Chelsea.
Run by former Moomba owner Chris Russell, the new spot features
interiors by David Rockwell and ingredients sourced from local
producers. Burgers start at $6.50 with toppings additional. BRGR,
287 Seventh Ave., New York, 212-488-7500.

Stand,
a new burger rival from Republic’s
Jonathan Morr, has opened across town from BRGR. The menu features
such oddities as a bacon and egg burger and hamburger soup filled
with onions, cheddar cheese and, of course, ground beef. Seating
is communal. Stand, 24 E. 12th St., New York, 212-488-5900.

Nirvana
54, the resurrection of a restaurant by the same name
that closed four years ago, has opened in midtown serving a hybrid
of Indian and American fare. Nirvana 54, 245 W. 54th St., New
York, 212-307-9797.

If
you like your Japanese restaurants bite-size, then the new Rosanjin
Tribeca is the place for you. The restaurant has only
seven tables along with a full takeout menu. The chef’s
Kyoto-style tasting dinners will change seasonally. Rosanjin Tribeca,
141 Duane St., New York, 212-346-7991.

Tasca,
New York’s newest tapas bar has opened in the West Village.
Barrels placed atop the bar double as kegs for sangria. Owners
Rob Meller and Craig Wilson plan to open an adjacent sushi bar
in the coming months. Tasca, 137 Seventh Ave. S., New York, 212-620-6815.

French
bistro Le Petit Marché has arrived in
Brooklyn Heights. The restaurant features a formidable bouillabaisse,
a wide selection of French beers and reproductions of paintings
by French Impressionist masters. Le Petit Marché, 46 Henry
St., Brooklyn, 718-858-9605.

New
celebrity haunt Beatrice Inn is owned by DJ Paul
Sevigny and Matt Bromcheck of Employees Only. Both the bar and
restaurant menu are rather old-fashioned with Rubens, steaks and
a vodka egg cream. Beatrice Inn, 285 West 12th St., New York,
no phone.

Consulting
chef Thomas Xanthopoulos of Periyali will oversee the kitchen at Retsina, a Greek
taverna opening this week. The menu will focus on traditional
fare like moussaka and baklava. Retsina, 115 E. 60th St., New
York, 212-486-8826.

A.C.
Milan soccer fans will have a place to gather downtown now that Panino Sportivo, an uptown soccer-themed sports
bar and sandwich shop, has opened a second branch in SoHo. Both
outlets are decked out in red and white Milan team colors. Panino
Sportivo, 26 Prince St., New York, 212-431-0800.

Pudding
Stones isn’t dessert, it’s a new wine bar
named for the stones found in quality grape-growing soil. One-hundred
varieties of wine will be offered along with classic French food
and artisanal cheese. Pudding Stones, 1457 Third Ave., New York,
212-717-5797.

Cilantro is the name of both a love-it-or-hate it herb and a Tex-Mex chain
here in New York. A third location opens on the Upper West Side
this week. Look for standbys like enchiladas and fajitas. Cilantro,
485 Columbus Ave., New York, 212-712-9090.

Tillman’s,
a new jazz-themed lounge in Chelsea, serves a selection of gourmet
grilled cheese sandwiches, in addition to wine and cocktails.
Tillman’s, 165 W. 26th St., New York, 212-627-8320.

Onera
is no more, replaced by Kefi, a more casual Greek
restaurant but still operated by chef Michael Psilakis. The menu
will be simplified to include casseroles and other classic Greek
dishes including moussaka and cuttlefish stuffed with spinach
and manouri cheese. The prices will be taken down a notch as well.
Kefi, 222 W. 79th St., New York, 212-873-0200.

Caffé
Falai is the second restaurant in the Iacopo Falai empire.
It’s in the same mold as the original, Falai
Panetteria, on Clinton Street. The menu is much the same as
well, and will include rustic Italian dishes like branzino with
Brussels sprouts and baby octopus. Caffe Falai, 265 Lafayette
St., New York, 917-338-6207.

Havana
Central at the West End is a combination of two previously
established businesses here in New York City. It combines the
former space of the West End, a beloved bar near Columbia University
and Latin restaurant chainlet Havana
Central. Look for cuisine from across Latin America here with
the same menu as the other Havana Central locations. Havana Central
at the West End, 2911 Broadway at 113th St., New York, 212-662-8830.

Chiles
& Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen is for foodies who are
looking for something new in their diet. In addition to specializing
in mole and tequila, snacks like fried grasshopper are also available
at the bar. Chiles & Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen, 54 Seventh
Ave., Brooklyn, 718-230-7700.

Barcibo
Enoteca is the new wine bar offshoot of Bin 71, an Italian
restaurant on the Upper West Side. The Enoteca offers 100 varieties
of wine, coupled with small plate cuisine and a selection of hard-to-find
liquors. Barcibo Enoteca, 2020 Broadway at 69th St., New York,
212-595-2850.

The Black Pearl is back without Johnny Depp as a
pirate. The tiny seafood joint, previously located in the back
of East Village bar Julep, has resurfaced as a stand-alone restaurant
in the Flatiron District. Look for a menu of clam shack classics,
including lobster and shrimp rolls. Black Pearl, 37 W. 26th St.,
New York, 212-532-9900

Ostia,
the latest in a string of tapas joints to open in the West Village
of late, serves straightforward small plate Spanish grub, including
serrano ham carved at the table. The all Spanish wine list and
menu were created by Diego Gonzalez of Zipi Zape in Brooklyn.
Ostia, 113 Seventh Ave. South, New York, 212-324-2305.

The
Blue Ribbon family keeps on growing. This week marks the debut
of Blue Ribbon Downing Street, just across the
way from the Blue
Ribbon Bakery. The new place serves small plates until 2 a.m.
Blue Ribbon Downing Street, 34 Downing St., New York, 212-691-0404.

Satsko is a new restaurant from the owner of Sake Bar Satsko. This Lower
East Side boite is BYOB and serves a variety of pan-Asian French-influenced
dishes. Satsko, 245 Eldridge St., New York, 212-358-7773.

Hell’s
Kitchen restaurant VYNL is opening
a second branch on the Upper West Side. The same eclectic
menu—from a Portobello mushroom burger to Pad
Thai—will be offered in a similarly kitschy environment.
VYNL, 507 Columbus Ave., New York, 212-362-1107.

Tree,
a new East Village French boîte from Andrew Robinson
and Colm Clancy (late of Gramercy
Tavern and Lucien), will offer standard brasserie
fare like rack of lamb and steak frites. Brunch service
and an outdoor patio will be introduced down the road.
Tree, 190 First Ave., New York, 212-358-7171.

Miriam,
a popular Israeli restaurant in Park Slope, is opening
a second location in nearby Cobble Hill. The menu will
feature the same upscale dishes as at the original with
ingredients like lobster and yellowtail. Miraim, 229
Court St., Brooklyn, 718-522-2220.

La
Kabbr, a new Middle Eastern restaurant in midtown
is an offshoot of an establishment in Michigan. La Kabbr,
685 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-586-0015.

Boucarou is the word for a backyard party hut in Cameroon.
It’s also the name of one the newest lounges in
the East Village featuring crowd-pleasing finger foods
from chef Malik Fall, previously of Asia de Cuba. Boucarou,
64 E. 1st St., New York, 212-529-3262..

Keith
McNally’s newest restaurant, Morandi,
has opened in a rustic, brick-walled West Village space.
Offering Italian instead of McNally’s usual French
fare (a la Balthazar and Pastis),
chef Jody Williams will prepare such trattoria standards
as grilled baby octopus and spaghetti alla vongole.
Over twenty wines by the glass are available—one
from each region of Italy. Morandi, 211 Waverly Pl.,
New York, 212-627-7575.

Alchemy
Restaurant and Tavern is Brooklyn’s newest
gastropub. With seating for 48, the tiny restaurant
features upscale bar food by Jared King (formerly of
Windows on the World). Look for crisp pork cheeks and
skate fish and chips. Alchemy Restaurant and Tavern,
56 Fifth Ave., Brooklyn, 718-636-4385.

For those who thought that the Meatpacking District had it all think again: The Inn LW12 is the neighborhood’s first Continental/Canadian gastropub. Combine an English chef and Canadian owners and you’ll get menu items like steak braised in Guinness and a wide selection of Canadian beers on tap in the ground-floor taproom. The Inn LW12, 7 Ninth Ave., New York, 212-206-0300.

Pio Pio Salon is the newest outlet of this popular Peruvian chicken chain. This is their first Manhattan branch; all the outlets focus on crisp rotisserie chicken and its accoutrements. Pio Pio Salon, 702 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-665-3000.

Anthos is the newest venture from owner Donatella Arpaia and chef Michael Psilakis, who previously worked together on the popular but short-lived Dona. More rustic than Psilakis’ other restaurants, one item to look for is the Greek sushi—a play on his famous crudo at Dona. Anthos, 36 W. 52nd St., New York, 212-582-6900.

Frozen gelato is about to invade New York City and its name is Yolato. This soon-to-be mini chain serves up low-fat and low-sugar yogurt with fresh fruit toppings. Low-carb crepes, coffee, and gelato cakes are also served. West Village and Upper West Side locations are open now with many more to follow. Yolato, 120 MacDougal St., New York, 212-228-6303; Yolato, 2286 Broadway (at W. 82nd St.), 212-580-1635.

The name 4Fusion, a new restaurant from Chani Singh, comes from the four cuisines that influence the menu: French, Italian, Asian and Latin fare all play a part here, where escargot and Indian spices can happily coexist. 4Fusion, 132 W. 58th St., New York, 212-247-8887.

Think LaGuardia is a culinary wasteland? You’re probably right. But there is help on the way in the form of Deluge, a restaurant in the Sheraton La Guardia East Hotel with a menu designed by Michael Navarro. Look for woodland mushroom and risotto and African-spiced blue shrimp on the “international” menu. Deluge, 135-20 39th Ave., Queens, 718-670-7400.

The famed Pearl Oyster Bar is known for its lobster roll, but might soon become famous for breeding great seafood chefs. First Marys Fishcamp was born out of the kitchen of Pearl and now there’s Ed’s Lobster Bar, the SoHo seafood shack spin off from former Pearl chef Ed McFarland. Not surprisingly, the lobster roll will take front and center stage. A raw bar will also compete for diners’ taste buds. Ed’s Lobster Bar, 222 Lafayette St., New York, 212-343-3236.

Central
Kitchen is the sister restaurant to West Village
tapas newcomer Tasca, right next door. Owned and operated
by the same duo as Tasca, this American-style brasserie turns
out clever cuisine like tamarind-glazed spareribs and chorizo
and shrimp ravioli. There is also a full raw bar. Central
Kitchen, 134 Seventh Ave. S., New York, 212-352-2230.

Hibino is
Cobble Hill’s newest restaurant, serving rustic Japanese
cuisine. They‘ve packed the menu at this 40-seat restaurant
with peasant food served in tapas-sized portions. The tofu
is made fresh here as well. Hibino, 333 Henry St., Brooklyn,
718-260-8052.

Blind
Tiger returns! After losing their lease (and their
liquor license at a new location) the popular neighborhood
hangout has reopened with the ability to serve libations
of all stripes. Blind Tiger, 281 Bleecker St., New York,
212-462-4682.

Nino’s
Bellissima Pizza is open for business, and fans
of novelty dishes will not be disappointed: Nino’s
makes a $1,000 pizza topped with healthy helping of caviar,
lobster, and crème fraîche. For the rest of
us, there are regularly priced pizzas and sandwiches to be
had there. Nino’s Bellissima Pizza, 890 Second Ave.,
New York, 212-355-5540.

Two
for one is the name of the game at Azza, a
bi-level French-Moroccan lounge. Chef Steven Ferdinand, formerly
of Le
Cirque, designed the menu, which includes tuna harissa
as well as eggplant fritters with spiced yogurt. Impatient
types can wait for dinner while playing PlayStation 3 in the
lounge’s game room. Azza, 137 East 55th St., New York,
212-755-7055.

Birdies is
the new restaurant in the space last occupied by East Village
Venezuelan Flor’s Kitchen. This time around it’s
a fried chicken shack, with a wide variety of authentic sides
to accompany the crispy birds, like black-eyed peas, collard
greens, and yams. Birdies, 149 First Ave., New York, 212-529-2512.

Maoz
Vegetarian is the newest addition to Union Square’s
selection of restaurants that cater to workers forced to
bring lunch back to their desk. The focus here is on fresh
falafel at this outpost of a chain from Amsterdam. Good news
for reluctant vegetarians: the falafel here also comes with
a side of fries. Maoz Vegetarian, 38 Union Square E., New
York, 212-260-1988

News
Bytes

Hog Down
The legendary mecca of meaty deliciousness, Hog Pit BBQ, will shut down in January 2009. Located, appropriately enough, in the Meatpacking District, the Hog Pit’s owners say they’re being forced out due to rising rents.

Florent Five
Florent Morellet, plans to have themed decorations for the last five weeks his eponymous Restaurant Florent is open before the lease expires. Mimicking the five stages of grief, look for denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance to be “on the menu” before the restaurant closes for the last time on June 29.

Making a Run for the Border
Famed Toronto chef Susur Lee is coming to New York. The owner of two eponymous eateries, Susur and Lee, is said to be opening up a place in the new Thompson LES hotel on the Lower East Side.

BLT is MIA
The Trump SoHo tower currently under construction will be home to an eatery. Early plans to have a Laurent Tourondel restaurant in the mix have been scrapped. Now twin brothers Nicola and Fabrizio Carro are going to open up an outpost of their popular Miami restaurant Quattro Gastronomia Italiana in the tower.

Park Avenue Spring Has Sprung
To every season, turn, and a new iteration of Park Avenue Winter—or now, Park Avenue Spring. The refreshed interior is bursting with flowers like a classic English garden and the menu includes asparagus and, natch, spring chickens. Park Avenue Spring, E. 63rd St.

Pies ‘N Thighs Tries AgainPies ‘N Thighs, the beloved Brooklyn hole-in-the-wall, will return—now they’ve got a location and a date. The North Carolina-style barbeque chain will remain in Williamsburg, and their new larger space is set to open this summer. Pies ‘N Thighs, 166 S. Fourth St., at Driggs Ave.

McNally McNabs Minetta
Keith McNally has taken over the historic Minetta Tavern. He plans to turn it into a French restaurant, along with refreshing the interior and renovating the kitchen. The changes are scheduled to be completed in October, which means it should be impossible to get a table by about mid-November.

Nude in New York
Passers-by at The Four Seasons Restaurant got quite an eyeful on March 22, as over 200 men and women posed naked for photographer Spencer Tunick in the restaurant's Pool Room. This is just the latest of dozens of nude photos in highly public places that Tunick has orchestrated. A Polaroid photo of the event will be auctioned off at the Portraits & Polaroids Free Arts NYC Annual Art Auction Benefit on April 30. For more information, visit www.freeartsnyc.org.

The San Domenico Shuffle
Tony May’s longstanding upscale Italian eatery, San Domenico NY, will be shutting down on June 18. But have no fear: May promises a return, probably in another Midtown location next year. A dispute with San Domenico’s current landlord has led to the move.

Kitchen Failure
The new tapas joint Islero has a new kitchen staff. An entire new kitchen staff. Chef Jessica Floyd and all of her colleagues in the kitchen were shown the door. Luis Gonzalez, late of The Coffee Shop, is now manning the stoves.

Kefi on the Move
Modern Greek eatery Kefi will be moving to a larger location at Columbus Ave. and W. 84th St. Renovation of the new place will start soon.

Conant’s Back
Scott Conant, last seen at L’Impero and Alto, will return to New York this summer at Scarpetta, an Italian spot in the Meatpacking District. Expect seasonal Italian cuisine in this 70-seat restaurant.

San Pellegrino's 'Almost Famous Chef Competition'
Her glazed beef short ribs, stir-fried miso spinach and chestnut steamed rice won Kristianne Pak, a student at the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, the sixth annual San Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition held Sunday, March 9, at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. Kristianne’s cooking won over the audience as well as the judges, who included NYC chef Harold Dieterle of Perilla, Christophe Leu of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Matthew Levin of Lacroix at The Rittenhouse, Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia, Joseph Keller of Bistro Zinc, Nash Cognetti of Tra Vigne, and Allyson Thurber of The Lobster, as well as GAYOT.com’s Editorial Director Jeff Hoyt. Her prizes include $16,000 and a one-year contract working with a noted executive chef.

Stage Deli Gets the Hook
Bad news for fans of gigantic sandwiches–the Stage Delicatessen was closed by the Department of Health on Friday due to an “infestation of vermin”. Yuck!

Chickpea Goes Glatt Kosher
St. Marks falafel mecca Chickpea is temporarily closed in order to become Glatt Kosher. On the horizon: another naming contest to determine what their operation should be called once the changes are completed, and franchise locations with the Chickpea name, which was sold by the owners.

Band of Brothers?
Chefs Zak Pelaccio, Josh DeChellis, Will Goldfarb and Robert Truitt are set to collaborate on a new project called The Windsor, to open later this spring. No word on location yet, but potential dishes like oysters with champagne and beet gelee and deviled eggs with caviar point to a high-end angle.

Shake Up
It’s official: Danny Meyer’s popular Madison Square Park kiosk, Shake Shack, is officially invading the Upper West Side. The burger and shake mecca will be on W. 77th St. and Columbus Ave.

Trotter-ing Back to Manhattan
The tower going up on Madison Square Park already has a restaurant attached to it: Chicagochef Charlie Trotter, after a failed attempt to set up shop in the Time Warner Center, has apparently landed at One Madison Park. There’s no word yet on when the 80-seat eatery will open.

Palm-ed in the Plaza
Along with the celebrated re-opening of The Plaza hotel, the legendary in-house eatery, Palm Court, has also opened up its doors to diners. Didier Virot mans the stoves. Palm Court, The Plaza, 768 Fifth Ave., New York.

Return of Chumley’s
Chumley’s may return from the dead one day after all: the restaurant is now projecting a May opening date, according to owner Steve Shlopak. Finger’s crossed that this New York institution will return soon.

Count Me Out
Looks like calorie counts posted on menus of chain restaurants starting next month in New York (as legislated by the Department of Health) won’t be limited to food; cocktails and beer will get the number treatment as well. That chocolate martini at T.G.I. Friday’s? It’s got 440 calories, so maybe just one is enough.

In the Kitchen withDaniel Boulud
MOJO HD’s show “After Hours with Daniel” returns with new episodes featuring chef Daniel Boulud (of Daniel and Bar Boulud) collaborating with chefs in Miami and New Orleans. On the series, Boulud visits with host chefs early in the day to prepare a special meal, which is later served to all the chefs plus invited food writers and local celebrities. Look for “After Hours with Daniel” on Sunday, March 16 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

SLA nixes W.K.
Bad news for hardcore music fans: The SLA rejected the application for a liquor license at Andrew W.K.’s proposed music venue on lower Lafayette street, Santa’s Party House. All hope is not lost for future drinks at Santa’s, but they won’t be able to sell booze when the time they open in April, due to the difficulty of filing the proper paperwork.

Meatpacking their BagsIt doesn’t look good for Meatpacking District stalwart Restaurant Florent. The restaurant’s lease expires in May and the landlord aims to raise the rent from $6,000 to $43,000 a year—making it unlikely that Restaurant Florent will remain in the space.

Hot Knot
Ken Friedman (of The Spotted Pig) and Taavo Somer (designer of Freeman’s) are teaming up in the space last occupied by West, all the way on West Street in the West Village, to open a bar/restaurant called the Rusty Knot. Look for a nautical theme and a line out the door when the place opens, currently scheduled for March.

E.U. Expansion
After East Village gastropub The E.U. (aka European Union) finally overcame its liquor license troubles, chef Akhtar Nawab turned the restaurant’s fortunes around quickly. Now Justin Smillie will be taking over at E.U. and Nawab has announced he’ll open an eatery on W. Eighth St. called Elettaria.

Bye to Bao
East Village Vietnamese restaurant Bao 111 will move to a yet-to-be-disclosed Westside location at the end of February, thanks to the rising rents in the East Village.

Bouley’s Brushstrokes
Super chef David Bouley has a new venture: Brushstrokes, located in TriBeCa. The project will be a Japanese eatery with an adjacent cooking school. For now, however, he’s having a hard time getting a liquor license.

Brunch at Employees OnlyEmployees Onlynow serves brunch. Considering that their intricate cocktails are often responsible for late mornings, it seems like a natural transition. Look for poached eggs with sauerkraut and polenta and French toast stuffed with bananas and nutella on the menu.

Park Avenue Winter of DiscontentPark Avenue Winter’s GM was reportedly let go last week after allegations of discrimination by the waitstaff. No replacement has been named yet, though the restaurant’s owner did note that the GM’s departure was “a mutual thing”.

Starbucks Sandwiches Sink
New Yorkers looking for their breakfast fix will have to head to their local deli if they want a breakfast sandwich these days; Starbucks has discontinued their line of breakfast sandwiches. The change is part of a larger plan to spruce up the company’s image.

English is Downtown?Todd English, whose restaurant empire stretches from Boston to New Orleans and beyond, is rumored to be setting up shop in a way-Downtown hotel at 15 Gold Street.

Given the Hook
Business could become difficult for vendors at the Red Hook Ball Fields. The city’s Park Department is accepting bids for the space around the fields, but with the stipulation that vendors there use food preparation carts or trucks. The expense of the equipment may force out many of the smaller operations that made the Ball Fields so popular with foodies in the first place.

All the Food that’s Fit to Print
The New York Times building will be getting a restaurant of its own, called Montepano, this summer. The Milanese restaurant will be operated by the Bice restaurant group.

Masters at Astor
The massive AstorCenter has opened. Part of the same complex that houses Astor Wine and Spirits, the center will host cooking classes, lectures, and, naturally, wine and spirit tasting events. Can an east side, west side rivalry with the James Beard House be far behind?

Movin’ on Up
Thomas Keller has bumped up the price of Per Se’s famed nine-course tasting menu by $25. It’s now $275. Per Se, Time Warner Center, 10 Columbus Cir., New York, 212-823-9335.

Up for the Count
Starting March 31, New York City restaurants with 15 or more outposts (in NYC) will be obliged to list the calorie count of food items on the menu.

Death Match
The troubles at East Village cocktail mecca Death & Co. continue, as the State Liquor Authority has denied the bar’s application for a liquor license renewal. The bar can continue to serve while they appeal the ruling, so drinks are still available there, for the time being.

Ducasse’s Ghost
Former Eleven Madison Park chef Kerry Heffernan will be opening up his eatery, South Gate, in Alain Ducasse’s old stomping grounds at the Jumeirah Essex House. The restaurant, which is taking reservations and will open in February, will be greenmarket driven. The interior has been designed by Tony Chi.

Cheap Shots
Waiters at Balthazar Restaurant and Pastis have filed a class action lawsuit against owner Keith McNally, over claims that they were denied minimum wage, forced to share tips with captains and other staffers on the floor, and obligated to cover any check that a customer walked out on and did not pay.

Alison on Schedule? Alison Becker Hurt is eyeing a return to New York. The chef, who was installed at Alison on Dominick until it closed in 2002, has been cooking in the Hamptons.

Gone Home
David Page and Barbara Shinn have sold their stake in the downtown restaurant Home. The duo plans to focus on their Long Island vineyard, Shinn Estate, from here on out.

LunaPark Eclipsed
The northern end of Union Square Park where off-the-radar eatery Luna Park has been anchored is now in the process of being uprooted and reconstructed. There’s no word yet on the restaurant that will be there, but early speculation has Danny Meyer involved.

Movin’ on UpDanal, the East Village eatery that specializes in Mediterranean and French dishes, has moved into a new space on Fifth Avenue at 13th Street. Danal, 59 Fifth Ave., New York, 212-982-6930.

P*ong gets its Batch
West Village dessert bar-eatery P*ong will be expanding next door at the beginning of February. The adjacent space will be a bakery called Batch and the restaurant will officially change its name to P*ong & Batch.

Ducasse Haute-line Open for Reservations
Though the long-awaited, much-anticipated new New York City restaurant, Adour Alain Ducasse, isn’t scheduled to fire up its stovetop until January 28, hungry diners can now make reservations. Adour Alain Ducasse, 2 E. 55th St., New York, 212-710-2277.

Maxim-um Steak
Peripatetic restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow will open a Maxim-branded steakhouse in the Hotel Gansevoort in March. Located in the space now claimed by Ono (which will move elsewhere), the steakhouse will be the first of two restaurants Chodorow will open tied to the Maxim brand–the other is planned for the Empire Hotel this summer. They are named Maxim Prime and Center Cut, respectively.

Gage of SuccessSoul Food titan Amy Ruth’s plans to open a Brooklyn outpost in the old Gage & Tollner space. It replaces a T.G.I. Friday’s and opens in February.

Busy Boulud
In addition to opening Bar Boulud at the Lincoln Center, Daniel Boulud also has plans for his eponymous restaurant in 2008. This summer, the palatial dining room of Daniel is set to undergo renovations to “refresh” its look. Daniel, 60 E. 65th St., New York, 212-288-0033.

Spanish SambaSushi Samba is offering a special 10-course tasting menu inspired by El Bulli during January. The $110 meal ($150 when paired with wine or sake) will feature dishes like olive spheres and candied raspberries, similar to those at one of the world’s most famous restaurants.

Centovini Expands
Centonvini, the popular Italian wine bar, has expanded to become a full 90-seat restaurant, with Patti Jackson installed as chef, and will serve lunch and dinner.

No Gray Area
Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair magazine and his partners from The Waverly Inn have decided to pass on the Oak Room. They had met with the owners of The Plaza to explore operating the restaurant in the hotel turned condo space, but to no avail.

Additional Seasoning
To every season, turn: Park Avenue Autumn has undergone another overhaul, and has transformed into Park Avenue Winter. Look for a new menu and interior, themed for the chilly months.

Crabwalk
Zak Pelaccio will open a second branch of Fatty Crab uptown. With 60 seats, the venture is backed by his partner Rick Camac and the ever-present Jeffrey Chodorow.

East BakeKeith Cohen, formerly of the Tribeca Oven, purchased Orwasher’s Bakery last week. Cohen plans to expand the bakery’s selections to include a variety of breads from Europe and the United States.

GreenIsland
Manhattan has its first year-round Greenmarket. Located in the Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry, there’s just one farm stand at present, but plans are in the works for more. Look for it on Tuesdays.

Second SushiSushi Samba (245 Park Ave. S., 212-475-9377) has joined the world of Second Life, the first restaurant to do so. Online, visitors can listen to dance music from Sushi Samba DJs and attend sushi-making classes, available for purchase in Linden dollars as well. Alas, there’s no virtual way to taste the food just yet.

American SplendorJeffrey Chodorow announced that he plans to open a restaurant in the vein of a “classic American steakhouse” in the Empire Hotel on 63rd Street and Broadway, signing the lease this week. Guess Kobe Club isn’t classic just yet.

Thirds, not Seconds
Good news for chopped liver addicts—the return of the Second Avenue Kosher Deli is close at hand. Now on third avenue in Murray Hill and operated by the next generation of Lebewohls, Second Avenue Deli is set to return next month. We can only hope the pastrami tastes as good uptown.

15,000 Ducks Qu-wackedHudson Valley Foie Gras is recovering after a tragic fire in which 15,000 foie gras ducks were killed. While the incident is not likely to raise prices to consumers because the ducks killed represent only a small percentage of overall stock, the tragedy does add another arrow to the quiver of anti-foie activists.

More MozzObika, the concept restaurant from Rome that treats artisanal mozzarella like sushi in presentation and plating, plans to open a location in the IBM building in December. It’s not all cheese, though—they will serve small plates as well.

Movin’ on Up
Romantic favorite Danal is moving next month after lease troubles. It won’t be an arduous trek—they’re just headed a few blocks away, to a spot on 5th Avenue between 11th and 12th streets.

Chicken Tonight
Good news for rotisserie fans: Señor Pollo is coming to 13th street and First Avenue. Combined with the chicken spots already there, it will make for a plethora of poultry near the L train.

Dona Duo
Donatella Arpaia and Michael Psilakis will return with Dona Redux, a new version of their first joint venture, Dona, which closed earlier this year after troubles with their lease. The menu will include both Greek and Italian influences; the new restaurant—in an as yet unidentified space—is slated to open in March.

D’oh!
Think the Department of Health has been extra busy in New York this year? Correct! They’ve already closed 605 restaurants for at least a day, a new record. Good or bad, it’s had quite an effect on the industry, causing many struggling restaurants to close for good.

Clo Encounter
The final restaurant in the Time Warner Center food court has just been revealed: Clo, located right across from Per Se. Andrew Bradbury, last seen as sommelier at Aureole in Las Vegas, will run the 75-seat wine bar which will offer 100 different bottles when it opens in November.

The Devi is in the Details
Devi will rise from the ashes next month as Rakesh Aggarwal has sold the restaurant to Suvir Saran, the restaurant's spokesman, and Hemant Mathur, who will remain the chef.

Mo Pitkin’s Update
Looks like the end is in sight for Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction, the restaurant and performance space on Avenue A. The owners announced that the restaurant’s last day will be October 20, so the clock is ticking for anyone who wants that farewell deep fried macaroni and cheese.

Oh Mae Oh My
Jonathan Waxman of sleek Italian restaurant Barbuto will be mixing things up a bit when he opens Madaleine Mae, slated to be ready around November in the space last occupied by Kitchen 82. The Southern joint will have Philip Scotti installed in the kitchen.

Go Ouest!Tom Valenti (of Ouest) will expand his Upper West Side empire when he opens West Branch this spring. The restaurant, featuring an American bistro menu, is in the On the Ave Hotel.

NoMo’ BoloBolo, Bobby Flay’s Spanish restaurant, will likely close in 18 months. The building in which it is located was purchased and will be demolished to make luxury condos.

Petraske Projects
Sasha Petraske, of Milk & Honey fame, has two new projects set to open this fall. One is a café in the East Village called Mercury Dime, which will morph into a Belgian beer bar in the evenings. The other is Dutch Kills in the underserved Long Island City, Queens. Look for upscale bar food there.

Mo Money?
Mo’ Pitkins is for sale. The restaurant and performance space will remain open while it’s shopped around, but the restaurant’s future remains unclear.

Water, Water EverywhereAureole will be closed until the 17th of September. Over Labor Day weekend, the restaurant was flooded, necessitating extensive repairs.

Mercadito Mourning
A produce deliveryman for Mercadito was killed and two more deliverymen were injured when their truck was struck by a drunk driver last week. The restaurant has set up a charity for the victims, called The West Village Accident Fund. Donations can be mailed to 332 Bleecker St., F38, New York, NY 10014.

Bigger BurgerDuMont, the burger joint, is expanding by absorbing the space next door. In addition to offering more seats, they will also expand their take-out operation.

The Next Iron Chef?
This October, eight top chefs from around the country will compete to join the ranks of Mario Batali, Cat Cora, Bobby Flay and Masaharu Morimoto in the Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef, a new reality show that will award one chef with the coveted culinary title: Iron Chef. The series kicks-off on Sunday, October 7th at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Among the contestants battling for the honor will be local chef Aarón Sánchez of Centrico and Paladar. The winner will be revealed during the series’ finale on Sunday, November 11th, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will begin their reign as Iron Chef with the premiere of the new season of Iron Chef America on Sunday, November 18.

LES is More
Bad news for hipsters on the Lower East Side: Both La Esquina and nightclub The Box were closed down last weekend, for permit and drug violations, respectively. Guess that trick entrance into La Esquina didn’t quite fool inspectors.

Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz
Despite rumors, Ninth Street Espresso’s East 13th Street location isn’t closing–it’s becoming a spinoff! Ed H., a Ninth Street barista, is taking over the space and making it his own coffee bar. Look for an expanded food menu as well.

Drink your Way to China…via MexicoChina de Puebla, the cutting edge Mexican-Chinese-fusion joint just north of Columbia University, now has a liquor license and owner Ian Nal has concocted an interesting list of cocktails, including lychee margaritas and sake sangria. China de Puebla, 3143 Broadway, New York, 212-222-8666.

Berry Good!
Pinkberry continues to expand in New York City and they are bringing their yogurt downtown: Pinkberry St. Marks is now under construction and set to open soon. Do punks like Fro-Yo?

It’s China Grill, JakeChina Grillbriefly closed last week for Department of Health violations. Afterwards, the Grill stayed closed for a few extra days to tend to any future problems that might have cropped up, issued a slew of press releases, and is now ready for business.

Q-Tip
Anita Lo plans to open an Asian barbeque spot in the West Village this fall. Look for a menu of crowd-pleasing pan-Asian fare, as at her Rickshaw Dumpling Bar.

Prime Real Estate
The Steve Hanson empire will expand this fall with the addition of Primehouse New York. His Park Avenue meat palace will be similar to Primehouse Chicago, where Hanson is a partner with David Burke, though Burke will not be involved here.

Jody’s Punch
Former Gusto and current Morandi chef Jody Williams will be unveiling a WestVillage winebar in the fall. The space on Greenwich Ave., will be called Gottino.

Spot the FishThe Spotted Pig-watchers, get ready for your seafood dreams to swim into reality: The John Dory, from part-owner Ken Friedman and chef April Bloomfield, will open this spring. Sara Ochs will be the chef de cuisine at this piscatorial palace on Tenth Avenue’s restaurant row.

Sacco and Starr
What happens when you put hip restaurateurs Amy Sacco (Bette, Bungalow 8) and Stephen Starr (Buddakan, Morimoto, et al) together? We’ll find out in the near future, as word has quickly spread that the two are teaming up to bring Manhattan's Financial District its very own super-hip steakhouse. The restaurant is tentatively titled District.

P*ong Cakes, Anyone?Pichet Ong, the man behind P*ong, is planning to open a cupcake shop next to his new West Village restaurant.

Smith’s Start
Danny Abrams of the Mermaid Inn and Cindy Smith of Soho standby Raoul’s will be opening Smith’s on West Houston this fall. Look for a similar emphasis on the classics as at Abrams’ other restaurants.

Kyotofu: Coming to a Party or Event near You
Midtown Japanese eatery, Kyotofu, has created a catering menu for its tasty desserts and fusion fare. Kyotofu, 705 Ninth Ave., 212-974-6011.

What’s In a Name
The restaurant originally named Charolais, then Cote d’Or, then Charolais again, then Cote d’Or once again, is back with a sort-of new name: Charolais. The French steak house specializes in, you guessed it, charolais beef.

In-N-Out In New York?
Rumors are swirling that In-N-Out Burger is looking for a New York location, which would be their first in the city. The popular West Coast burger joint has a loyal following, so it’s hard to imagine it would be anything other than a success in burger-mad New York.

Starbucks Insanity
While it would seem impossible, one gentleman did it: Of the 171 Starbucks in Manhattan, he visited them all in a single day. His name? Mark Malkoff. His ordeal cost him $370 in coffee.

Jean-Georges Makeover
The dining room at Jean Georges, now 10 years old, is getting a makeover. The restaurant’s main dining room will be closed for a week from August 20-28. Nougatine, the café, will remain open. Jean-Georges, 1 Central Park West, New York, 212-299-3900.

Tiger, Tiger, Burned Bright
Brother- and sister-owned pan-Asian joint Tigerland was sold this weekend. No word yet on whether the spot will continue to operate under new owners or close up shop after the sale is complete.

Boulud on the Bowery?
Superchef Daniel Boulud is in plans to open DBGB (Daniel Boulud Good Burger), a casual French-inflected burger restaurant on the ever-hip-ening Bowery in the East Village. Boulud is still waiting for liquor license approval before he moves forward with the 299 Bowery location.

Ducasse ReduxWhat will certainly be one of the biggest openings in the autumn restaurant opening season is Alain Ducasse’s return to New York. The French chef is opening a clone of his famed Parisian bistro, Benoit, but he’s also opening Adour in The St. Regis Hotel, New York. The restaurant will feature a unique interactive wine bar that should keep diners entertained (and perhaps a bit tipsy) for an entire evening.

Top (hot) Dog!
The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) has a new top dog–on July 4 at the Coney Island outpost of Nathan’s Famous hot dogs, San Jose-resident Joey Chestnut downed 66 tube steaks to take the yellow mustard belt; he beat out the Babe Ruth of hot dog eating, Takeru Kobayashi who had won the event for the last five years.

Magnolia Closes for a DayMagnolia Bakery, of Sex and the City fame, closed last week thanks to a New York City Department of Health citation. The bakery reopened a day later, after installing a new metal sink (meant to be there when they opened ten years ago). For a brief moment, Carrie Bradshaw-ophiles fans were very, very nervous.

Hello, Old Chum
The construction at Chumley’s continues apace. The restaurant is now scheduled to be ready for an October return. After a wall collapse in April, there were fears the old speakeasy would close, but the owner recently assured nervous fans the restaurant will be back.

Rodent RevivalThanks to the film Ratatouille, the French dish of the same name is appearing on menus all over New York City. At the new Borough Food & Drink, the dish appears on a roll, and orders for it are way up at Nice Matin and Le Gamin Cafe, too(ille).

Dedicated to the Ladies
Midtown steakhouse, Benjamin Steakhouse, has debuted a new cut of steak–and this one goes out to all the ladies. The name is–wait for it–Adam’s Rib Eye and it comes in a lady-sized portion (read: small) and is said to have less fat. Benjamin Steakhouse, 52 E. 41st St., New York, 212-297-9177.

Brunch, Japanese Style
West Chelsea Japanese restaurant Izakaya Ten has begun serving a succulent weekend brunch, featuring Japanese takes on American classics such as eggs Benedict and omelets. Salmon Oyako Benedict uses grilled rice "cakes" in place of muffins, layered with avocado and topped with large slices of salmon and a poached egg. The omelet is filled with shrimp fried rice and natto (fermented soybeans ) and tuna sashimi. Brunch will be served Saturday and Sunday, from 11:30am - 3:30pm. Izakaya Ten, 207 Tenth Ave., New York, 212-627-7777.

Tocques on for SummerTocqueville will be offering a special summer dinner prix fixe. From June 26-Sept. 8 (Monday through Saturday), diners can nab three courses for $48. In addition, they've just introduced a vegetarian tasting menu (5 courses, $68), which is also greenmarket inspired and available through Labor Day. Tocqueville, 1 E. 15th St., New York, 212-647-1515.

Basque Bye-ByeBrasserie LCB is no more, after it was closed by the DOH a few weeks ago. Owner and chef Jean-Jacques Rachou has retired and now Alain Ducasse will take over the space, opening a restaurant called Benoit early next year. It will be based on a restaurant of the same name in Paris.

Le Cirque Wine LoungeThe Café at Le Cirque will transform into a wine bar after the end of the summer. Owner Sirio Maccioni hopes to have the transformed space ready by Labor Day.

Africa Comes to the Meatpacking District
Marcus Samuelsson, the chef behind Riingo and Aquavit, plans to open a new restaurant in the fall that highlights the cuisine of Africa. Merkata, named for the famous market in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, will be housed in the space formerly occupied by Sasha at 55 Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District.

Brunch, As Chinese-Mexicans Eat it
Upper West Side Chinese-Mexican fusion joint, China de Puebla, has started serving weekend brunch. Dishes like scrambled eggs with manchego cheese, five-spiced chicken tacos, and Mexican cinnamon French toast (with a mango-ginger compote) are all on the brunch menu. China de Puebla, 3143 Broadway, 212-222-8666.

Reprieved! Di Fara Pizza has reopened! Things looked bleak after the New York City Department of Health closed them down a few weeks ago, but the popular pizza parlor reopened on Friday.

Earth DayHearth is having a baby. Marco Canora’s nouvelle American spot will soon give birth to Terroir, a wine bar right next door.

Chubo Goes French
Lower East Side eatery, Chubo, has decided to ditch their Asian-fusion menu and go French. The menu switch will happen sometime this summer.

Twofer Tom
It’s quite likely that Zak Pelaccio will not be alone uptown in the Malaysian coffeehouse he’s set to open with Jeffrey Chodorow; reports emerged last week that Tom Valenti will be operating a restaurant in the space as well. Could Upper West Side residents be getting two chefs for the price of one?

Inside the Park Homerun
Inside the Park at St. Bart’s will be open year-round, starting in the fall. Matthew Weingarten, previously of Savoy, will operate the restaurant, located inside the Great Hall at St. Bartholomew’s.

Mo’ MomofukuMomofuku Noodle Bar (163 First Ave., 212-475-7899) is expanding and moving. Chef David Chang, 2007 James Beard Award winner for Rising Star Chef of the Year, announced that the current Momofuku will move two blocks north this summer, to 171 First Ave., doubling the number of seats. The space Momofuku currently occupies will be rehabbed into a new restaurant, called Momofuku Ko, which means sewing circle.

Ducasse in La Cote Basque
Reports surfaced last week suggesting that Alain Ducasse will take over the space occupied at present by Brasserie LCB. The restaurant recently closed, but rent is said to be quite reasonable for the location, making a takeover more than a possibility.

Bye Bye BenitoLe Cirque’s charming general manager, Benito Sevarin, has left after 25 years of service for the Maccione family.

(More) Employees Only
Haute cocktail den Employees Only is spawning! The bar’s staff let word out that they will be opening two new locations in the coming months. One is called Zeppelin, and will have a 1940s theme. The other, as yet unnamed, will feature the cuisine of Macao, combining Chinese and Portuguese flavors.

Monkey See, Monkey Eat
After months of serious renovation, the Monkey Bar is back open. The 1930s décor has been banished for more modern touches. And Chef Patricia Yeo has come up with a pan-Asian-inspired menu. Monkey Bar, 60 E. 54th St., 212-838-2600.

Chiuso!
The latest victim of New York City’s Department of Health city-wide sting is none other than legendary Brooklyn pizzeria Di Fara Pizza. The restaurant has been shut down indefinitely.

Notto OttoJason Denton let the word out this week that his newest project (near Gramercy Tavern) will not feature a wood-burning oven (as reported elsewhere) and remains as yet unnamed. However, it’s likely that salumi will be one aspect of the dining experience—good news for meatheads.

Fatty…Coffee?
Zak Pelaccio and Jeffrey Chodorow are planning to open a Malaysian coffeehouse on the Upper West Side. Called Kopi Tiam, it’s unclear how similar it would be to the experience diners get at Fatty Crab, but locals are excited about the potential addition to the neighborhood.

The Price of Rice
Diners with some extra cash to spend should check out the new dish at Hawaiian Tropic Zone. Masterminds there have unveiled an $85 portion of fried rice. It comes with lobster and king crab and is then topped with raw Kobe beef, a quail egg, caviar and gold leaf.

Balducci’s Takes Off
Gourmets on the go are now in luck, thanks to the successful Balducci’s outpost in Terminal 2 at JFK Airport. It’s not a full store, but they prepare hot and cold sandwiches and salads.

All-day AriumGood news for late sleepers and night owls: the hours at all-day organic brunch favorite Arium have been extended. The restaurant is now open until 7 p.m. most nights, and 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Arium, 31 Little West 12th St., New York, 212-463-8630.

Talbot BoltsSam Talbot is out as chef of the yet-to-open Spitzer’s Corner on the Lower East Side. Talbot’s involvement in the Rivington Street “American gastropub” was only recently announced. It is still set to open in June.

Denton DoneJason Denton has sold his stake in Otto, his restaurant with Mario Batali. Denton still owns ‘inoteca and ‘ino.

Pennies from Heaven
Watch those pennies, restaurateurs! After a South Bronx chicken wing establishment refused to accept the copper coinage from a customer last week, a state senator drafted legislation that will slap owners who do the same with a $500 fine or 30 days in jail.

Return of Shopsin’s
According to the latest missive from enigmatic owner Kenny Shopsin, the Shopsin’s stand in the Essex Street Market is “two or three” weeks away from opening, so keep an eye out for it around the end of May.

Setting the Bar HighBar Boulud is set to open this fall. Located in Lincoln Center, the bar (operated by Daniel Boulud, naturally) will include a 500-bottle wine list, charcuterie made in-house, and a classic French menu.

No Trip to Market Yet
BLT Market, the newest restaurant from Laurent Tourondel at The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park, has delayed its opening to late August. It was originally set to open this spring.

Ducasse Redux
Not since Le Cirque was revamped in 2006 has there been as much speculation and anticipation for a restaurant. But then again, few restaurants have super chef/restaurateur Alain Ducasse behind them. The restaurant, called Adour and housed in the former Lespinasse space in the St. Regis Hotel, is set to open in the fall.

Chumley’s Update
The chimney of the recently shuttered historic West Village eatery is being taken apart brick by brick. Word on the street is that the one-time speakeasy will be open again in the late fall.

Brooklyn Shuffle
Porchetta will not be an Italian restaurant when it reopens. Instead, chef Alex Garcia of Calle Ocho will man the kitchen at Carniceria, a Latin steakhouse. Look for it in the next week or so.

Porchetta Reborn
Porchetta is not dead yet! Previously thought gone for good, the restaurant is set to reopen sans Jason Neroni next week.

Conrad Spizz Dead at 90
Conrad Spizz passed away this week of a heart attack. While his name may not be familiar to New Yorkers, his work certainly was: he ran Rego Smoked Fish, and his smoked delicacies were sold at Zabar’s, Russ and Daughters, and Barney Greengrass, among others. Rego Smoked Fish closed in 2002.

Dogs on the Down-Low
Crif Dogs owner Brian Shebairo has a new project on tap: PDT, a cocktail lounge right next door. But here’s the catch, PDT has no regular entrance. It will only be accessible via the phone booth in Crif Dogs, which will prepare the food served there along with oyster and lobster rolls. PDT is set to open in May.

Outlaw Chef
Jason Neroni’s woes continue. Neroni departed Porchetta in Brooklyn
last week, but it seems that a dispute with the owners has followed him. They
claim that Neroni illegally signed his own paychecks before departing. He was
charged with two misdemeanors as a result and will appear in a Brooklyn court
on May 14th.

Panning for Gold
Tough times for Bill Telepan: Waiters there are claiming that management
is illegally skimming from their tips. While it is illegal for managers to force a tip out
from waiters at the end of the night, that appears to be the case here, as
one waiter filed a complaint with the New York State Labor Department.

Tony Bourdain BluesLes
Halles was shut down by the New York City Department of Health last week,
the latest victim of the DOH’s extensive campaign of tough inspections
in the wake of the KFC rat incident in Greenwich Village. The owner reports
that it’s set to open “any day now.”

Le Cirque: The Movie
Like Le
Cirque, the restaurant? Then you’ll love the movie! Directed
by Andrew Rossi, A Table in Heaven is slated to open April 13th and chronicles
the recent opening of the newest iteration of the popular Midtown eatery.

Belgian BrekkieMarkt, the recently re-located Belgian restaurant, has now launched a breakfast
menu. Eggs Benedict, omelettes and, of course,
waffles are all on the morning menu. Markt, 676 Sixth
Ave., New York, 212-727-3314.

Shuttering Free Speech
Legendary West Village drinking (and snacking) spot Chumley’s has been shut down. Interior walls of the famed former speakeasy recently collapsed and
no one knows when—or if—Chumley’s will pour another pint.

Domo Arigato, Mr. MeyerUnion
Square Café Tokyo is now open! If the Roppongi district of the Japanese
city seems friendlier than usual, that’s probably why. The Tokyo branch
of the evergreen New York eatery will serve a similar menu, albeit with a few
Asian twists like a Caesar salad with Uni dressing.

Trouble To Go
Delivery woes continue this week on the Upper West Side. Ollie’s, a popular
Chinese chainlet here in Manhattan, is being sued by 43 of their deliverymen and other employees accusing the restaurant of paying them a scant $1.40 an hour
and violating minimum wage laws. Meanwhile, Saigon Grill still has no deliveries
after workers there went on strike and filed suit to protest their working conditions
last month.

Shakin’ into
Spring
Fans of Danny Meyer’s Madison Square Park institution
of low-brow Americana will jump for joy. Shake
Shack—arguably the best shakes and burgers in
town—is open until 8 p.m. or later (depending on the weather). Shake Shack,
Madison Square Park, New York, 212-889-6600.

Automats,
in Seconds, Flat
Before fast food, there was the automat. Extremely popular in
New York, customers could choose from prepared meals behind glass
doors, but they went out of fashion and none survived. Now the
concept is being revived at Bamn! Open at the end of August, it
will serve modern finger foods in the style of the old automats.
Bamn! 37 St. Marks Pl., New York, 646-638-0771, bamnfood.com.

BBQ
PDQ
Fans of Japanese barbecue in

Restaurant
News for New York City Grayz Papaya
Gray Kunz—chef of Café Gray—has set the opening
date for his next project, Grayz, for September 2007. The lounge
space, located in a townhouse on East 54th Street, will host private
events and serve as a cocktail meeting spot.

Swimming
Upstream
English is Italian will close this March. It will reopen as a
restaurant focused on the flavors of the Pacific Northwest with
chef Charles Ramseyer, a Seattle native, in the kitchen. English
is Italian, 622 Third Ave., New York, 212-404-1700.

Patroon
Saloon?
Andrew Kleinman has been named general manager of Patroon. Kleinman,
formerly the operations consultant at Bungalow 8, is looking to
bring a bit more of a celebrity focus to the midtown spot, currently
popular with Wall Street types. Patroon, 160 E. 46th St., New
York, 212-883-7373.

Foie
Pas?
It looks like the Spitzer administration likes foie gras. Instead
of allowing the foodstuff’s fate to be determined by a judge,
the administration has filed papers in court arguing that the
merits of foie gras for public health is under the purview of
the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets. The head
of the DAM, currently awaiting confirmation, is a Spitzer nominee
and would likely favor the state’s foie gras industry over
animal cruelty concerns.

Smith
& Wollensky Sold
Landry’s Restaurants Inc. has bid over $64 million for Smith
& Wollensky, the New York City based restaurant chain. There
are six Smith and Wollensky locations in Manhattan and 18 nationwide.

Ssam-tastic!
David Chang’s Momofuku Ssam Bar has extended its dinner
menu hours. Previously available only after 10 p.m., the full
dinner menu is now served starting at six. Momofuku Ssam Bar,
207 Second Ave, New York, 212-254-3500.

Shopsin’s
Diaspora
Kenny Shopsin, of the recently shuttered Shopsin’s in the
West Village, will open his new sandwich shop in the Essex Street
Market in late spring.

More
Thor
Thor, the restaurant at the Hotel on Rivington, is set to be re-imagined
as an American bistro and lounge. Thor, 107 Rivington St., New
York, 212-796-8040

Top
Chef JoblessIlan Hall, winner of the Bravo TV show Top Chef,
can no longer be seen working on the line at Union Square’s Casa
Mono. Hall left his job there last week.
No word yet on his future plans.

Old
Homestead Lawsuit
The waiters who work at Old
Homestead, the Meatpacking District steakhouse, have slapped
the restaurant with a million dollar class action lawsuit.
They allege management cheated them out of tips, paid less than
the state minimum wage and failed to calculate overtime properly.

No
Walk In The Park
Ian Schrager is in talks with a replacement
for the ill-fated Park Chinois, slated to be
helmed by restaurateur Alan Yau. Schrager is in negotiations
with Yuji Wakiya, a Japanese chef who operates two acclaimed
Chinese restaurants in Tokyo.

Spitzer
Eats
Governor Eliot Spitzer is making no claims to be a foie
gras lover these days. In a recent interview, Sptizer
claimed that one of his favorite New York City restaurants
is Three Guys, an Upper East Side diner where he usually
orders oatmeal or an omelet.

Shake
It Up
At the South Beach Food and Wine Festival’s Burger
Bash last week, New York’s Shake Shack
walked away with a victory, besting fifteen
other competitors from across the nation. Shake
Shack’s burger topped versions by DB
Bistro, Smith
& Wollensky and others.

Tap
Into Charity
UNICEF is partnering with restaurants in New York to
launch “Tap Project,” a program to provide safe drinking water for children around the
world. On World Water Day, March 22, participating
restaurants will be asking customers to donate $1 for
the New York City tap water that they usually serve
for free during breakfast, lunch & dinner. More
than 75 restaurants have already signed on including Le
Bernardin, Craft and Zakarian’s Town and Country. For more information,
visit www.tapproject.org.

Precious Pie
There is some argument as to which city holds the crown for best pizza, but this week New York won the contest for most expensive pie by a solid margin. Nino's Bellissima, owned by restaurateur Nino Selimaj, announced this week that they would start making a $1,000 pie. The pricey pizza is topped with crème fraîche, four types of Petrossian caviar, Maine lobster tail and salmon roe. It almost makes sense in a city where $750 steaks and $120 hamburgers are also available. Nino's Bellissima, 890 Second Ave., New York, 212-355-5540.

Unions To Go?Deliverymen from the Saigon Grill, a popular Upper West Side Vietnamese spot, are picketing the restaurant. They were locked out after they attempted to unionize, and the restaurant has not made deliveries since the deliverymen started picketing last week. No word yet on when the situation may be resolved.

Bringing BBQ BackJustin Timberlake plans to open another restaurant in New York. Timberlake is already a partner in Destino; his newest project with business partner Eytan Sugarman is Southern Hospitality, a barbeque joint with live music, set to open next month.

Shopping at Shopsin’sMike Price, of the Mermaid Inn, signed on the dotted line this week to take over the space previously occupied by Shopsin’s. He plans to open a seafood restaurant there.

Ad
ManKobe Club owner Jeffrey Chodorow was so unimpressed
with recent pans of his restaurant that he took out
an $80,000 ad in the New York Times last week
to rebut the critics. Considering the restaurant has
thousands of samurai swords hanging from the city, critics
should be on the lookout for Chodorow when passing dark
alleys.

Ernest
Gallo Dies
Ernest Gallo, co-founder of the E & J Winery, died on
March 7, 2007. He was 97. Gallo’s business acumen helped
turn the winery into a huge company; it produced over 80 million
cases of wine last year.

John’s
Reopens
West Village fixture John’s
Pizzeria is back. Lovers of the doughy delicacy
were up in arms after the Department of Health shuttered the
institution temporarily in the wake of the nearby Taco Bell rat
debacle. The DOH claimed 70-year-old John’s was missing
a sink, thus violating the health code.

Dynamic
Duo
Word out of Jeffrey Chodorow’s camp is
that he’s teaming with soon-to-be star chef Zak
Pelaccio (of 5
Ninth and Fatty
Crab fame) to open an eatery called Borough Food & Drink which
will create dishes from the best that the five boroughs has to
offer has to offer. No word on when it’s set to open yet,
but it’ll be set in the one-time Rocco’s spot on
E. 22nd St.

Lunch
in the West Village Morandi,
the new West Village Keith McNally joint (that has talented
chef Jodie Williams behind the stoves) is now open
for lunch. Which is a good thing, considering dinnertime
reservations have been impossible to get since the Italian
eatery opened its doors in February. Morandi, 211 Waverly
Pl., New York, 212-627-7575.

Tavern
on the Green TrumpedDonald Trump is in talks to purchaseTavern
on the Green from Jennifer LeRoy, the daughter of the
restaurant’s founder. Presumably, Trump would have
money left over for plenty of gold fixtures and black marble.
Tavern on the Green, Central Park West at 67th St., New York,
212-873-3200.

New
Flights at Fatty Crab
Zak Pelaccio’s Fatty
Crab has just become more intoxicating: it has a liquor license
and mixologist Dave Wondrich has stirred up some intriguing
cocktails (or “crabtails,” as they’re
being dubbed) for the occasion, including the house drink which
has overproofed rum, pineapple and ginger juice, with bitters
and Pernod. Fatty Crab, 643 Hudson St., New York, 212-352-3590.

Inspector
DecksBrasserie LCB was the latest victim of the
New York City Department of Health. It briefly closed
last week after failing their DOH inspection, reportedly
the victim of pat between the inspector and owner of Brasserie
LCB, Jean-Jacques Rachou.

TV
Dinner
Good News, Top Chef fans! Season One winner Harold
Dieterle is set to open his restaurant Perilla on Jones
Street in the next month or two. The West Village spot will have
an American menu.

Cooked
FishBond St is closed after a large fire in
the building. There’s still no word on when—or
if—it will re-open. Bond St., 6 Bond St., New York,
212-777-2500.

Closings

The Chocolate Bar closed April 30, forced out by a landlord reclaiming the space for personal use. It is relocating to 127 E. Seventh St., between First & Ave A, with a projected opening date of June 1.

The Upper East Side Gallic bistro, La Tour, has shut down.

Louie’s on the Upper West Side has closed.

West Village tapas eatery Tasca has shut down for “renovations.” Word on the street is that it may merge with soon-to-be-sister-restaurant and neighbor Sheridan Square.

Chanto, an upscale Japanese restaurant in the West Village, has closed.

Le Madeline has closed after almost 30 years in business.

Upper West Side favorite Evelyn Lounge has closed.

Chubo has closed and will now become a Japanese cooking school, set to open this summer.

The 38-year-old eatery, L’Entrecote, has closed.

The former John Lennon hang-out on the Upper West Side, Café La Fortuna, has shut down for good.

The experiment of fusing Serbian and Cuban cuisine at the East Village eatery BodeguitaCubana has failed. The restaurant has closed.

The SoHo Thai eatery, Kin Khao, has shut down for good.

Midtown Japanese eatery Tsushima has said sayonara.

South Street Seaport Italian eatery, Buono Amici, is no more.

Metsovo, an Upper East Side Greek eatery, has closed up shop.

After 72 years, the Brooklyn restaurant, Armando’s, is retiring.

The longtime Upper West Side French eatery, Aix, has closed.

Rialto, located in NoLIta, has shut down.

The Upper West Side link in the New York mini Mexican chainlette Mary Ann’s has closed. The East Village and Chelsea outposts remain open.

Beloved Park Slope eatery Cocotte has closed.

Theater District eatery René Pujol has shut down.

Aix, a sleek French restaurant that launched the current Upper West Side food renaissance, has closed.

La Casalinga, a long-standing neighborhood Italian restaurant in the East Village, has closed.

Almond Flower Bistro, the eclectic Chinese spot, has closed.

The West Village Venezuelan eatery, Flor’s Kitchen, has closed.

Schnack, a favorite Red Hook spot for burgers and hot dogs, has lost its lease and has shut down.

Palacinka, the cozy SoHo crêpe place, has shut down.

The Rockefeller Center Italian eatery, Tuscan Square, has shut down.

New York’s first—and maybe its last—Canadian gastropub, the Inn at Little W. 12th (aka The Inn LW12), has stopped serving food. The owners have morphed the space into a lounge and renamed it the Canoe Club.

Longtime Meatpacking-Chelsea steakhouse, Frank’s, has shut off its grill for good.

The Williamsburg mecca for all things grilled, Pies ‘n’ Thighs, has been shut down by the Department of Health. They may open up in another location, as per the note on their website: "We are going on hiatus to build a bigger, better, more miraculous hole in the wall!"

Dani, the west SoHo Italian eatery, has stopped serving breakfast and dinner and will now function only as a private event space.

The West Village Italian eatery Sapore has closed.

Bobby Flay’s Flatiron District eatery, Bolo (23 E. 22nd St.), shuts its doors for good on December 31 to make way for a new condominium.

My Befana, the Village catering service-cum-restaurant, has closed.

Park Slope, Brooklyn’s Tempo Presto has shut its doors. A new restaurant is already scheduled to move in to the corner space on Seventh Avenue and Third Street. No details yet.

Wild Salmon, the Midtown East eatery that specialized in the cuisine of the Pacific Northwest, will take its last swim upstream soon. The restaurant will close on New Year’s Day. Wild Salmon, 622 Third Ave., New York, 212-404-1700.

Remote Lounge, famous for cameras where patrons could spy on other people in the bar, has closed.

Tintol Tapas Bar is closed and will become a kosher eatery in two weeks. Tintol Tapas Bar, 155 West 46th St., New York, 212-354-3838.

Core One Nine One has closed. It will return later this year as The Sixth Ward, a specialty beer bar.

Vittorio has closed after 18 years in business. Vittorio, 308 Bleecker St., New York, 212-463-0730.

Justin’s, Diddy’s restaurant that offered its own kind of Southern hospitality, has closed.

Goblin Market (199 Prince St.), a troubled SoHo bistro, has closed.

Taormina of Mulberry Street (147 Mulberry St.), an old-fashioned but much loved restaurant in Little Italy, has closed after an increase in rent.

BBQ on University Place has closed, after losing its lease. The restaurant is rumored to be moving further west on Eighth Street.

Ancient regulars of the ancient West Village gay bar (and hamburger eater mecca), Julius’, were greeted with a large orange “Seized” sign in the window. The corner of W. 10th Street and Waverly Place will never be the same.

The Place on W. 10th Street has shut down. It’s sister restaurant, The Place (which happens to be on W. 4th St.) remains open. Word on the street is that a former Boulud chef will open an eatery in the space called Seven White.

After less than a year of serving up decent pizza pie on the Lower East Side, the un-aptly named Cronkite Pizzeria has turned off its brick oven for good.

The Taste of Tokyo, a Central Village sushi joint on W. 13th Street has closed.

Acclaimed Gramercy Park eatery Parea has shut its doors. After only a year in business (and many positive reviews), the upscale Greek eatery has turned off its stove. Official word is that they’ll re-open in September, but we’re not holding our breath.

Pampa has closed. Pampa, 768 Amsterdam Ave., New York, 212-865-2929.

Nish’s 17-year stint has come to a close. Owners Wayne Nish and Joseph Scalice have thrown in the towel on the Midtown East eatery.

Upper West Side eatery/wine bar, Pair of 8s, has shut down a year and half after opening.

The Manhattan chainlette Mary Ann’s has closed its Upper East Side outpost. For now, there are still three other Mary Ann’s in which to get old school Mexican.

Teresa’s, a popular Polish diner in the East Village, has closed. The Brooklyn location remains open. Teresa’s, 103 First Ave., New York, 212-228-0604.

Bright Food Shop in Chelsea has closed. The neighborhood favorite was open for 22 years.

After three years of manning the stoves at 5 Ninth, Zak Pelaccio has left the Meatpacking District restaurant. He plans to focus on other projects (such as the Chodorow collaboration, Borough Food and Drink). Daniel “Chino” Parilla, who has worked with Pelaccio at 5 Ninth and Fatty Crab (as well as Café Boulud) will take over the kitchen duties.

Charlie Palmer’s Kitchen 22, on E. 22nd St. where menu items cost $22, has shut down for good.

Brasserie’s main man in the kitchen, Franklin Becker, has left to open an eatery of his own. He’ll be replaced by Luc Dimnet.

Joel Atunes has been named chef at the Oak Room in The Plaza hotel. The restaurant is scheduled to open this summer.

Jared Stafford Hill has left his position as a chef at Hearth to become head chef at Bobo.

Jean-Louis Dumonet, the chef at Saks Fifth Avenue, has moved over to the Park Avenue-based private club Union Club.

Eric Gabrynowicz has departed his position as sous-chef at Union Square Café to become chef at the Tavern in Garrison, New York.

Jennifer Carroll has been named executive chef of 10 Arts in Philadelphia. She had been a sous chef at Le Bernardin.

Gary Robbins, last seen at the new Russian Team Room, will be the executive chef at Sheridan Square, a West Village restaurant that's set to open in March in the Central Kitchen space.

Del Posto’s pastry chef, Nicole Kaplan, is no more. The one-time Eleven Madison Park chef has left the Batali empire. There’s no word yet on where she’s headed.

The new West Village eatery Bobo has already lost one chef (Nicolas Cantrel) and gained two others: Rick Jacobson (who has cheffed for Bouley) is the interim chef with Jared Stafford-Hill (late of Hearth) who will take over on a permanent basis in the spring.

Jason Neroni will be chef at the forthcoming 10 Downing St. He had been a consulting chef at Cantina.

Jason Neroni will be returning to New York after his ignominious exit earlier this year. He will be a consulting chef at Cantina, a pan-Latin spot on Avenue B, beginning at the end of September.

Patricia Yeo, chef extraordinaire of Chelsea pan-Asian eatery Sapa, has left the restaurant. Word out of the kitchen is that the two separated amicably. Yeo will now focus her attention on the Monkey Bar. Look for new chef, Gavin Portsmouth, to create a new and significantly revamped menu.

Scott Campbell is now the chef of New Leaf Café, in Fort Tyron Park. He was most recently chef at @SQC. New Leaf Café, 1 Margaret Corbin Dr., New York, 212-568-5323.

Susana Trilling is now the culinary advisor at Rosa Mexicano, replacing Roberto Santibañez.

Nick Morgenstern has departed as pastry chef at Gilt. He is now executive pastry chef at Cookshop. Cookshop, 156 Tenth Ave., New York, 212-924-4440.

Ryan Tate is the new executive chef at Savoy. He had been a sous chef at Cookshop. Savoy, 70 Prince St., New York, 212-219-8570.

Antoine Bouterin, who left the Midtown French eatery, Le Perigord, after 14 years in 1994, is back. His new menu will take effect in September.

Italian eatery Fiamma has lost its chef, Christian Fantoni, and gained another one, Fabio Trabocchi.

After a couple not-so-glowing reviews, chef Lynn McNeely has left the recently revamped SoHo eatery Provence.

Neil Ferguson, the recently ousted Gordon Ramsay at the London chef, has landed in a new kitchen: in September he’ll be holding the spatula at the Lower East Side eatery, Allen & Delancey.

Top Chef 2 star, Josie Smith Malave has left her top kitchen position at Island Restaurant in Long Island City. She’ll be heading up the kitchen at Speakeasy (in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn) which should be firing up the stoves this autumn. Sous chef Dan Morales (late of Mesa Grill and The River Café) will be wearing the top toque at Island Restaurant.

The West Village Portuguese restaurant Alfama has a new chef manning the stoves. Mark Twersky, late of Le Cirque 2000 and Per Se, has taken over the duties.

Kevin Pomplun is no longer the chef at THOR. He had replaced Kurt Gutenbrunner.

Dan
Culhane has been named executive chef
at Carne.
Carne, 2737 Broadway, New York, 212-663-7010.

One
time Bouley chef Hideki
Nagata has
taken over as chief spatula holder at the Midtown restaurant Caviar
Russe.

Wayne
Nish has agreed to overhaul the menu at Varietal,
after the departure of head chef Ed Witt and pastry
chef Jordan Kahn last week. For the moment, it has
reopened with a limited menu. Varietal, 138 West 25th
St., New York, 212-633-1800.

David
Carmichael has been named the executive pastry chef
at Gilt. Carmichael has worked in the kitchens of Daniel, Le
Bernardin, Lutèce, and Oceana.

Former French
Laundry pastry chef, Hsing
Chen, will
now be kneading it up at Country. The Dining Room at
Country, The Carlton, 90 Madison Ave., New York, 212-889-7100.

Shane McBride has been named chef de cuisine at Craftsteak. He worked most recently as chef at 7Square.

David Coleman is the new executive chef at Tocqueville. He replaces George Mendes.

Damon Wise has been named the executive chef at Craft. He had been chef de cuisine.

Oceana has a new crew manning the kitchen: Ben Pollinger (late of Tabla and Union Square Café) is the new executive chef and Jansen Chan (formerly of Alain Ducasse at the Essex House) is the new pastry chef. Oceana, 55 E. 54th St., New York, 212-759-5941.

The kitchen at Gordon Ramsay at the London is, apparently, already too hot to handle. Chef Neil Ferguson, who has been with Ramsay since 2000, has left the restaurant, heading back to London. His replacement is Josh Emmet, who has also worked closely with Ramsay since 2000.

Ned
Elliott is out as chef at E.U. He is replaced
by Akhtar Nawab, previously of Craft.

Mark
Andelbradt has left his post as chef de cuisine
at Morimoto to become chef de cuisine at Tao in Las Vegas. Dale
Talde, a sous chef at Morimoto, replaces him
there. Morimoto, 88 Tenth Ave., New York, 212-989-8883.

Gary
Robbins is out as executive chef of the Russian
Tea Room. Robins was forced out following a power
struggle with owner Gerald Leiblich. A full-time replacement
has not been named. Russian Tea Room, 150 W. 57th St.,
New York, 212-581-7100.

Julian
Media has left his position as executive chef
at Zócalo.
He has been replaced by Joseph Cacace,
formerly of Il Bastardo. Zócalo, 174 E. 82nd
St., New York, 212-717-7772.