New Openings in NYC: Chef's Pass

Imagine being invited to dinner at David Bouley's home with seven of your closest friends.  And while Bouley prepared the meal,  you perched on a chair in the kitchen watching his every move while he talked you through it. At Chef's Pass, it's a reality. Bouley chopped off a section of the Bouley dining room for his new pet project: an eight-seater restaurant where he plays host and chef. He shares the floor via Skype with farmers, artisans and wine makers who are all involved in the making of the five to 20-course tasting menu and welcomes diners to admire his in-house herb-filled greenhouse. Throughout the meal (which  Bouley assembles, composes and delivers to diners), a video feed displays photos of food market scenes from all over the world. Think mom and pop shops, farmer's markets in Europe and Asia and even a sneek peek at the Bouley kitchen team in action.  Don't forget your gift bag on the way out, full of a tasting of ingredients, recipes and a signature Bouley lemon teacake. 

New Opening: A Voce

september 10, 2009

new york | be heard.

thomas, masa, michael, rande. you boys of the time warner center better mind your manners; there's a lady present. a voce is moving in and missy robbins is in charge.

it was only a matter of time before the beloved gramercy resto found its way uptown. a voce's second outpost, this one located in the former café gray space, is designed by david rockwell and features not only inspiring central park views, but an amazing antipasti bar. want a tease? meats (including a spreadable and spicy salami called nduja), imported cheeses and items like home made salt cod, pickled baby fennel and tuna prosciutto with olive oil are some of the plates prepared here. order some of these starters before diving into robbins' italian-centric menu including dishes of figs with pressed pork belly, crab and sea urchin spaghetti, branzino with heirloom tomatoes and umbrian lentils with lamb sausage.

the rooms, covered in hues of contrasting ivory, chocolate and warm walnut wood, are separated by large glass walls lined with more than 8,000 bottles from the restaurant's vast collection. a slightly elevated lounge features a regal wood bar accented with brown leather and marble flooring where modern takes on classic cocktails are perfected. try a "new fashioned" made with bulliet, concord grape juice, orange bitters and brandied cherries.

as they say, out with the old. a voce. time warner center. 10 columbus circle. at lincoln square. 212.823.2523. soft opening now. opens september 18th. www.avocerestaurant.com

New Opening: Sweet Afton

september 03, 2009

new york | flow gently.

to robert burns, sweet afton was how he described the afton water in ayrshire, scotland. for you, it's a reason to head to queens.

the brothers behind west village pub wilfie & nell have expanded their family business all the way to queens with the opening of sweet afton. expect the same laid-back vibe here as its manhattan sib, but with plenty exposed brick, reclaimed wood and library brown leather banquettes. but if you like it light? head to the back garden or open the front windows to let the sun shine down for al fresco options. but here, it's more than the booze. enjoy eats from PJ calapa (nobu 57) made from locally sourced ingreds like meat from pat la frieda and butchers block, cheese from murray's and pickles from bob mcclure in brooklyn. even the bread is local, from rollo mio in maspeth. expect irish sausage rolls, beer battered fried pickles and irish cheddar-topped burgers. and when things get rowdy? indulge in a selection of 10 rotating draft picks, dirty martinis made with pickle juice in lieu of olive brine, and sweet tea infused with vodka and honey ginger syrup.

can you feel me flow? sweet afton. 30-09 34th street. at 30th. astoria. 718.777.2570. now open. www.sweetaftonbar.com

New Openings: NY Fall Preview Part 1

new york | september restos.

by fabiana santana for julib.com

now that the post-vacation exodus is bringing everyone back into the city, the dining scene is heating up more than ever. cover your culinary bases by making a splash, crashing a house party and winding down the night in a love shack.

love shack. ed brown, exec chef and owner of eighty one, is doing his part to make seafood shacks chic this fall. as such, he's opening ed's chowder house, a casual seafood spot in the empire hotel (pictured) serving up lobster rolls, crab cakes, raw bar goodies like oysters and clams, and of course, chowder, at a special chowder bar. opens mid-september. empire hotel. 44 west 63rd street. at broadway. 212.956.1288. www.empirehotelnyc.com

queso-philes. hurry to macbar, the new soho resto dedicated to mac 'n cheese. the space is even painted yellow and brown and shaped like elbow macaroni. next door to big sis delicatessen (pictured), chef michael ferraro serves 12 varieties, including a lobster version using mascarpone and the "mac quack," featuring duck confit and fontina. opens mid-september. 64 prince street. at lafayette. 212.226.0211. www.delicatessennyc.com		making a splash. in the old smith's spot comes mermaid inn oyster bar, from the folks behind mermaid inn (pictured). a menu by chef laurence edelman, featuring a daily selection of 16 types of oysters as well as chowders, bisques and ceviches, are served in the whitewashed room festooned with weathered beach wood and exposed brick. opens early september. 79 macdougal street. at bleecker. no phone yet.
house party. davidburke townhouse is open just in time for the end of vacation. glass balloons and a meat carving station are displayed in the dining room, along with a pink salt wall and new bar. there is more whimsy to be had, including a dungeon door–this is david burke, after all. now open. 133 east 61st street. between park and lexington. 212.813.2121. www.davidburketownhouse.com		the good word. the soul food at gospel uptown comes from kenneth collins (smoked BBQ, the savannah) and as good as his takes on the classics are (lemongrass chicken sandwiches with black eyed pea salad, sweet potato ravioli), food is not the only attraction. live jazz, hip-hop, blues and soul are on the lineup. opens thursday. 2110 seventh avenue. between 125th and 126th. 212.280.2110. www.gospeluptown.com

 

New Openings: Bia Garden

august 06, 2009 new york | honey bia. multi-tasking michael "bao" huynh needs a drink. but this is a man who does things his own way. case in point: the opening of bia garden next week. the owner of the vietnamese sandwich shops baoguette, baoguette cafe and the luxe bar bao isn't playing around with his newest resto. follow a maze-like series of doors (yes, through the walk-in fridge door, too) to enter bia. the light at the end of the tunnel? bao's brand of vietnamese fare, but with german beer appreciation. come thirsty, cuz in addition to by the bottle, brew is available by the six pack and case. a series of snapshots (think obama's beergate) and vintage ads serve as a visual ode to bia (the vietnamese word for beer) to entice you as you peruse the asian beer-only list. but this is huynh we're talking about, which can only mean good food. a hand-pushed cart visits each table with tempting small (and medium and large) plates of duck nem sausage, spicy curry wild boar and BBQ ribs, all designed with beer drinking in mind. forget being a fly on the wall. here, you're the bia's knees. bia garden. 154 orchard street. at rivington. opens august 10th. 212.780.0010. www.biagarden.com