Kitchen Dish
PSILAKIS IN PLAY Michael Psilakis, the chef-partner of the critically acclaimed, recently shuttered Dona, is keeping busy by reworking other restaurants. Next Monday, his creative, Greek-inspired destination restaurant Onera (222 W. 79th St., between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-873-0200), will reopen as a neighborhood place, Kefi, which the chef said will feature his Greek mother's food: "It's going to be the food I remember as a child. Very rustic, very simple."
For more upscale Greek, wait for the transformation in the next month or so of Acqua Pazza (36 W. 52nd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-582-6900) into Anthos. Like Dona, Acqua Pazza is owned by the Arpaia family.
BON BON BIRDS The finishing touches are being put on a new fried chicken place in TriBeCa. Bon Bon (98 Chambers St., between Church Street and Broadway, 212-227-2375) is named for the chicken's fine, delicate crust. Wings, thighs, and boneless breasts will come in small, medium, and large sizes, and two flavors: soy-garlic and spicy. Other than that, the only items on the menu will be cole slaw and rolls.
Each piece of chicken will be made to order, which could take up to 15 minutes, according to management. They are encouraging guests to call ahead with their orders.
During lunch the restaurant will be "fairly fast-foodish," in terms of speed, once it get into its operational groove.
They hope to open the restaurant in the next two weeks.
LUNCH MUNCH Parents on the go can now pick up their children's lunches at Kidfresh (1628 Second Ave., between 84th and 85th streets, 212-861-1141). The takeout retail location is in its soft-opening stage but plans to be fully operational on Friday, when breakfasts, snacks, and dinners will be available, too. Meals geared toward people in four age groups — under one year, one to two years, three to five years, and six to 10 years — are available. Items include star-shaped pancakes with chocolate dip for breakfast, turkey and cheese kebab with honey mustard dip for lunch, and honey teriyaki chicken tenders with rice and edamame for dinner.
If you are looking for child-oriented takeout in Brooklyn, Tempo Presto offers boxed school lunches at its Seventh Avenue location (210 Seventh Ave. at 3rd Street, Brooklyn, 718-369-5885) and hopes to serve them at its smaller unit on less-child-focused Fifth Avenue soon.
DRINK DEALS A couple of restaurants are offering deals to encourage patrons to buy more or better drinks. Alfama, Fine Portuguese Cuisine (551 Hudson St. at Perry Street, 212-645-2500) is offering $20 discounts on wine priced at $90 or higher through March 31. Izakaya 10 (207 Tenth Ave., between 22nd and 23rd streets, 212-627-7777) is offering 20% discounts on bottles of shochu. The bottles are kept at the bar Japanese-style, with your name on them, waiting for you to drink any time you come by.
Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation's Restaurant News. He maintains nrnfoodwriter. blogspot.com.
