Copyright 2008 The New York Sun Wed, 24 Sep 2008 02:58:22 -0400 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Bret Thorn :: Stories from The New York Sun http://www.nysun.com/authors/Bret+Thorn istoll@nysun.com (Ira Stoll) webmaster@nysun.com en-us BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-archipelago-the-grand-tier-and-ellis/86467/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Archipelago (333 Hudson St., between Vandam and Charlton streets, 212-243-3345) has its soft opening this week, starting tomorrow, for dinner only. The food is by chef Hisanobu Osaka, formerly of Morimoto, and is mostly nontraditional Japanese, but influences come from all over the place, such as France (seared duck breast and confit leg with orange-cumin glazed baby carrots, and shiitake duck jus) and Peru (squid seviche with red onions, pickled cherry tomato, nori, and... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-double-crown-bussaco-and-tierra/86024/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST ASIAN FROM DOWN UNDER AvroKO, the design firm that owns Public restaurant, opened Double Crown (316 Bowery at Bleecker Street, 212-254-0350) earlier this week. Manning the kitchen is Australian chef de cuisine Chris Rendell, most recently of Mews of Mayfair in London, and the food is intended to reflect an intersection of British cuisine and the culinary customs of the Asian part of its former empire. Dishes included tandoori-marinated foie gras with Earl Grey prunes, and Singapore laksa with... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-bloomingdale-road-de-santos/85493/ Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST MILK AND CUPCAKES Magnolia Bakery's Upper West Side location (200 Columbus Ave. at 69th Street, 212-724-8101) has been certified kosher dairy through United Kosher Supervision by Rabbi Yaakov Spivak. UPPER WEST BLOOMS Remember chef Ed Witt from Varietal? He and restaurateur Jeremy Wladis (Nonna, Firehouse, Campo) have teamed up to open Bloomingdale Road (2398 Broadway at 88th Street, 212-874-7400) in the space that once was Aix. It opens today. The food focus is on shared plates, including six... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-tong-num-pang-and-more/85057/ Wed, 3 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST BEYOND THAI ICED TEA Tong (39 E. 13th St., between University Place and Broadway, 212-253-2696), a Thai restaurant by chef Peter Pitakwong, formerly of Peep, is testing its menu on family and friends and plans to open this Friday. Specialties include a set northern-Thai-style lunch and nearly 40 different teas, all available with such sweeteners as chrysanthemum syrup and rose petal jelly. SLICE OF CAMBODIA The people behind Kampuchea Restaurant, chef Ratha Chau and partners Josh Marcus, Scott... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/new-tables-new-tastes-this-autumn/85958/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 00:00:00 EST The country might be suffering through an economic downturn, but New York's restaurant operators do not seem to have noticed. The three months following Labor Day are traditionally the city's busiest season for restaurant openings, and this year is no exception. Of course, a restaurant is not truly open until it serves its first meal, and the dates for the debuts of these eateries are extremely approximate. But the roster below includes the owners' best guesses for when their doors will open... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-black-iron-burger-clo-shortys32/84673/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST BURGER WAIT Owner Jason Hennings said on Monday his Black Iron Burger Shop (540 E. 5th St., between Avenues A and B, 212-677-6067), originally slotted to open last April, will probably open tonight — but maybe not until tomorrow night. Phone calls to the restaurant yesterday went unanswered. DRINKS-DOCTORS The world of New York cocktail aficionados is abuzz with the anticipated opening of Apothéke (9 Doyers St., between Pell Street and Bowery, 212-406-0400), scheduled to begin serving on... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-home-beca-thor-and-more/84199/ Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST BACK FOR MORE Home (20 Cornelia St., between Bleecker and 4th streets, 212-243-9579) is scheduled to reopen tomorrow after several months of renovations. The 15-year-old restaurant has a new kitchen and a giant garden that is heated and open year-round. Late-summer small plates on the menu include fried green tomatoes with tomato-apricot chutney, as well as baby spinach-and-frisée salad with duck prosciutto, grilled peaches, dry-aged goat cheese, and sherry vinaigrette. Among the large plates... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-allegretti-vintage-irving-and-a-new/83734/ Wed, 13 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST THE NAMESAKE Alain Allegretti, the former executive chef of Atelier at the Ritz-Carlton Central Park and Le Cirque 2000, opened his own restaurant on Monday. Allegretti (46 W. 22nd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-206-0555) reflects on the cuisine of Provence, where the chef grew up, featuring dishes such as red snapper with toasted pine nuts and saffron broth; tagliolini with baby cuttlefish, cherry tomato, and almond pesto, and roasted Colorado lamb loin with spinach and ricotta... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish/83255/ Wed, 6 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EST View Larger Map BARBECUE FROM AFAR Braai is a South African term for barbecue, and it is also the name of a restaurant scheduled to open on Saturday in Hell's Kitchen (329 W. 51st St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues, 212-315-3315). One focus will be specialty meats: The owners, who also run Xai Xai Winebar on the same block, are working on getting South African springbok, a type of antelope, for the menu. But in the meantime, they are featuring ostrich, as well as South African lobster tails... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-a-rethink-for-borough-food-drink/82845/ Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST ALL MORNING, ALL NIGHT Bún (143 Grand St., between Lafayette and Crosby streets, 212-431-7900) tried to offer 24-hour service in the past without success, but it is trying it again, starting this Friday. Breakfast items, served from midnight to 11 a.m., include pandan pancakes; sticky rice with Chinese pork sausages, and duck confit with daikon pancake, duck egg, and red vinegar soy sauce. MORE SSÄM, MORE FUN Momofuku Ssäm Bar (207 Second Ave. at 13th Street, 212-254-3500) is taking over the... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-ammos-spawns-a-new-market-and-more/82423/ Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST ALL IN ONE The owners of Ammos will be opening a new restaurant, bar, and gourmet market at the Helena this fall. Hudson Café Market (601 W. 57th St. at Eleventh Avenue) will occupy 4,300 square feet of the luxury rental building on ground level, and another 2,300 square feet downstairs. Ammos chef David Ogren will be in charge of the "contemporary American comfort food" that will be served there. SIDELONG GLANCE Restaurateur Michael Sinensky of Village Pourhouse, Proof Bar & Lounge, Hudson... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish/81943/ Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST DO OVER L'Impero was renamed Convivio (45 Tudor City Place at 42nd Street, 212-599-5045) on Monday, and the restaurant's cuisine has changed from northern Italian to southern. The prices have come down, too, with a four-course prix fixe for $59 at dinner and $49 at lunch. Michael White is still the chef. The room has been redesigned by Vicente Wolf to look more relaxed — with orange banquettes — but the tables remain dressed in white tablecloths. MENU PAGES The team behind Rayuela — the... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish/81478/ Wed, 9 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST THAI KING Taweewat Hurapan is now the chef of Asiana Restaurant & Bar (120 E. 34th St., between Park and Lexington avenues, 212-725-7666). Mr. Hurapan is a native of Thailand, and was on that country's Olympic fencing team in 1972 and 1976. He later became a fencing coach at City College of New York before changing careers. He has been in and out of the kitchens of Rain over the past decade, and also had a restaurant of his own, Hurapan Kitchen in the West Village, which opened in late 2006 and... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-china-1-countrys-steakhouse/81102/ Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST VERITABLE MOVE A protégé of Joël Robuchon, Grégory Pugin, is the new chef at Veritas (43 E. 20th St., between Broadway and Park Avenue South, 212-353-3700). In other Véritas news, starting Monday, the restaurant will be open from 3-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, as well as during normal mealtime hours, serving light dishes and wine. NEW ANTIQUES Malik Fall is the new executive chef of the recently renamed China 1 Antique Restaurant and Lounge (950 Ave. B at 4th Street, 212-375-0665). The... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-a-new-chef-at-a-voce-and-movement/80594/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST MOVE ON UP Luke Ostrom, chef de cuisine of A Voce (41 Madison Ave. at 26th Street, 212-545-8555), is currently running the kitchen there, as executive chef Andrew Carmellini left about three weeks ago. STEAK-ING CLAIM Speaking of A Voce, the man who was its first general manager, Michael Glick, opened his own steak house on the Upper East Side yesterday. At Parlor (1600 Third Ave. at 90th Street, 212-423-5888), chef Lucas Billheimer, formerly of Lure, is serving burgers and lobster rolls, as... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-grayz-oceana-and-more-broadway-east/80186/ Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST FORGET THE LOUNGE Gray Kunz's lounge and event space, Grayz (13-15 W. 54th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-262-4600), will soon reopen as a full-fledged restaurant, closing on August 10, and reopening with a new format and a renovated downstairs dining area on September 1. EASTERN SAGA Publicists for Broadway East (171 E. Broadway, between Rutgers and Jefferson streets, 212-228-3100) have denied that the restaurant's executive chef, Lee Gross, has departed his post, as reported last... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish/79706/ Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST PLANET THAI King Phojanakong, of the Lower East Side's Kuma Inn (113 Ludlow St., between Delancey and Rivington streets, 212-353-8866), has announced plans to open a second Kuma Inn, on Myrtle Avenue next to Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, this fall. In the meantime, Mr. Phojanakong is concentrating on his latest eatery, Talay (701 W. 135th St. at Twelfth Avenue, 212-491-8300), which is serving Latin-influenced Southeast Asian food prepared by him and co-chef Soulayphet Schwader. The two chefs... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish/79211/ Wed, 4 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST FRIARS COME FULL CIRQUE The Friars Club (57 E. 55th St., between Park and Madison avenues, 212-751-7272), long known for the sort of "roasts" in which the guests of honor are lampooned, has new chefs. The members-only club that caters to people in the entertainment industry has hired Alain Allegretti and Jason Kallert as co-executive chefs. Mr. Allegretti was executive chef of Le Cirque 2000, and Mr. Kallert most recently was executive sous chef of Le Cirque. FIRE IN THE HOUSE Sheridan Square... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-yerba-buena-juice-generation-and-san/78704/ Wed, 28 May 2008 00:00:00 EST NUEVA COMIDA Two alumni of Patria are opening a pan-Latin restaurant in the East Village: Chef Lenny Gonzales and restaurant director Giovanny Campos plan to debut Yerba Buena (23 Ave. A, between 1st and 2nd streets, 212-529-2919) next Monday. Ceviche, empanadas, stuffed plantains, paella, and roast suckling pig are all on the menu. REVOLVING DOORS Sam Hazen has left Tao (42 E. 58th St., between Park and Madison avenues, 212-888-2288) after being its executive chef for several years. Replacing... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/obika-abboccato-and-hundred-acres/76764/ Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 EST STRING CHEESE INCIDENT Obika, the mozzarella bar that has created a furor in Rome, Milan, and London, has its sights on New York City. The corporate Web site says its next opening will be at 590 Madison Ave. (at 56th Street), and plywood — labeled with Obika's name and quotations from various press mentions — surrounds a space in the atrium of the office building at that address. TRADING TABLES Chef de cuisine Jake Addeo is leaving his post at Abboccato (136 W. 55th St., between Sixth and... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-05-14/76411/ Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST NEW TOQUE AT THE STOVE Bradford Thompson will be the new executive chef of Lever House (390 Park Ave. at 53rd Street, 212-888-2700) starting June 2. He replaces Dan Silverman. Mr. Thompson won the James Beard Foundation award for best chef in the Southwest in 2006 as executive chef of Mary Elaine's at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz. CONVIVIAL VIBES Scarpetta (335 W. 14th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues, 212-691-0555), Scott Conant's latest venture, opened yesterday. Mr. Conant, former... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-05-07/76005/ Wed, 7 May 2008 00:00:00 EST FRY GOES MEXICAN Cabrito (50 Carmine St. at Bedford Street, 212-929-5050), a Mexican restaurant, is scheduled to open later this week in the space that was, until recently, chef Josh DeChellis's BarFry. The menu will be a mix of traditional items and new interpretations by chef David Schuttenberg. Those will include a chorizo cemita, a type of sandwich from the state of Puebla dressed with chipotle salsa, refried beans, avocado, and an herb called papalo, which is often compared to cilantro... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-04-30/75586/ Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST AFTER CAFÉ GRAY The owners of A Voce will be taking over the space at the Time Warner Center that will be vacated by Café Gray (10 Columbus Circle at 58th Street, 212-823-6338) at the end of June. The owners of the Italian restaurant A Voce (41 Madison Ave. at 26th Street, 212-545-8555) plan to open a second location of the Italian restaurant at the Time Warner Center early next year. A BIT OF BELGIUM Le Petit Belge is slated to open tomorrow in the space that once was Tavalon Tea Bar (22 E... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-04-23/75161/ Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST IN THE PIT Management at Wildwood Barbeque (225 Park Ave. S., between 18th and 19th streets, 212-533-2500) — restaurateur Steve Hanson's latest venture at the space that previously was Barça 18 and Park Avalon — says the restaurant should be open to the public tomorrow. The new pit master, Lou Elrose, left the critically acclaimed barbecue spot Hill Country to join the new eatery. GREEN ACRES Joel Hough, chef de cuisine of Cookshop, will be joining chef-owner Marc Meyer in the kitchen of... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-04-16/74749/ Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST NORTHERN BOOT Bar Milano (323 Third Ave. at 24th Street, 212-683-3035), Joe and Jason Denton's latest venture, opened on Friday. It features the food of northern Italy executed by cochefs Steve Connaughton, formerly of Lupa, and Eric Kleinman, who was previously at 'inoteca. The restaurant is even open for breakfast, starting at 7 a.m., serving crêpes, frittatas, poached eggs, and the like. The dinner menu includes fried rabbit with dried apricots and carrots, diver scallops with caviar and... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/caf-gray-to-close-its-doors/74416/ Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST Fans of Café Gray's spiced venison loin and skate schnitzel may want to make a reservation promptly at that Time Warner Center restaurant. Amid a shaky economic climate, Gray Kunz's upscale café, popular with Manhattan's social set, will close its doors for good at the end of June after a three-and-a-half-year run, according to restaurant staffers. When the eatery opened in October 2004, it earned mostly positive reviews for the food — and mostly negative ones for its open kitchen, which gave... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-04-09/74379/ Wed, 9 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST LO COUNTRY Usually when eating at a barbecue joint, your beverage options do not include a $150 bottle of non-vintage Ruinart Blanc de Blancs Champagne. But that's on the list at Bar Q (308–310 Bleecker St., between Grove and Barrow streets, 212-206-7818), Anita Lo's new spot, which had its soft opening on Monday. Ms. Lo, the chef of Annisa and Rickshaw Dumpling Bar, is serving grilled tuna ribs with yuzu kosho, the Japanese version of lemon pepper, and Seoul-style grilled short ribs with... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-04-02/74031/ Wed, 2 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST UPSCALE BURGERS Daniel Boulud has tapped Jim Leiken, executive sous chef of DB Bistro Moderne (55 W. 44th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-391-2400), as the executive chef of his burger restaurant to open on Bowery and 1st Street. The new restaurant does not yet have a name or opening date. MOVING UP Chef Richard Farnabe, formerly of the night club Lotus, is now chef de cuisine of Picholine (35 W. 64th St., between Central Park West and Broadway, 212-724-8585). DINNER WITH DE NIRO Ago... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-03-26/73680/ Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST EAST SIDE CHANGE An alumnus of the Bobby Flay circle, Rebecca Weitzman (who was most recently a sous chef at Bar Américain and, before that, an executive chef of Café Star in Denver) is the new chef de cuisine at 'inoteca (98 Rivington St. at Ludlow Street, 212-614-0473). She replaces Michael Berardino, who left to work on the launch of Bar Milano, which is owned by the same group and likely to open on April 7. TRIBECA SOUTHERN At Duane Park Café (157 Duane St., between West Broadway and Hudson... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-03-19/73163/ Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST TAKE-AWAY TREATS Pichet Ong says his new takeout dessert shop, Batch (150B W. 10th St., between Greenwich Avenue and Waverly Place, 212-929-0250), will open for preview batches of cookies, pastries, and other sweet treats on Saturday. It's located next to his restaurant, P*ONG. CHANGE AT THE TOP Executive chef Jessica Floyd is out at the new Islero (247 E. 50th St., between Second and Third avenues, 212-752-1414) and Luis Gonzalez is in. Mr. Gonzalez, the former executive chef of the Gotham... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/spring-chicken-lobster-foie-gras/73181/ Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST Spring in New York is traditionally a time of renewal in the restaurant industry: It is the second-busiest time for openings, after autumn. This year's spring crop looks to be smaller than usual, with many restaurateurs delaying opening plans until the summer. The restaurant business being what it is, with so many moving parts, no opening date is set in stone until an eatery actually starts serving. But plans are under way to open the following restaurants in the next three months. Savarona... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-03-12/72757/ Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST TOP (KOSHER) CHEF Hung Huynh, a winner on the Bravo TV show "Top Chef," is now trying his hand at kosher food at Solo (550 Madison Ave. at 55th Street, 212-833-7800), where he is working under a month-long contract through the end of March. Solo is known for serving more avant-garde cuisine. Currently on the menu are sweetbreads with truffle sauce and citrus-honey carrots, and spicy seared tuna with tomato vinaigrette, hearts of palm, and pickled onion. VEGGIE DELIGHT Broadway East (171 East... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-03-05/72345/ Wed, 5 Mar 2008 00:00:00 EST UWS SHAKE SHACK The Shake Shack, the Madison Square Park institution serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream drinks that have diners braving long lines, is opening a new location on the Upper West Side, the restaurateur Danny Meyer confirmed yesterday. Slated to be serving up treats before the end of the year, the new shop will be situated at 366 Columbus Avenue at 77th Street — supplanting the now-shuttered restaurant Jacques-Imo NYC. "We fell in love with this location which is across... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-02-27/71907/ Wed, 27 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST TAKE TWO Barbara and Paul Abramsky have completely reworked their Avondale Deli into Avon Bistro (155 E. 52nd St., between Lexington and Third avenues, 212-752-9587). The diner décor and knickknacks have been replaced by mostly blond wood and a sleek design. Kevin Cahill, a former chef for caterer-to-the-stars Serena Bass, is winning praise from neighborhood folk for his braised pork belly with black currant pancakes. Classic cassoulet is another highlight of the winter menu. AMERICAN BOOT At... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-02-20/71548/ Wed, 20 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST A-ONE, AND A-TWO If everything goes as planned, eighty one (45 W. 81st St., between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, 212-873-8181) will open its doors today. Ed Brown, previously the executive chef of the Sea Grill, and of JUdson Grill before that, will be serving ingredient-focused, globally inspired American food, such as fennel and parsley soup; scallops with Okinawa sweet potato, and pumpkin risotto with braised chicken wings. Running the pastry kitchen is Aureole alumnus John Miele... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-02-13/71232/ Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST ESSEX MOVES South Gate (154 Central Park South, between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-248-5120) has opened at the Essex House, featuring the cuisine of Kerry Heffernan, formerly of Eleven Madison Park. The menu will change frequently according to the seasons and Mr. Heffernan's whim, but early offerings include calamari with cauliflower, pea shoots and lobster-coriander essence, and hamachi with eucalyptus and crisp garlic. Meanwhile, the Restaurant at Jumeirah Essex House, which is in the... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-02-06/70838/ Wed, 6 Feb 2008 00:00:00 EST Valentine's Day is referred to by many people in the restaurant business as "Amateur Night," as people who are not accustomed to eating in restaurants with table service feel obligated to do so on this Hallmark holiday. While many restaurants offer the paired-up throngs a set, prix-fixe menu, here are some options for diners looking for something a little bit different. Tre (173 Ludlow St., between Houston and Stanton streets, 212-353-3353) is offering a free, one-hour, all-you-can-drink... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/super-bowl-specials/70421/ Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST On Super Bowl Sunday, local dining and snacking options — for football fans, or for those just enjoying the big-budget commercials — are plentiful. A bevy of city restaurants are offering specials in honor of the de facto national holiday. Wings can be had for 25 cents apiece at Hudson River Cafe (697 W. 133rd St. at Twelfth Avenue, 212-491-9111), but nachos are available, too, along with grilled skewered meats, mini cheeseburgers, pork chili, baby back ribs, and crispy spicy shrimp. All of... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-01-30/70402/ Wed, 30 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST SUSHI ON A BELT Sushi is usually considered fairly high-end fare in New York, but in Japan it can be fast food. One popular form of sushi service there is keitan, in which plates of raw fish on rice, color coded for price, swing by on conveyor belts to be grabbed as diners see fit. Keitan is all the rage in Los Angeles, too, and New York is starting to catch up with Sakae Sushi (405 Lexington Ave. at 43rd Street, 212-286-8867). The Singaporean chain's long-awaited New York branch partially... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-01-23/70001/ Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST MIDTOWN PAN-ASIAN Chop Suey is an antiquated Chinese-American dish, but it is also the name of the Renaissance Hotel Times Square's new, mostly East Asian restaurant (714 Seventh Ave., between 47th and 48th streets, 212-261-5200), which opened last week. Zak Pelaccio, best known for his Southeast Asian Meatpacking District restaurant Fatty Crab, developed the savory menu, which includes braised pork belly with crispy shrimp and sweet chili, and a lamb loin hot pot with soft tofu and black... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-01-16/69599/ Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST FROZEN CAFFEINE Pinkberry has added a third flavor. Fans of the tart frozen dessert chain can now have coffee yogurt — on its own or swirled with plain yogurt, at all of its locations. The green tea and original flavors are still available, too. The Los Angeles-based chain has also added a new topping: chestnuts. PLAZA TAKEOVER Arthur Emil, the chief executive of Night Sky Holdings, which founded Windows on the World (which was situated at the top of the World Trade Center) and the Rainbow... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-01-09/69204/ Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST ODE TO LYON Bar Boulud (1900 Broadway, between 63rd and 64th streets, 212-595-0303) is now serving a wide array of pâtés and other French charcuterie, along with cheeses and select wines, from towns near Lyon, France, the hometown of chef-owner Daniel Boulud. That means the bottles are from the Burgundy and the Rhône regions, and wines that use grapes associated with each region are also included. Relatively undiscovered wines from throughout the world are being featured as well. The restaurant... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2008-01-02/68810/ Wed, 2 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST LOOKING EAST Stavros Aktipis, the owner of Kellari and Kellari's Parea, plans to open a French restaurant in the same building that houses the Radisson Martinique hotel. Mr. Aktipis plans to call the eatery Martinique Bistro (54 W. 33rd St., between Fifth Avenue and Broadway). A BLOCK GETS BETTER The block of East 43rd Street between Lexington and Third avenues is a hotbed of cool places for Japanese food. Sushi Yasuda, which many aficionados believe has the best sushi in New York, is across... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/new-years-dish/68543/ Wed, 26 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST New Yorkers have many customs for welcoming the New Year. Whether it is eating 12 grapes at midnight — a traditional Cuban practice — standing among throngs and counting backwards in Times Square, or any of a variety of other practices, the city's restaurants are ready to help revelers celebrate. FESTIVE FARE Tamales are a traditional New Year's dish in Mexico, and At Los Dados (73 Gansevoort St., between Greenwich and Washington streets, 646-810-7290) a four-course dinner is $75 and includes... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2007-12-19/68299/ Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST CHRISTMAS FEASTS For people whose Christmas Eve traditions do not include eating in the home of loved ones by a fireplace, roasting chestnuts and drinking wassail, New York's restaurants will happily help you celebrate the occasion. Particularly popular at city restaurants this year is the Italian tradition of the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Among the destinations with special seafood offerings are Patsy's (236 W. 56th St., between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 212-247-3491), which was Frank... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2007-12-12/67933/ Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST RETURN OF A CLASSIC A sleeker, more uptown version of the 2nd Avenue Deli had its first family-and-friends lunch yesterday, and is on track to open to the public on Monday in Murray Hill (162 E. 33rd St., between Lexington and Third avenues , 212-689-9000). The original East Village landmark restaurant closed last year after the landlords threatened to raise the rent by more than 30%, according to reports quoting owner Jack Lebewohl. His son, Jeremy Lebewohl, will be running the new location... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2007-12-05/67542/ Wed, 5 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST A TASTE OF BALI A restaurant named after the most touristy beach on the island of Bali is slated to open today on the Lower East Side. Kutá–Satay House & Wine Bar (65 Rivington St., between Allen and Eldridge streets, 212-777-5882) will serve mostly Indonesian cuisine, including 11 types of satay — the popular skewers that, contrary to popular belief, are not Thai. The menu does also have a hamburger, however — this is America, after all — as well as garlic fries. RED MANGO RISING It's almost... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/kitchen-dish-2007-11-28/67150/ Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:22:53 EST MEDITERRANEAN FLOURISHES Julian Clauss-Ehlers, former chef of the Moroccan-influenced restaurant, Zitoune, is now plying his craft at Cooper's Tavern (81 Eighth Ave, at 35th Street, 212-268-8460), which shares owners with the nearby Tick Tock Diner. The menu is contemporary American, featuring certified Black Angus steaks. Middle Eastern influences come through, however, with such touches as pomegranate molasses on a salad of warm goat cheese, grilled tomato, and arugula; a chermoula mayonnaise... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/taking-a-bite-out-of-gift-giving/67119/ Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST One holiday option for someone who has everything is the gift of food. The memory of a delicious morsel can last a lifetime — and it does not take up shelf space. La Maison du Chocolat (30 Rockefeller Plaza. at 49th Street, 212-265-9404) offers refined confections ranging from $8 dacquoises and $9 chocolate bars to a $300 "Wonder of Chocolate Hat Box." People enamored of chocolates named for ballets ("Sylvie"), operas ("Rigoletto" Lait), Roman gods (Bacchus), and the last princesses of royal... BRET THORN http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/holiday-show-a-memorable-meal/67134/ Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST A festive day in Midtown Manhattan need not end after a performance of "The Nutcracker" or the Rockettes. The restaurants near Lincoln Center, Rockefeller Center, and Times Square — including the establishments featured below — offer an array of tasty options. Gilt (455 Madison Ave., between 50th and 51st streets, 212-891-8100). Situated at the New York Palace Hotel in a space that was once Le Cirque 2000, Gilt has not quite managed to catch the attention of the New York food world. What little...