Kitchen Dish
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 on fish and chips, and a falafel crust on salmon.
SWEET GETS SWEETER Pastry chef Will Goldfarb, owner of Picnick in Battery Park and former owner of the now-shuttered Room 4 Dessert, has opened Dessert Studio at Chocolate Michel Cluizel (888 Broadway at 19th Street, 212-477-7335). The new restaurant offers brownies and cookies from Westchester cookie purveyor Seth Greenberg, Terzi coffees, Athélier and SerendipiTea teas, and Mr. Goldfarb's own line of WillPowder products. In addition, the studio features Mr. Goldfarb's style of desserts, which he has dubbed "experiential," including white chocolate gelato with Ligurian olive oil and smoked salt, and warm chocolate bubbles with espresso Jell-O and fresh milk foam. The Dessert Studio is open 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.
SIBLING EFFORT The owners of Angelo and Maxie's Steakhouse have opened a more casual sister restaurant around the corner. Maxie's Bar and Grill (233 Park Ave. S. at 19th Street, 212-979-7800) features nacho fries, Buffalo wings, and a dozen burgers. Steak sandwiches, grilled chicken sandwiches, crab cakes, and salmon are on hand, too. Dessert ingredients do not include smoked salt or olive oil, but among the $4.95 offerings are a fried banana split and fried chocolate chip cookie dough. Milk shakes are available, too.
A HAPPY REOPENING Parea (36 E. 20th St., between Park Avenue South and Broadway, 212-777-8448), originally opened as the New York outpost for Cleveland-based celebrity chef Michael Symon and closed shortly thereafter. Stavros Aktipis and Gregory Zapantis, the owner and chef, respectively, of Kellari Taverna, have reopened Mr. Symon's restaurant. Signature dishes include Greek pizza and "Yesterday's Lamb" — made a day in advance to allow the flavors to blend. Parea is not serving chocolate bubbles or fried cookie dough for dessert, but it does offer Greek yogurt cheesecake.
LUCKY NUMBERS Orient-Express Hotels, which manages the '21' Club (21 W. 52nd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-582-7200) and about 50 other properties worldwide, is buying the land now occupied by the Donnell branch of the New York Public Library (24 W. 53rd St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues). The chain plans to build a hotel and expand its existing restaurant, which backs onto the library, as well as rebuild the library within the hotel. The new property, which will include spa and wellness facilities, will be called the '21' Hotel. It is expected to open in 2011.
NEW CHEF IN THE KITCHEN Paul Marshall is the new chef de cuisine at Oscar's American Brasserie in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel (301 Park Ave., between 49th and 50th streets, 212-872-1275). Mr. Marshall, a former executive chef of the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, is planning, among other additions, to expand the children's menu.
NO MORE MONKEYING AROUND Chris Cheung, most recently the chef of Almond Flower Bistro and before that of Little Bistro in Brooklyn, is now running the kitchen at Monkey Bar (60 E. 54th St., between Park and Madison avenues, 212-838-2600), replacing Patricia Yeo.
Mr. Thorn is food editor of Nation's Restaurant News. He maintains nrnfoodwriter.blogspot.com.
