PRODIGAL CHEF Paul Liebrandt returns to the New York dining scene this week. The former chef of Atlas captured food page headlines in 2001 as a young pup of 25, when he received an ecstatic 3-star review in the New York Times, followed in short order by one of the most scathing reviews Gourmet had dished out in years.

But, hey, when you serve menu items like grilled fresh water eel with watermelon and chocolate-spiked wine sauce, you’re bound to get a difference of opinion.

Mr. Liebrandt, a protege of London bad boy Marco Pierre-White and Parisian culinary genius Pierre Gagnaire, left Atlas shortly thereafter. The reasons likely had less to do with negative reviews and more with a clash of personalities – both Mr. Liebrandt and the owners of Atlas are known in the restaurant world for their eccentricities.

The chef resurfaced shortly thereafter, serving dinners to blindfolded guests at Le Papillion. That didn’t last long and except for a brief stint at One Little West 12th – more of a club than a restaurant – Mr. Liebrandt has been laying low, mostly catering and seeking backers for a restaurant where he can do his own thing.

Even during his absence from the New York dining scene, he has retained a loyal following. He returns tomorrow in part of the space in the New York Palace hotel that until recently was occupied by Le Cirque 2000. The menu at Gilt (455 Madison Ave., 212-891-8100), is intended to please both hotel guests and devotees of Mr. Liebrandt.

Some items aimed at the latter include lamb with butternut squash puree, trumpet mushrooms, and salted caramel gelee; black truffle crumble with baby turnips, rose grapefruit confit and a vin jaune sauce, and roasted lobster with toasted black currant oil. Three-course dinners are $88; lunch is $60.

CENTRAL EURO Wallse chef-owner Kurt Gutenbrunner quietly opened Blaue Gans (139 Duane St., between Broadway and Church Street, 212-571-8880) last week. In the space formerly occupied by Le Zinc, Mr. Gutenbrunner is serving up hearty Central European items such as smoked trout with horseradish cream and beets, and goulash with spatzle. Go early: The restaurant does not take reservations.

NO DESSERT People craving ice kacang (the dessert of shaved ice, red beans, and syrup) are going to have to go somewhere other than Fatty Crab (643 Hudson St., between Gansevoort and Horatio streets, 212-352-3590). The small, Malaysian-ish restaurant has proved to be such a hit that chef-owner Zak Pelaccio – who also is chef-partner at 5 Ninth down the street – has stopped serving desserts in an attempt to cut down on wait time.

UPTOWN GOODIES Emperor’s Roe Gourmet Emporium and Caviar Bar (200 Lenox Ave. at 120th Street, 866-522-8427) is opening in the next day or so. The Harlem fine food store and bar will sell gourmet products, and also serve food based on those luxury items, sort of in the style of Caviarteria, where Emperor’s Roe owner David Mills learned about the caviar business. A selection of champagnes, sake, and beer is available as well.

SPAWN OF MAGNOLIA Buttercup Bake Shop, which Magnolia Bakery founder Jennifer Appel opened in 1999, is now a chain. Yesterday former Mail Boxes Etc./UPS Store operator Greg Hund became a franchisee of the bakeshop with the opening of a unit of his own (141 W 72nd St., between Broadway and Columbus Avenue, 212-787-3800). Locations in Midtown and on Staten Island are under development.

Mr. Thorn is food editor at Nation’s Restaurant News. He can be reached at bthorn@nrn.com