CityStyle.com

A Little Morocco At The Jane Hotel

Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:35:13 +0000

So you just woke up.

Downtown. On the West side. With a craving for fresh avocado drizzled with lemon juice and virgin olive oil on seven grain toast. (Yes, you’re decadent like that.)

Turns out, you’re in luck: CAFÉ GITANE’s second location is now open at The Jane Hotel.

The popular Moroccan café with roots in Nolita, famous for its good looking patrons, is taking its scene to the even more popular West Village hotel. Fans of the original location will feel just as comfortable at the café’s latest locale.

For now, you’ll have to make do with Mediterranean-style breakfast service. The menu (view it here) is the same as the one on Mott Street. Start things off with a fresh croissant, baked eggs (basil and tomatoes, or smoked salmon), or an orange blossom waffle with maple syrup, and of course, an espresso.

We hear the café will be opening up for lunch and dinner in the next few weeks.

Just in time for pre-gaming, when The Jane Hotel re-opens.

Café Gitane is now in soft-open for breakfast.

Café Gitane at The Jane Hotel
113 Jane Street (at West Street), West Village | (212) 255-4113

The World Is Your Oyster Bar

Editor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:38 +0000

Maybe you’ve heard a little about The Mermaid Inn’s newest, oyster-focused sibling.

News swims fast when you’re serving sixteen kinds of luscious oysters.

Well, meet Mermaid Oyster Bar, now serving an abundance of oysters on a quiet Macdougal Street block in the West Village.

Like the other eateries growing Mermaid Inn empire, this latest addition is similarly simple, in both décor and food. So in the spirit of simple, we present our by the numbers report on the city’s newest oyster bar.

Number of tables in the restaurant formerly known as Smith’s: about 25
Number of nautical and sea-loving pictures studded on the walls: about 125

Types of $6, soft corn tortilla tacos: 3 (fish, shrimp, and chorizo)
Types of ceviche: 1 (snapper)

Number of cocktails to consider: 5
Number of beers to contemplate: 5

Types of fishes, served grilled: 4 (tuna steak, salmon, swordfish, trout)
Types of bisques: 1 (lobster)

Number of sandwiches to bite into: 2 (Lobster and Grilled Albacore Tuna)
Number of sides to try: 2 (Skillet Corn Cakes and Old Bay French Fries)

Percentage off check during soft-open period: 20 (yes, twenty!)
Number of weeks in soft-open period: 2 (starting today)

Mermaid Oyster Bar is now open. Check out the menu here.

Mermaid Oyster Bar
79 Macdougal Street (between Bleecker & West Houston Streets)
(212) 260-0100 | themermaidnyc.com

Belly-Filling Goodness in Chelsea

Editor — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:00:10 +0000

Down South, there’s a saying that Gold is where you find it.

On this chilly, rain-soaked day, gold can also be found on a brand-new menu, in the form of Fried Pickles and Chicken & Dumplings…

Say hello to TIPSY PARSON, Manhattan’s newest Southern comfort food temple, opening tomorrow in Chelsea.

To appreciate all of Tipsy Parson’s charms, it helps to be a fan of all things Southern. You see, Tipsy’ is meant to lovingly replicate all of the finer points of Southern hospitality. From the Southern manor-styled decor to the Broiled Rappahannock River Oysters (ah, Charleston) to the mint julep slushie machine (ah, New Orleans), the owners of Little Giant have paid outstanding homage to the old South with ‘Parsons.

Once settled into your homey seat, consider starting with The Fry Up, a basket of cornmeal battered vegetables with Old Bay Aioli & smoky tomato relish. Pair it with a perfect mint julep and then it’s time for hearty mains, like Braised Pork Shank with Stoneground Grits and Apple Butter Glaze or Strip Steak With Mushroom-Cornbread Stuffed Vidalia Onion.

And since good Southern food is best enjoyed al fresco, Tipsy also has a little outdoor garden to keep things lively.

Enjoy your Bourbon-Glazed Sweet Potato Beignets there…

Get the grand tour of Tipsy Parson with our special slideshow.

Tipsy Parson
156 Ninth Avenue (between 19th & 20th Streets), Chelsea
(212) 620-4545 | tipsyparson.com

The Scottish Gastropub You Need to Meet

Editor — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:53:58 +0000

Cooler weather is officially on the way.

Which means nights fueled by heartier dishes, cocktails, and primo Scotch are in order.

Luckily, there’s a new destination that dishes out exactly what you need. Meet THE HIGHLANDS, opening to the public on Friday.

Your newest gastropub adventure starts on a quiet block in the West Village. There you’ll saunter in to a little bar at the corner of West 10th and Waverly, just big enough for you and a good friend or two. You’ll look around and acknowledge the bar’s good looks: the white oak bar, the tartan-printed chairs, and of course, the taxidermy. From there you’ll contemplate cocktails, premium Scotchs, and artisanal beers from Scotland.

Before you know it, you’ll be diving in to the good food of Scotsman Jeremy Hammond-Chambers. Scallops and Bacon and Lump Crab Cakes are easy ways to start off. For bigger appetites, go with the savory Beef Cheek, Mushroom, and Ale Pie or Roast Pheasant, plated with Stornaway Black Pudding, garlic spinach, and red currant jelly.

The rest is, as they say, gastropub history.

The Highlands opens to the public this Friday. Get a closer look with the slideshow.

The Highlands
150 West 10th Street (at Waverly Place), West Village
(212) 229-2670 | highlands-nyc.com

Power Dining in Midtown, Italian Style

Editor — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:00:00 +0000

We begin the week with a sexy afternoon threesome: Milanese cuisine, fine wines, and a stylish setting. (What, were you thinking of something else?)

If it sounds like your last dinner at the popular Italian restaurant Sant Ambroeus, then you’re getting warmer… meet CASA LEVER, Sant Ambroeus’ latest venture, now taking reservations for next week’s opening.

For those who’ve power wined and dined at Lever House, the restaurant’s former identity, know that CL is more of the same but better. Settle in to the main dining room and you’ll notice the Warhol art. With 19 prints from the Lever House collection, it’s hard to miss. You’ll also notice a finely curated list of Italian wines and refreshing cocktails (yes, they will be serving Bellinis) to help start things off.

The food is still marvelous too, but now, marvelous in an Italian/Mediterranean kind of way. Chef Mario Danieli, Sant Ambroeus’ main chef, has anchored the menu with fish (think Pan Seared Branzino and Grilled Wild Salmon) and seafood (Risotto Al Frutti Di Mare with shrimp, calamari, scallops and clams, topped with king crab meat), instead of heartier proteins.

And for those craving a little al fresco dining, Casa’ has got you covered with a landscaped outdoor terrace.

Just one more way to live La Dolce Vita…

Casa Lever opens to the public next Monday. Head to casalever.com to view more pictures of the restaurant.

Casa Lever Restaurant
390 Park Avenue (Entrance on East 53rd Street between Park & Madison Avenues), Midtown East
(212) 888-2700 | casalever.com

Date Night in Nolita

Editor — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:00:27 +0000

We’re pretty easy.

Combine two things we love: Italian Mediterranean food and a gorgeous atmosphere to savor it in, and we’re happy.

Which is why we’re really excited about Travertine, opening tonight for dinner, in Nolita.

If you’re a history fan, you may recall the restaurant’s location, 19 Kenmare Street, as the former home of Little Charlie’s Clam Bar. While that pasta palace has gone to sleep with the fishes, a whole new palace has emerged, decked out with rich woods, vintage leathers and crystal chandeliers.

Equally stunning is the food. Rising chef Manuel Treviño (Babbo, B.R. Guest Restaurants) was tapped to oversee the seasonally-driven menu. Start with a sublime Beef Carpaccio with Salt Roasted Beets, Shaved Celery Hearts, and Bone Marrow Aioli. For mains, try the signatures Black Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Radicchio, Jalepeño, and Blue Crab Sugo or Grilled Rack of Lamb with Crushed Olive Oil Potatoes, Cauliflower and Red Pepper Mustard.

Of course, no great meal is sealed without dessert. That’s why you’ll want to finish with a big slice of Olive Oil Semolina Cake with Port Glazed Peaches.

See, easy.

Check out more of Travertine at their flashy website.

Travertine
19 Kenmare Street (between Elizabeth & Bowery), Nolita
(212) 966-1810 | travertinenyc.com

Southern Comfort Food, Remixed

Editor — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:00:02 +0000

The comfort of Southern food used to always mean celebrating its past.

And while you’ve always been a fan of the classics, we know you can certainly appreciate a slick upgrade.

Which is why we think you’ll be thrilled, possibly even ecstatic, to meet Picnick, Smoked, the new smokin’ hot barbecue food truck from cutting-edge chefs Will Goldfarb and Kevin Pomplun.

Your pilgrimage to the land of flavor-happy meats starts in the Financial District, around Wall and Water Streets. There you’ll find a mustard-colored food trailer and if you get there early enough, some of the city’s finest ‘cue. Instead of conventional beef brisket, the chefs here have taken prime cuts of Kobe, brined it for two days for a richer, more intense flavor, then smoked it for 12 to 15 hours in small batches. The artisan approach has also been applied to produce an awesome Pulled Heritage Pork and Bobo Farms Roasted Half Chicken.

Next month, the innovative chefs plan to spice things up a little further with liquid nitrogen milk shakes and a rotating menu of smoked dishes, including smoked lobster, swordfish, artisanal sausages, and prime rib.

According to chef Will Goldfarb, “We’re going to smoke everything we can”.

We can’t wait.

Picnick, Smoked is now open for lunch. Preview the menu here.

Picnick, Smoked
Wall Street, near Water Street
mypicnick.com
no phone

$1.50 Oysters in the West Village

Editor — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:00:56 +0000

We know how you love your local bar.

But sometimes it pays to venture out.

Especially when you’re rewarded with $1.50 oysters and $10 chilled lobster tails. Ladies and gents, meet Joseph Leonard, opening to the public tomorrow. You may have heard a little about this tiny gastropub located on a quiet corner of Waverly and Grove.

Named for owner Gabriel Stulman’s grandfathers, JL is as easy on the eyes as it is on your wallet. A 13-seat zinc bar anchors the front room, which is adorned with handsome antiques. The vibe is vintage and approachable. The food is also approachable. Bouchon Bakery and La Esquina alumnus James McDuffee is the chef behind the rustic American and French menu.

You’ll want to start your evening at the raw bar where perfectly priced oysters, Jonah Crab Claws (just $2.50), and Salt Cod Brandade await you. As for entrees, try the Baked Chatham Cod, Old Bay Soft Shell Crab, or for heartier appetites, the Steak Rossini or Roasted Lamb T-Bones.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a gastropub without a solid wine list, artisanal beers on draft, and stiff cocktails to greet you.

And by the way, welcome to your new favorite local bar.

Joseph Leonard opens tomorrow. Check out the menu.

Joseph Leonard
170 Waverly Place (at Grove Street)
Tel: (646) 429-8383
josephleonard.com

The Lobster Roll for the Gossip Girl set

Editor — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:00:16 +0000

On days like today, we can’t help but think of weekends in Maine.

And when we think of Maine, naturally, our minds swim toward fresh lobster rolls.

Which brings us to our quest for the perfect summer staple: meet The Langoustine Roll, served exclusively at Park Avenue Summer. Known around the world as Norway lobster, Dublin Bay prawn, or simply scampi, langoustine is a lobster lover’s dream. Done right, it is sweet and succulent, like summer corn.

To appreciate its delicate flavors and all-around awesomeness, the very talented chef Craig Koketsu serves it gently-poached, dotted with a singular drop of roasted tomato sauce. The langoustines are then placed on a fresh Parker House roll layered with tarragon mayonnaise and plated with lotus root chips.

Of course, you’ll still have to head north - to the Upper East Side - to score this handheld thing of beauty.

But that’s a small price to pay for the the most luscious crustacean sandwich in town…

To peruse Park Avenue Summer’s full menu, click here.

Park Avenue Summer
100 East 63rd Street (at Park Avenue)
Tel: (212) 644-1900
parkavenyc.com

Impossibly Good Italian in Nolita

Editor — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:00:29 +0000

Yes, it’s Bastille Day.

And while we’re sure tonight’s revelry will be French-flavored, we thought you should know about the next big thing in Italian…

… introducing Civetta, opening on Friday. The name translates literally to “owl” in Italian. Figuratively a civetta is a flirt, as in the cuisine flirts with the food of the entire Mediterranean basin, with a special wink to Italian cooking.

Brought to you by the chef/owners of the acclaimed Upper East Side Italian eatery Sfoglia and the Italian wine temple Bottega Del Vino, Civetta is rustic and refined, in food and setting. An open kitchen anchors the warm, gold-toned stucco walls that surround the space.

As for the food, the menu focuses on antipasti, think small plates of Grilled Asparagus, Sea Urchin, Preserved Lemon and Sea Salt and Baccala Fritters with Pickled Red Onions, and mains like Grilled Branzino with Lemon Marmelleta and Crushed Pine Nuts (view the delicious menu).

Chase it with something from the all-Italian wine cellar or a cocktail, like the signature Notte Civetta, a refreshing spin on the Whisky Sour, that translates to a flirting night owl.

Sounds like you.

Civetta is now taking reservations for its Friday debut.

Civetta Ristorante
98 Kenmare Street (between Lafayette & Mulberry Streets), Nolita
Tel: (212) 274-9898
civettarestaurant.com