NY News Team

Some people just can't seemed to quit. At close to 70 years old, Jean Jacque Rachou of the legendary La Cote Basque is re-opening another restaurant, Brasserie LCB, at the La Cote Basque location. The interior of the original restaurant has been revamped to resemble a Parisian brasserie, and the menu is lighter and more casual while keeping with the French tradition. This is a place where you can order one of the three tiered raw seafood platters, or that onion soup you've been dreaming of since the last time you left France. You can even get escargot here. There is an a la carte menu with prix fixe lunches at $25 and dinners at $39.-by Y. Yang Brasserie LCB 60 West 55 Street (212)688-6525 source: press release from Morse Partners

Tired of cooked food? Not to worry, Jeff Chodorow has teamed up with Matthew Kenney, and has taken over the space formerly occupied by Verbena for a new raw vegan restaurant to be called Pure Food and Wine. -- J. Bavuso Pure Food and Wine 54 Irving Place NY, NY Source: NY Times "Off the Menu" March 31, 2004.

The month of March will usher in the opening of August, a new European restaurant in the West Village. If you are into real authenticity, August boasts a hand built wood burning oven, where most dishes will be finished. Those who couldn't be bothered hopping across the pond will find regional European offerings such as swiss chard malfatti and ricotta salata. If you are really into tradition, there is a Tarte Flambe on the menu, which may well be worth the trip to the restaurant, since it's one of those things that I haven't seen in a New York City restaurant for ages.--by Y. Yang August 359 Bleecker Street (between 10th & Charles Street) New York, NY 10014 Phone: 212-929-4774 source: press release from KB Network News Admin: Topics merged by jogoode

Geisha, the long awaited Asian fusion restaurant from Eric Ripert, is finally open. The bi-level restaurant has a cozy informal lounge that reminisced of a 1960's Hong Kong bar where patrons can order cocktail food to go with their Sakeritas and Jasmine Martinis, and a more formal dining room with a sushi bar in the back. While I didn't have a chance to try the food at Geisha, a quick glance at the menu revealed fares like Slivers of Hamachi with Ruby Red Grapefruit, Grilled Beef Tataki Salad, Roasted Lobster with Udon Noodles, and Pork Tenderloin with Gingered Cabbage, Umeshu and Port Sauce. The wonderful kazuo Yoshida of Jewel Bako and Brasserie 360 fame serves up an inventive array of sashimi and nigiri at the sushi bar, and will put together sushi and sashimi platters for $50, $75 and $100 per platter. Although, it may take a brave soul with an incredible sense of humour to order something like the Last Samurai Roll. --Y. Yang Geisha 33 East 61 Street New York, NY Tel: (212)813-1103

For those of us who missed having MOMA in Manhattan, here is another reason to look forward to its re-opening in Winter of 2004/2005. The restaurant in the newly revamped museum will be created and designed by none other than Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. Art lovers can expect a restaurant with views of the restored sculpture garden. The dining facility will include a formal dining room, a larger and more casual dining and bar area and a seasonal outdoor terrace. There will also be two cafes and menus that feature fare to suit every taste and budget. Those that are really loaded can check out the private dining room or have the restaurant cater their parties at the Museum. If Danny Meyer's current restaurants are anything to go by, we can expect generally great food with excellent service, and if you throw Monet's Waterlilies into the mix, the Winter of 2004/2005 may not get here soon enough. --by Y. Yang source: Press release from MOMA.

If you love Craft, you may want to check out Hearth. Marco Canora, the former chef of Craft, and Paul Grieco, the former beverage manager of Gramercy Tavern have taken over the old Tappo space and turn it into Hearth, a warm homey restaurant, serving contemporary Italian and American fares. The seasonal menu features appetizers such as red wine braised octopus, and tuna served four diffferent ways, entrees like monkfish osso buco, and a sumptuous looking roasted sirloins, and dessert menu with offerings such as goat milk panna cotta and persimmon steam pudding. There is a four course tasting menu for $48. At this time the place does not have a liquor license, but diners are encouraged to bring their own. --by Y. Yang Hearth 403 East 12th Street New York, NY Tel. 646-602-1300

The latest to caught the restaurant imperialism fever is none other than Jack and Grace Lamb of Jewel Bako. The couple, within months of opening the Blue Goose Cafe, has opened Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar in a townhouse across the street from Jewel Bako. The new place has a French homey decor with the same cute boutique-ish formula as the other two restaurants. However, the menu is rather limited, and while the place can accomodate parties of four without anyone feeling cramped, all four people will have to eat pretty much the same things. Nonetheless, raw seafood lovers will find four to five different kinds of oysters at the raw bar downstairs as well as those monster raw seafood sampler towers (okay, plateau de fruits de mer) that you see in those bistro all over Paris. Those who squirm at the thought of eating anything raw can have the fully cooked tasting menu upstairs. --by Y. Yang Jack's Luxury Oysters Bar 246 East 5th Street New York, NY Tel: (212)673-0338

Fans of Blue Hill would be happy to know that Mike and Dan, the dynamic duo behind the West Village gem, are currently working on another restaurant. However, for the die hard Manhattanites, the bad news is that it's going to be in Pocantico Hills. The still under construction restaurant, according to Mike, will be located in a converted barn on the premise of the Stone Barns Center . The restaurant will offer the same seasonal menu as Blue Hill in the city, and there will also be a small outdoor cafe for day trippers. Produce for the restaurant will come directly from the Farm. The Stone Barns Center is a not for profit agricultural farm and education center which holds events such as wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and other educational programs. For those who may just want to relax, the place supposedly offers some pretty awesome views of the Hudson. ---Y. Yang See www.stonebarnscenter.org. for more info.

There's a rumor that there's no such thing as a good Mexican restaurant in New York. I would never know the difference, having never been south of the Texas border. El Maguey is one of those little unassuming places that claims to be as close to authentic Mexican as possible, which may or may not be true, but with its red lights and colorful table cloths the place definitely has charm. As for the food, the mole over pork ordered by my friends were proclaimed as "out of this world" and my shrimp fajita was sizzling and tasty. Also, came highly recommended from friends were the spicy nacho with chorizo and the shrimp cocktails, which went well with the nice cold negra modelo. El Maguey Y La Tuna may not be genuine Mexican, but it's still pretty damn good.--Y. Yang El Maguey Y La Tuna 321 East Houston Street Telephone: (212)473-3744

As the weather gets cooler, diners look for more stick-to-your-ribs fare, and Pop’s Pierogi may have just the thing. Choose from blintzes and pierogi (dumplings) and pelmeny (ravioli) stuffed with ground beef or lamb or veal, potato, cabbage, cheese, or sour cherries – and served with the traditional toppings: a dollop of sour cream and oil & white vinegar. You won’t go thristy here, either. Unusual options include kompote (a stewed-fruit drink), kvas (made from fermented bread), and tarragon-flavored soda. – Eden Blum Pop’s Pierogies 190 Bleeker St (between Sixth Ave and MacDougal St) 212-505-0055 Source: Time Out New York, week of September 4-11

It is NoMi didn't even realize the typo. Apologies for the disinformation. I think he also designed the restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental in Miami.

It seemed that the latest trend among trendy New York City hotels is to have a Japanese restaurant in it. The latest to jump on the bandwagon is none other than the super luxurious Mandarin Oriental, which will open Asiate this fall with interior designed by the restaurant architect du jour-Tony Chi (who designed LOMI in Chicago). Located on the 35th floor of the AOL Time Warner Center, Asiate will feature the cuisine of chef Nori Sugie, who has worked at the L'Aubergade in France, Charlie Trotters in Chicage and Tetsuyas and Restaurant VII in Sydney. Sugie is expected to bring his harmonius approach to food, with each dish promising to delight all five senses. With Thomas Keller's French Laundry and Jean George Vongerichten's Steakhouse near by, Asiate will most certainly have some pretty tough competitions, then again, this may be the restaurant that surprise us all. Check it out at www.mandarinoriental.com by Y. Yang Asiate at AOL Time Warner Center Reservations: (212)805-8881 or call the Mandarin Oriental (212) 805-8800 source: press release from the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Lou Hammond & Associates

One of the best things about visiting Sonoma in the late summer is the tomato season, when you can taste the different variety of heirloom tomatoes from one farm stand to the next. The season is so short that you don't even a second of it. Now New Yorkers don't need to fly to the West Coast to get a taste of the heirloom tomatoes. On September 10, Bayard's Restaurant in downtown Manhattan will host its first heirloom tomato festival with tomatoes from some 10,000 plants grown at Satur Farm in Long Island. The outdoor festival will feature a buffet with an array of savory and sweet dishes, as well as beverages made with some of the 30 kinds of heirloom tomatoes. Whoever thought tomatoes can be so versatile? Those that get inspired to try cooking with tomatoes at home can buy the heirloom tomatoes at a farm stand. Festival time is from 5pm to 9pm on Wednesday, September 10 on Stone street. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at Bayard's, Harry's on Hanover Square (both at One Hanover Square), Financier (62 Stone Street), and Ulysses' (58 Stone Street). All buffet and drinks are also $5 each. For more info see: http://www.bayards.com ---by Y. Yang Source: Press release from Tuewen One Image

This fall, celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and his partner behind Aquavit will expand their culinary territory by opening up Riingo, a Japanese restaurant in The Alex Hotel. While the restaurant will not officially open until October, it has been the buzz of the culinary world since early March. Besides Samuelsson, the 110 seat restaurant will feature an all star cast with executive chef, Johan Svensson, who has Town, Bond Street, and Nobu London on his resume, and Sushi Chef, Shigenori Tenaka, formerly of Jewel Bako. Diners can expect both traditional and non-traditional sushi rolls such as porcini roll with truffled aioli as well as a full sashimi selection on the menu and a 75 bottle wine list. Riingo will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner to the hotel guests, a mezzanine room with moveable screens for semi-private dining and those really loaded can have private parties in the penthhouse suite with wrap around patios. ---by Y. Yang Riingo The Alex Hotel 205 East 45 street Telephone: TBA Source: Press Release from Baltz and Company

David Burke will partner with Donatella Arpraia (Cellini, Bellini and Acqua Pazza) to open an American Restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Il Valletto at 133 East 61st Street. The opening is set for next fall. --Joseph Bavuso (source: NY Times, August 6, 2003)

TriBeCa’s Pico has been transformed into Dominic Restaurant/Social Club, wherein chef John Villa uses a little creative license in building a menu that features your more standard veal Milanese and linguine with white clam sauce along with some of Pico’s specialties like suckling pig and sonhos (Portuguese doughnuts). Bonus: through Labor Day, there’s a 20% discount. – Eden Blum Dominic Restaurant/Social Club 349 Greenwich Street 212-343-0700 (Source: nymetro.com, week of August 4, 2003)

It used to be that to get into Lotus, you needed a few designer labels on your body and a slacker date of Euro origin on your arm, preferrably underaged, supported by a trust fund, and lots of attitude to spare. The trendy night spot, and sometimes restaurant, is among a handful of places in New York where on a cold rainy night you will still find a long line of people outside eager to get in. Fortunately, phenonmena like this only last a short time (usually 15 minutes), and now that the chic denizens have found a new place to go, Lotus has emerged with a much kindlier air. The restaurant is losing the attitude, the bouncer, and the velvet rope, and replacing it with a Southeast Asian menu and a new chef, Tyson Ophaso, formerly of Nong's on Park Ave South. The place may just be worth checking out afterall.----by Y. Yang Lotus 409 West 14th Street Phone: (212) 243-4420 Source: James Beard House event calendar

Ferran Adria of El Bulli and Juan Mari Arzak of Restaurante Arzak are the two chefs honored this year at James Beard Foundation's 17th annual Holiday auction and dinner. The event on November 16th will feature a live auction of gourmet travel, culinary events and other luxury items, followed by dinner some some of the top Spanish chefs around. You will get to sample preparations from culinary luminaries like: Jose Ramon Andres, Jaleo and Cafe Atlantico, Washington DC Teresa Barrenechea, Marichu, NYC Jordi Butron, Espai Sucre, Barcelona, Spain Bruno Oteiza, Restaurant Tezka, Mexico City Enrique Sanchez, Taberna del Alabardero, Washington DC Julian Serrano, Picasso at the Bellagio, Las vegas Terrance Brennan, Artisanal Cheese Center, NYC Cost of admission is $250 for members and $300 for the general public, $3,500 for a table of 10-12. For those folllowing the thread on El Bulli, and the El Bulli cookbook, this is certainly cheaper than a plane ticket to Spain, and you wouldn't even have to leave Manhattan---Y. Yang 17th Annual Holiday Auction and Dinner Sunday, November 16th The Essex House 160 Central Park South Reservation: 212-627-2308 source: James Beard House Calender

I stopped by Chikalicious on Friday afternoon, the place is really coming together. Chef Donna Ryan told me that the menu is expected to change constantly, and the menu she provided me seemed to reflected the changing style of the place. Some of the more interesting choices on the menu are Fromage Blanc Island Cheese Cake, Dialogue of Fresh Fruit Puree with Honey Parfait and Lace Crisp, and Warm Chocolate Tart with Pink Peppercorm Ice Cream and Red Wine Sauce. This is definitely not a place for traditionalists. There is also a cheese plate for those disinclined to sweet things. Each dessert on the menu is paired with a wine suggestion. Separately, you can order from a selection of dessert wines, port, sherry, beer and the standard coffee and tea. Desserts are priced at $12 each, $7 additional with wine pairing--Y. yang

Neil Annis has left Compass, the well-regarded Upper West Side Restaurant. Mr. Annis did not leave a forwarding address. It’s also not clear why he left. To replace Mr. Annis, Compass hired Mark Andelbradt, chef de cuisine at Chicago’s Tru. Tru fans will be truly happy. – Joseph Bavuso (Source: NY Times Dining Section, July 2, 2003) Compass 208 W. 70th Street NY, NY 10023 212-875-8600

The French Laundry’s Thomas Keller doesn’t have a name for it yet, but whatever he decides to call it (my guess is “French Laundry NY”), it will be serving up fine food in the AOL-Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle before the end of the year. To solve the chef can’t be in two places at once problem, Keller has conveniently decided to close his restaurant in California for several months for renovation. -- Joseph Bavuso (Source: NY Times Dining, June 25, 2003)

Aigo, a new Mediterranean restaurant, takes up residence on the Upper East Side this month. Chef Richard Farnabe traveled uptown after spending some time at Lotus and Mercer Kitchen. The 65-seat room was designed by Mico Sopic (Balthazar, Union Pacific, and Il Buco). Attire is “dressy casual.” I’m still not sure what that means. If the food and service are good, Aigo’s outdoor garden will be prized by Upper East Siders this summer. ---- Joseph Bavuso Source: News Release from KB Network News, dated June, 2003