Written and reported by Alexis L. Loinaz, Matt Rodbard, Kelly Dobkin, Rebecca Marx, Jeremy Cesarec and Jane Lerner
Corton
239 W. Broadway at White St.
It's a powerhouse culinary match-up: restaurateur Drew Nieporent (Nobu, Tribeca Grill) and chef Paul Liebrandt (Gilt) are helming one of the most anticipated openings of the season. Liebrandt tells us his concept for the cuisine is modern French: "I will pay great respect to the tradition of classical French cuisine, while adding my own personal style," he says. In addition to the regular menu, Corton will offer a tasting menu and a three-course prix fixe. Corton will open in the former Montrachet space with an interior designed by Stephanie Goto (Buddakan). (September)
Braeburn
117 Perry St. between Greenwich and Hudson Sts.
Like so many chefs in this town, Brian Bistrong's resume is stacked with impressive gigs working under big-name toques (Gray Kunz and David Bouley to name a few). Now, the seasoned chef is striking out on his own with partner John Paul O'Neill—they're breathing new life into the old Voyage space on West Perry Street. Going with the trend of the moment, Braeburn will feature seasonal fresh ingredients from Bistrong's own garden and will offer an ever-changing wine list at this casual but refined New American resto. (September)
508
508 Greenwich St. at Spring St.
File this one under "Keeping It in the Family": Owners Frederick and Lynn Hill recently bought the former Giorgione 508 space from George DeLuca and renamed it simply 508, installing their daughter Jennifer as co-executive chef alongside her husband, Anderson Sant'anna di Lima. Together, the duo will churn out Mediterranean-inspired dishes (note the pair's previous experience in the British Virgin Islands) with an emphasis on small plates. The restaurant will also feature an oyster bar featuring kumamoto oysters among others. While di Lima admits the cuisine there will be hard to define, he promises diversity and plates featuring "of-the-moment" proteins such as sardines, pork belly, quail and sweetbreads. (September)
Secession
30 Hudson St. at Duane St.
Details have been scarce on the opening of Secession, the new David Bouley restaurant that will replace Danube this fall. But early reports indicate that Cesare Casella of Maremma will be on board as a consultant and the cuisine will fall into the realm of seasonally driven French and Italian. The setting will be more casual, while most of the interior decor will remain unchanged. (September)
Catch-22
4 W. 22nd St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves.
Joining an already chic block in the Flatiron district, Catch-22 offers sophisticated drinks and small plates in a retro setting. A soaring ceiling, dark woods, manual cash registers and staff dressed in film-noir garb bring to mind the 1940s, while the scattered military ephemera—army helmets and the like—serve as a reminder of that decade's defining moments. The small-plate offerings add a modern twist, with dishes like house-cured duck prosciutto and southern fries with gravy. (September)
Rock-n-Sake
138 W. 25th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves.
Does Chelsea really need another sushi joint? We'd say...maybe, especially given that California rolls are the perfect pre-club bite. But here's the kicker: Rock-n-Sake aims to provide a party vibe and serve Japanese-fusion fare like dragon rolls, honey wasabi shrimp and the questionably named killer scallops. That's like fugu, no? "Rock-n-sake implies a rocking good time," says co-owner Richard Volpe. "We'll kick the disco, techno and the hip-hop when it's crowd-appropriate, and for our daytime lunch I plan to kick a little more classic rock or blues or whatever I want." (September)
Archipelago
333 Hudson St. at Charlton St.
This Japanese-French bistro, located at the old Dani space, will be chef'd by former Morimoto sous-chef Hisanobu Osaka, who'll work the secret ingredients. Secret ingredients? That's right, Osaka also helped Chef Morimoto plan menus for "Iron Chef." (September)
Se Ja Meh
Greenwich and Cedar Sts.
Se Ja Meh should provide a much-needed lunchtime stop for office workers and the like in the Financial District, with a concept tailor-made for hearty appetites: tabletop Korean barbecue. (Early fall)
Macao Trading Co.
311 Church St. at Lispenard St.
Haute African? Sooooo 2008. New York's latest global fetish going into ‘09: Macao. Just when you think the city had plundered every conceivable cuisine on earth, along comes this Tribeca eatery that explores the fascinating flavors of this Portugal-influenced Chinese territory. The clincher: Chanterelle's David Waltuck and Keith Harry are consulting chefs. Although Macao itself is a fusion of cultures, the menu here won’t be a fusion of flavors: Waltuck plans to keep both cuisines distinct, offering up two separate preparations of a particular item, from meatballs to whole fish. It's arguably the most intriguing—and most exciting—of this fall's restaurant hopefuls. (November)
City Winery
143 Varick St. between Spring and Vandam Sts.
"Prince playing an intimate concert, in a winery, in New York City is going to freak some people out," says City Winery owner-operator Michael Dorf of his 225-seat winery/wine bar/concert venue in Soho. Sure, the concept sounds a bit like a rich guy's Six Flags—including a DIY wine program priced at $8,000 a barrel—but Dorf's clear passion for entertaining and wine should appeal to pedestrian Yellow Tail sippers likes us. Plus, there will be plenty to eat from a Mediterranean-leaning small-plates menu that features charred octopus with feta, gazpacho, flatbreads and grilled figs. There's also a 20-seat cheese bar hosted by Murray's, with three to four selections paired to each major varietal. Fifty wines by the glass and 500 bottles will be on the offer. (November)
Biberon
765 Washington St. between Bethune and W. 12th Sts.
Orhan Cakir, who earlier this year opened the Gramercy wine bar Pierre Loti and is one of the brothers behind the West Village fave Turks & Frogs, is opening another wine bar and cocktail lounge in the neighborhood, this time in collaboration with friends Mali Simsek and Yulia Topchiy. The bi-level space, whose name is, somewhat fittingly, the Spanish word for “baby bottle,” will feature specialty cocktails, 25 wines by the glass and 200 bottles. It will also offer a menu of shareable plates like Mediterranean salads and a sizeable cheese selection. (November)
Aldea
31 W. 17th St. at Fifth Ave.
Sometimes, the longer the delay...the better the restaurant? Let's hope so: Former Tocqueville chef George Mendes' first solo project has been delayed for over two years, but he hopes to finally open in November or December. Mendes describes the cuisine as "heavily market-driven [and] Iberian, based on my heritage, but with a free-spirited global influence." A preliminary menu features staples like razor clams cooked a la plancha, house-cured salt cod, and Monkfish with chorizo and chickpeas. Mendes also plans to offer a tasting menu in this Stephanie Goto-designed space. (Late fall)
10 Downing
10 Downing St. at Sixth Ave.
After showing up on last year's fall preview, weathering chef changes and undergoing construction delays, 10 Downing has taken more hits than John Edwards of late. Back when Scott Bryan (Veritas) was on board, the menu was seasonal American with a Mediterranean focus. But now that beleaguered chef Jason Neroni (Cantina) is on board, details about the menu are in short supply. The corner space looks close to being completed—furniture has been spotted through the mostly papered-up windows, and a cool train station-style clock hangs from the entryway. The latest word was for a late-August opening, but now it's anybody's guess. After more than a year of delays, we're hoping 10 Downing doesn't show up in our fall 2009 dining preview.
Photo by Robert Leslie
