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Mari Vanna
The first international location of a popular Russian restaurant drops in Gramercy, brought to you by a booming Russian dining empire (66 restaurants!) that also co-owns Los Dados. The focus here is on homey grub, but Mari Vanna hopes to expand diners' horizons a bit. "Unfortunately, people in the U.S. are limited to the knowledge of three Russian dishes: vodka, caviar and borsch," says partner Tatiana Brunetti. Hoping to fill in the gap: bites like Olivier salad (potatoes with sage mayo), sosiski sausages and a rainbow trout with chanterelle and white sauce. About 30 infused vodkas should keep everyone happy. Mari Vanna's also got a gimmick up her sleeve: Guests can only enter the locked front door after ringing a doorbell, but regulars will be given a swanky key—which also unlocks the doors to Mari Vanna locations in St. Petersburg and Moscow. (41 E. 20th St. at Park Ave. S. 212-777-1955)
Bark Hot Dogs
Woof, there it is! Park Slope has a new wiener joint, and this one's got some seriously good breeding: Co-owners Josh Sharkey and Brandon Gillis cut their teeth at Café Gray and Franny's, respectively, and Sharkey says they "wanted to take the same approach to fine dining and apply those techniques to something simple like hot dogs." The franks are specially made for them upstate by Hartmann's Old World Sausage from a combo of pork and beef, and then basted in smoked-lard butter (!). Hungry already? There are 10 varieties to choose from, including one with pickled hot-pepper relish, another with baked heirloom beans, and one with sweet-and-sour onions. A handful of sandwiches (crispy pork, chorizo) and shakes (blueberry with crème fraiche) round out the menu, and Sharkey says he plans to eventually introduce seasonal dogs like a lamb-sausage version come spring. "Simplicity is always more difficult," he notes. "When you have a hot dog, there's nothing to hide behind. This is a lot harder than doing a 12-course menu." (474 Bergen St. at Flatbush Ave., 718-789-1939)
Slope's Bistro Restaurant
Those familiar with the Stokke-stroller thoroughfare of Park Slope's chic Seventh Avenue may be surprised by south Slope's Sixth Avenue. Here the tree-lined streets are almost free of organic food shops, and give off a more downscale vibe. Slope's Bistro Restaurant is well suited to this unassuming area—the design is more utilitarian than an overcurated hipster haunt, and the large menu is an eclectic mix of Mediterranean-inflected fare. For now, starters include standbys like fried or grilled calamari and an aptly-named Greek style "fetaterranian" salad, while entrees include pastas, a range of fish and seafood, and proteins like a New York strip and Australian lamb chop. However, owner Mohammed Hossain (who's also the guy behind Cobble Grill) is a people pleaser, and he's waiting for feedback from his customers "to see how they like everything," before he sets anything in stone. (522 Sixth Ave. at 14th St., Park Slope; 718-788-1397)
Güllüoglu
Güllüoglu, the Coney Island authority on good baklava, has moved on up, so to speak, to Midtown. While the restaurant isn't sacrificing authenticity, the new location will be offering a larger selection of Turkish fare. "We want to offer variety," says co-owner Ercan Karabeyoglu. At the Coney Island original, you can sample a wide variety of baked goods, but the new eatery will offer more lunch and dinner dishes like soups, sandwiches and salads. One of the more interesting new dishes on the menu? Kumpir, the Turkish version of a baked potato, and Güllüoglu's spin on it is stuffed with fresh vegetables, so you don't have to feel quite so guilty about your carb intake. While the kumpir sounds appealing, let's face it: You'll still dive into their baklava, which they've been serving in 12 variations since 1871. Güllüoglu opens on Aug. 21. (982 Second Ave. at 52nd St., no phone yet)
Meals, deals, events:
Allegretti: Eater's certified hottest chef in all of the land, Alain Allegretti, will be waiving the corkage fee for all of August. Which means he'll probably look even dreamier, post-vino haze. (46 W. 22nd St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., 212-206-0555)
Oak Room: The Oak Room is now offering a daily pre-theater prix fixe for $45 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.—a brilliant idea, if you ask us, and a welcome change from the ho-hum offerings along Times Square's restaurant row. Options include prime beef carpaccio, maple-brined chicken and Madai Snapper with heirloom tomato salad. (The Plaza Hotel, Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, 212-758-7777)
MADcrush: The Museum of Arts and Design has set up a groovy pop-up wine bar that melds innovative design with drinks and choice grub from a roster of top chefs, including Mark Ladner and George Mendes. Next up: Scott Conant, who does cheffing duties on Aug. 13. The space was designed by Stephanie Goto (Aldea), who used old wine boxes to fashion the décor and details. MADCrush is open from 5 to 10:30 p.m. through the end of August. (2 Columbus Circle, 59th Street and Broadway; 212-299-7777)
Virgil's: Free love meets free ribs at the the midtown BBQ's 3rd Annual Ribstock fest, offering free ribs plus beer tastings from 5 to 8 p.m. tonight, Aug. 12. (152 W. 44th St. between Sixth Ave. and Broadway, 212-921-9494)
Additional reporting by Jeremy Cesarec and Amanda Woytus; photo by Sam Horine
What other people are saying...
saraht from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn - August 13, 2009 at 4:02 PM
Bark looks fantastic, I walked by here the other day and the space was bright, open and inviting. A friend went to the opening and said the food wa...
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