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Tanuki Tavern
Last month, luxe Japanese eatery Ono got the no-no from owner Jeffrey Chodorow, who closed his Gansevoort Hotel restaurant and has now rebooted it as Tanuki Tavern. The izakaya-style spot is being billed as a Japanese pub and sushi bar, with a focus on noodles, grilled bites and small plates such as Baked Maine Lobster Dynamite heaped atop sushi rice and served with various roes, like masago and tobiko. Bouley alum Kazu Hashimoto is the chef de cuisine, and he'll also be rolling out a selection of traditional/non-traditional sashimi and sushi, along with...burgers! (Or so we're told.) The multilevel space is split into three areas—including an upstairs lounge—and decked out with lanterns and warm wood surfaces. And if you're wondering about the name, it's a kind of four-legged raccoon-dog that's a quirky part of Japanese folklore—a tip-off to the restaurant's playful vibe. Here, tanuki: fetch! (18 Ninth Ave. at 13th St., 212-660-6766)
Casa Lever
The folks behind Sant Ambroeus have given the old Lever House restaurant the heave-ho, swapped "House" with "Casa," and presto: Casa Lever, an Italian-ified redo of an iconic Midtown's space. Milanese grub is the focus here, featuring updated classics from Sant Ambroeus (think veal Milanese), along with grilled whole fish (i.e. branzino) and crudi. The restaurant has been prettied up with chandeliers and red carpeting, and a wall has been knocked down to open up the bar area. All the better to show off Casa Lever's 19 Warhol portraits, which include—but of course!—mugs of Italian stars like Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace. Another change: The restaurant now has an all-day lounge up front, serving drinks and bites from 11:30 a.m. until 11 p.m. Casa Lever opens on Monday, Oct. 12. (390 Park Ave. at 53rd St., 212-888-2700)
Barros Luco
Midtown's been super-sizing its food vocab lately, with the opening of eateries serving mantao (Chinese sandwiches) and kolache (stuffed Eastern Euro pastries). Add to the list Barros Luco, a popular Chilean sandwich named for a former Chilean president and stuffed with thinly sliced beef and melted cheese. (Oh the irony: The joint replaced Philly cheesesteak spot 99 Miles to Philly.) Several versions of the sandwich—which are housed in a soft, burger-like bun—are available, made either with chicken, ham or turkey, and layered with avocado, tomato or mayo (or all). They've also got Chilean-style hot dogs called vienesas-not much different, really, for what you'd expect from a hot dog, except they're topped with, well, avocado, tomato and mayo! About eight empanadas round out the menu, including a traditional baked-beef version with hard-boiled egg. (300 1/2 E. 52nd St. near Second Ave., 212-371-0100)
Downtown Galway Hooker
If you visit this West Village tavern's official Web site, you're greeted with a history lesson of sorts: "For those that don't know, a Galway Hooker is a traditional sailing boat used in Galway Bay off the coast of Ireland." So with that out of the way, let's talk about the grub-hearty, pub-y and definitively Irish with bacon and cabbage and uber-savory cottage pie planted on the menu. Quesadillas, New York strip and a the now-ubiquitous cubano are definitively not Irish, but still perfect for complementing European brews like Bass, Leffe and, of course, Guinness. Live DJs spin on the weekends, offering classic rock, top 40 and U2 on the hour. We made that last part up, but what an idea! (133 Seventh Ave. South. between Charles and W. 10th Sts., 212-675-6220)
Also open:
Barcelona native Jaime Reixach has expanded his successful take on Catalonan food at Mercat Noho to Mercat Negre on Grand Street. (65 Grand St. between Kent and Wythe Sts., 347-223-4599)
Just in time for this weekend's NYC Wine & Food Festival, choco lord Jacques Torres opens his latest sweet shop in the heart of the fest: Chelsea Market. (75 Ninth Ave between 15th and 16th Sts.)
Soho shoppers now have a new caffeine stop with the opening of Saturdays Surf, brewing up La Colombe's artisan roasts and arabica blends. An added perk: There's a quaint back patio, perfect for alfresco sipping. (31 Crosby St. between Broome and Grand Sts., 212-966-7875)
The peeps behind Smith Street staple Brooklyn Social have opened Henry Public, a Tenement Museum-esque watering hole with old-school cocktails and a food menu of grass-fed beef burgers, oysters and other comforty bites.(329 Henry St. between Pacific St. and Atlantic Ave., 718-852-8630)
Organic Indian cuisine? Say "salaam" to Williamsburg newcomer Curry Heaven. (513 Grand St. between Union Ave. and Lorimer St., 718-388-3021)
A 25-year-old former lobsterman from Maine is the brains behind Luke's Lobster in the East Village, with seafood delivered directly to New York by Portland Shellfish company and a $14 lobster roll that's got people talking. (93 E. 7th St. between First Ave. and Ave. A, 212-387-8487)
Meals, deals, specials:
New York Wine & Food Festival: Unless you've been living under a rock-or a really huge wheel of cheese-you've probably already salivating over NYC's biggest food bash of the year, which takes over the Meatpacking District from Oct. 8 to 11. Check out previews of SWEET and Grand Tasting before going into your food coma. (Meatpacking District, various locations)
Oktoberfest at Klee Brasserie: Looking for alternate programming to the Wine & Food Fest? It's suds and sausages all month long at Klee's Bavarian bonanza. (200 Ninth Ave. between 22nd and 23rd Sts., 212-633-8033)
Madison Square Market: From Oct. 9 to Nov. 1, Madison Square Park will be hosting its first fall-themed outdoor market featuring food from top spots like Hill Country, Cabrito, Fatty Crab and Wafels & Dinges. Open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. (Madison Square Park, at 23rd St. and Broadway)
Capsouto Freres turns 29: The quaint Village mainstay closes out its twenties with a bang with a special three-course prix-fixe dinner on Oct. 16. It's good to be 29: The dinner costs $29, while bottles of house wine will go for $29 from Oct. 16 to 18. (451 Washington St. Watts St. 212-966-4900)
Additional reporting by Matt Rodbard; photo by Sean Ellingson
