Former Compass chef John Fraser at his new Upper West Side spot, Dovetail
(Credit: Jori Klein)
When it comes to his own dining compass, former Compass chef John Fraser seems to keep heading north: Fraser returns to the Upper West Side with this New American spot on 77th Street, adding to the area’s burgeoning dining scene (see: Mermaid Inn, the upcoming Bar Boulud). “At the time I signed the lease, I had no idea everyone was going up here,” Fraser tells us. “So there’s something to be said of the [area’s] real-estate value and clientele.” Located in a townhouse, the Richard Bloch–designed space juxtaposes old and new with steel surfaces that play off of the building’s exposed brick. The dishes are equally eclectic and reflect Fraser’s training (French Laundry) and travels (France, Spain), with an American menu anchored by Euro-tinted fare like clam chowder with smoked potatoes, chorizo and sourdough gougeres; rabbit–and–foie gras terrine with candied kumquats; and sweetbreads with mustard gastrique. It is, he says, “the way that I categorize New American, which is what America is: all things in all cultures.” Interestingly, Dovetail features an extensive sherry menu—about 25 in all—and will be serving afternoon tea on Fridays and weekends. “I decided to put together a menu of things that I like,” Fraser says, “and I think that I can make a good case that [diners] will like it, too.” 103 W. 77th St. at Columbus Ave., 212-362-3800
POP Burger
Think of is as POP Burger on steroids: The go-to Chelsea spot for burger sliders has spawned its own whacked-out version of Burger Disneyland in Midtown with this three-story, 6,000-square-foot monolith, which replicates the downtown location’s unique lounge–and–fast-food formula. “I’ve always been excited to pair a fast-food restaurant with a saloon—things that, on the surface, would not ordinarily fit together,” says owner Roy Liebenthal, who had to lease the entire building wholesale. “The landlord gave me no options. I went back to my investors and they were like, ‘It’s great; let’s build a real POP Burger.’” The space, which can squeeze in 300 guests, includes dining and bar areas, a lounge, billiards room, and takeout—all decked out in POP burger’s rec-room-cool aesthetic: geometric shapes, wood surfaces, Warhol art. The menu should look familiar to downtown devotees, with sliders, the “Invisible Burger” (aka breaded portobello mushroom), and dinner entrees like tempura tuna rolls and grilled baby lamb chops. 14 E. 58th St. between Fifth and Madison Aves., 212-991-6644
Peter’s Since 1969
More like Peter’s Since Mid-November: It’s takes a stealth operation to keep a restaurant under the radar these days, but we give props to this rotisserie-chicken-intensive joint in the ‘Burg, which has been open a few weeks and, bless you, offers locals something other than Thai food. “The most popular reaction was, ‘I’ve lived in the neighborhood for years—how come you didn’t come before?’” says owner Omri Magal, who also lives in the area. The comfort-food-ish menu is straightforward and affordable: half or quarter chicken ($8 to $9) from Brooklyn-based Los Paisanos, sides like mac-and-cheese and sweet potatoes, plus chicken Marsala and beef stew. The cryptic name is a reference to the previous tenant, a longtime butcher shop, and Magal went to great lengths to preserve the original shop’s essence, meat hooks and all. “We’re here to say that the neighborhood is changing, but we want to pay tribute,” Magal explains. “It’s a big tribute to Peter and to the neighborhood.” 168 Bedford Ave. between N. Seventh and Eighth Sts., 718-388-2811
Urban Rustic
Further proof that green is the new black comes by way of this eco-minded Williamsburg mega-grocery, which peddles locally sourced products with a focus on sustainability, seasonality and—add this to your eco-buzzword thesaurus—traceability. “We really put a lot of work into knowing where our food is coming from,” say co-owner Dan Cipriani. “We wanted to open up a place where we develop a relationship with the farmers and know how our food is raised.” The products span the range from organic baby food grown in Brooklyn, to a line of soaps made with organic olive oil and packaged in paper from discarded books. The store itself uses electricity from wind-powered sources, and sustainable materials were used to build the place, including wood harvested at one of the partner’s upstate properties. A separate dining area offers shoppers omelettes, panini and smoothies during the day, and at night it switches over to a full-service dinner spot with a menu—charcuterie, salads, meats—dependent on the day’s produce. The goal, Cipriani says, is to keep Urban Rustic’s carbon imprint to a minimum: “I would rather have apples that were grown in New York and were treated with spot natural pesticide, than an apple from California that was stamped ‘organic’ but used so much fuel to get here.” 236 N. 12th St. between Union and Driggs Ave., 718-388-9444
Haru
The Energizer Bunny of Japanese joints just keeps on going with this Wall Street outpost—its ninth U.S. location and the seventh in Manhattan. Thankfully, the restaurant avoids the trapping of the ominous “C’ word—ch-ch-chain restaurant—with a bold menu that spans sushi, ceviches, tartares and carpaccios, as well as a posh interior dripping with hot-pink lanterns and splashed with slate-gray walls. Haru Wall Street is located inside the historic Beaver Building. One Wall Street Court, Pearl Street at Pine Street, 212-785-6850
