Rusty Knot, found on the banks of the Hudson. Yar!
You may feel like you’ve stumbled into a cruise ship’s staff rec room when you set foot in the Rusty Knot, located a stone’s throw from the Hudson River. It’s a slightly different tack for The Spotted Pig’s Ken Friedman, who co-owns the joint with Taavo Somer (Freemans). Commanding the galley is Joaquin Bacca (David Chang’s partner from Momofuku), who serves up a seafood-heavy menu of oysters, baked mussels and shellfish soup, alongside pretzel dogs, shepherds pie and a bacon chicken liver sandwich. The small space is wood-paneled and dotted with nautical flourishes, such as brass coat hooks fashioned as boat steering wheels and ceramic tiki glasses. The music is jukebox eclectic and there’s a pool table to round out the dive bar leanings. All that’s missing, it seems, are the old-timers, hoping to bend your ear with tales about how the neighborhood used to be. (425 West Street at 11th St., 212-645-5668)
I Sodi
First-time restaurateurs Rita Sodi and Josh Dworkis have thrown their personalities into this compact West Village spot. Dworkis custom designed every inch of the interiors, while Sodi has created a menu to replicate the Tuscan palate of her childhood. Adding to the authenticity, Sodi’s mom (who lives just outside Florence) flew in this opening week, to stir, taste and give her seal of approval. “It’s all about clean tastes and simple ingredients,” says Dworkis. “We do a Branzino cooked in salt, it's the best fish I ever had. The salads have only one or two ingredients, with the perfect olive oil and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. It’s just a simple, simple menu.” Pastas are rolled fresh every day, and the selection of Italian wines contains a few from Sodi’s own vintner friends. Dishes (including an artichoke lasagna, fried rabbit and risotto fungi) can be ordered to one of the tables, or eaten at the 15-seat bar. (105 Christopher St., near Bleecker St., 212-414-5774)
The JakeWalk
“We knew it was a matter of time before somebody did a wine bar [in Carroll Gardens], and we wanted to be the one to do it,” says co-owner Patrick Watson, whose Brooklyn wine shop (Smith & Vine) and cheese mecca (Stinky Bklyn) have now spawned this (natch) wine-and-cheese bar. About 50 wines and 120 whiskeys and brandys are available by the glass, accompanied by a selection of charcuterie and cheeses like raclette fondue. Interestingly, the cocktail list focuses on pre-Prohibition recipes—milder drinks meant to evoke a time when the emphasis was on “enjoyment instead of getting hammered” afterward. “A lot of wine bars in the city seem to be capitalizing on trends and there seems to be a lot of pretentious people behind it, and that bothers us,” says Watson, who cites Stonehome and Blue Ribbon as wine bars that get it right. Give it some time and maybe we’ll be able to add The JakeWalk to that list. (282 Smith St. at Sackett St., 347-599-0294)
Momofuku Ko
Listen up, peeps: It’s just a friggin’ restaurant. You’d think otherwise, though, given the delirious hype that has greeted David Chang’s limited-seating, prix-fixe spot—from Ruth Reichl's gush-fest to instant reservation scalpers. Twelve seats are available, and reservations are only taken online up to a week in advance. (“If there happen to be two seats open, we will accept walk-ins,” says a Momofuku rep. Uh, yeah, right.) The $85, nine-course meal, which changes daily, highlights Chang’s predilection for inspired pairings (lychee with foie gras shavings) and—hello?—pork, pork, pork. The kitchen is actually helmed by executive chef Peter Serpico. Which means Chang probably watches, omniscient, from somewhere on high. Which kinda makes him, well, God. Which many would probably agree with. (163 First Ave.at 10th St.)
Palm Court
Call it a Court of appeals: After a two-year, $400 million renovation, The Plaza hotel is back, and it’s got some major bragging rights thanks to this opulent French spot from uber-chef Didier Virot. “The focus is to keep the historical aspect of the place and to use some classical dishes from the old hotel,” he tells us, ”and to mix modern French cuisine with a personal touch.” Dishes include prosciutto-wrapped goat-cheese terrine with figs, and duck breast with oatmeal porcini cake; the chichi factor stays high with an afternoon tea service complemented by lobster sandwiches and roasted lamb loin. Virot is the latest in a line of A-list chefs leading the dining renaissance of Central Park South (see: BLT Market, South Gate), which to him is a no-brainer: “It’s where all the great restaurants start; it’s where the great clients are. I look at it as a return to their roots.” (1 Central Park South at 59th St., 212-546-5300)
Terroir
The duo behind Insieme and Hearth have unearthed this East Village wine bar, whose 200-bottle-deep global wine list travels from Burgundy, France, to Santa Cruz, Calif. (The place’s name, Latin for “solid earth,” pays homage to the locality that gives the wines their unique character.) The compact, 24-seat spot includes a communal table where oenophiles can swill en masse while enjoying small bites ranging from panini and charcuterie to pasta and meatball specials. (413 E. 12th St. at First Ave., 646-602-1300)
Also open:
Sasha Petraske goes from booze to caffeine buzz at Mercury Dime in the East Village.
(246 E. Fifth St. between Bowery & Second Ave., 212-533-3295)
NYU gets a new Thai joint with Rhong Tiam.
(541 LaGuardia Place between Third and Bleecker Sts., 212-477-0600)
Contemporary American fare and a minimalist vibe decamp at Avon Bistro in Midtown.
(155 E 52nd St between Lexington and Third Aves., 212-752-9587)
