Hot Plates

Shackin' up on the Upper West Side

Shake Shack
"Are we waiting in line for a club?" asked a guy incredulously as he stood in a line that snaked around the corner from Shake Shack's hysterically awaited UWS location. He might as well be: Danny's Meyer's celebrated burgers are rock stars among the patty posse, and the new location brings the same hit menu (and lines) from downtown—ShackBurger, Shack-ago Dog, frozen custards, fries—to a plum corner right off of the Museum of Natural History. A plus: This location has indoor seating (no more rain dates!) with 11 tables, as well as a downstairs "rec room" for private parties. It also gives props to the new nabe, with frozen-custard concoctions like Natural History Crunch-stellation (vanilla custard with malt, Valrhona chocolate crunchies, caramel and hot fudge). Start Shackin' up! (366 Columbus Ave. at 77th St.)

Braeburn
Back in 1996, Brian Bistrong and his then-girlfriend eloped to the Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. Inn, in upstate New York, where they were served "these incredible scallion biscuits," he recalls. "I said, someday I'm gonna use these biscuits for something." Use them he did—first at The Harrison, to much acclaim, and now at this West Village American bistro, where they're made with scallions, thyme, garlic and buttermilk. Here, the first-time restaurant owner (and David Bouley vet) marries his love of American fare—the place's name tips its hat to all-American (braeburn) apple pie—with French technique, in dishes like fig-stuffed quail "sausage" and rack of pork with potato-prune gratin. Bistrong even grows some of his ingredients, using chard, parsley and, yes, apples, from his Connecticut farm, which is has a starring role at the restaurant: A painting of it hangs on one of Braeburn's walls. (117 Perry St. at Greenwich St., 212-255-0696)

BarBao
Vietnamese chef Michael Bao Huyhn has always had a strong foothold downtown (Bao 111, BUN), but now he takes a few giant steps uptown to leave a footprint with BarBao, which replaces the old Rain space. Huyhn hops on a vast journey across the Vietnamese food map, offering up smart, playful riffs on small plates (baby lamb lollipops), entrees (grilled ginger-glazed duck breast with taro confit hash) and noodles (vermicelli with Berkshire pork). The restaurant's décor references Vietnam's freighted past, including an art installation made from cut-up panels of old Vietnamese propaganda posters. And although the only G.I. connection you'll find here will be of the gastrointestinal variety, expect Huynh's army of spice-inflected dishes to wage a nice war on your taste buds. (100 W. 82nd St. at Columbus Ave., 212-501-0776)

Almond
Let's hope this one sticks: The space that was once—drumroll, por favor—Commune, Rocco's, Caviar & Banana and the recently deceased Borough Food & Drink has now been reincarnated as Almond, a Manhattan spin-off of the popular Hamptons spot of the same name. Gone is Borough's mishmash of all-world comfort-food, replaced by what looks to have more longevity: Franco-American fare that's as equally accessible (lamb belly with marjoram, orange and baby carrots) as it is fancy (a medley of frog legs, mushrooms and escargots). The sprawling space still has a billiards room at back, but it's now got an earthier, woodsier feel. And, let's hope, a luckier streak than its predecessors. (12 E. 22nd St. between Park Ave. S. and Broadway, 212-228-7557)


Also open:

David Bouley's been playing musical chairs with his various restaurants, moving them around from place to place. He stops the music long enough to let his eponymous flagship, Bouley, with its Asian-laced French fare, settle into its new Tribeca digs. (163 Duane St. between Hudson St. and W. Broadway, 212-964-2525)

The Rockies rock Midtown at Aspen Social Club with specialty cocktails and haute grub like bison sliders, trout tacos and yellowfin tuna deviled eggs. (157 W. 47th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves., 212-221-7200)

Instead of hitting newsstands, Bon Appetit magazine's latest "issue" hits Midtown in the form of Bon Appetit Supper Club & Café, a weeklong pop-up restaurant offering up lunches as well as celeb appearances by Tyler Florence, Cat Cora and more. Through Oct. 31. (221 W. 57th St. at Broadway)

Midtown French bistro Café Un Deux Trois now Theater District sibling, Le Petit Un Deux Trois, with the usual suspects (steak frites, etc.) plus a three-course theater prix-fixe for $24.50. (403 W. 43rd St. at Ninth Ave., 212-489-4900)

Finally: more slice options in Park Slope courtesy of Villa Rustica, which offers up brick-oven pizzas (i.e. frutti di mare) alongside pastas (orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage. (357 Third St. between Third and Fourth Aves., 718-832-2700)

Italian mega-restaurateur Nino Selimaj continues to add to his burgeoning empire with Nino's 208. In case you're wondering: Nope, they're not serving a $1,000 pizza. (208 E. 58th St. near Second Ave., 212-750-7766)

Old-school ice cream parlor Lula's Sweet Apothecary gives sweet-toothed vegans a break, scooping up all-natural, homemade vegan ice cream, as well as vegan cakes and cookies from Brooklyn-based Red Mango Bakery. (516 E. Sixth St. betwen Avenue A and B)

British gastropub Houndstooth lands in the Garment District with a bi-level space filled with private bars and plasma TVs. In a few weeks, the kitchen will be serving up fare like steaks with blue cheese and mashed potatoes. (520 Eighth Ave.  at 37th St., 212-643-0034)

Lansky's Old World Deli promises exactly that on the Upper West Side: classic old-school standbys like stuffed cabbage, house-cured-pastrami sandwiches and corned beef. Plus: deep-fried hot dogs! (225 Columbus Ave. between 70th and 71st Sts., 212-787-0400)


Photo by Dan Peterson