Nirvana
Multi-regional Indian cuisine is the inspiration behind this swanky bi-level spot right off Grand Central, but the passage to India stops at the plate: The space itself—mod furniture, quasi-psychedelic wallpaper—ditches the stereotypes. "At most Indian restaurants, there's a lot of statues—it's Indian, Indian," says Mumbai-born co-owner Anil Amin, previously of Darbar. "We wanted to try something new." On the menu: bites like rabbit stew in coconut sauce and rum-marinated venison chops. On weekdays, the restaurant lures Midtown workers with its sleek first-floor lounge; on weekends, it woos the brunch crowd with refreshingly un-omelet-ish options like panipuri (traditional fried bread), plus unlimited Screwdrivers and Bloody Marys. (346 Lexington Ave. between 39th and 40th Sts., 212-983-0000)
The Oak Room
After shuttering in 2005 for renovations, The Plaza's Hotel's storied Oak Room is back in grand fashion, pimping out its lovingly restored digs, as well as a new direction: The restaurant is managed separately from the hotel by Joey Allaham (Prime Grill), and he's brought onboard a culinary biggie—award-winning Atlanta chef Joël Antunés. Antunés has devised a market-driven American menu that changes daily: think dry-aged rib eye with twice-cooked potatoes and shallot sauce, and roasted dover sole filet in brown butter. But will the chef be foraging nearby Central Park for fresh herbs? "Um, not yet," says Antunés, laughing after an awkward pause. "There are so many amazing food purveyors in New York. The good ingredients are easy to find." Opens Nov. 13. (The Plaza Hotel, 10 Central Park S. at Fifth Ave., 212-758-7777)
Daruma
Yakitori goes Mini-Me at this teeny sliver of a restaurant, with its tight counter-like seating (a la Momofuku Ko) and three tables at back. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in menu selection: Over a dozen skewered items are on hand, from grilled squid balls to grilled shrimp-and-pork shumai to chicken tenders. (Everything is cooked on a coal grill and doused with a secret Japanese sauce.) Go ahead, load up all you want: Each yakitori stick goes for a recession-friendly $2. (227 Mott St. between Prince and Spring Sts., 212-219-9288)
Vero Panini & Wine Bar
Uptown wine nook Vero has spun off a Midtown location, this one with double the space and an expanded wine program: Over 120 globe-trotting bottles are available—40 of them by the glass—spanning New Zealand to South Africa. It's also got a stronger fine-dining focus than its uptown sibling, with shareable plates both big and small that reflect a "world eclectic" palate, a manager says. Translation: short-rib tacos, veal meatballs and mussels in a curry-coconut broth. (1004 Second Ave. at 53rd St., 212-935-3530)
Also open:
Quick: one guess as to what the specialty is at Mediterranean spot Hummus Kitchen, in Hell's Kitchen. (768 Ninth Ave. between 51st and 52nd St.)
From the owners of Park Slope fave Barrio comes Cabana Bar, offering up palm trees, a tiki-style bar, Latin-inspired food (like oyster empanadas and rum-glazed shrimp) and plenty of comfortingly cheesy island drinks, like strawberry margaritas and Cabatinis. (648 President St. at Fifth Ave., 718-399-2161)
Century-old meat purveyor Ottomanelli Brothers expands their family of Italian-American restaurants with Ottomanelli Bros. NY Grill & BBQ in East Harlem. (1235 Fifth Ave. at 111th St.)
The Murray's cheese guys move from stinky to charcuterie with Murray's Real Salami, in Grand Central's market, offering up sausages, rillettes and other pork'd out goodies perfect for a quick snack on that train ride. (Grand Central Station Market, 42nd St., 212-867-7202)
Paris-based chocolatier La Maison du Chocolat opens a third location, this one located at—eep!—Wall Street. Nothing like a sugar high to make you forget those Dow lows. (63 Wall St. between Hanover and Pearl Sts., 212-952-1123)
Coming up:
After weathering more delays than a JFK flight terminal, Jason Neroni–helmed seasonal spot 10 Downing is finally gearing up to open to the public on Nov. 12. Which means we can finally pull it off our shortlist of restaurants for our fall 2009 preview.
Additional reporting by Matt Rodbard and Edith Zimmerman. Photo by Dan Peterson.
