10 Downing
There are delays, there are delays, and then there's 10 Downing: the frantically blogged-about West Village spot that—through a perfect storm of construction and inspection snafus—saw its opening pushed back over a year. The restaurant has finally landed with executive chef Jason Neroni at the helm, working closely with consulting chef Katy Sparks on a Mediterranean-tinged American menu filled with dishes like squid-ink agnolotti and grilled lamb with feta, chickpea and Provencal herbs. "This menu is a collection of pretty much everything that I've ever done," Neroni says. "There's beets, there's a la plancha, there's a cocoa-bean soup. I think of food as music: harmony in notes." The bright, airy space serves as an art exhibit of sorts: Gallery owner Tracy Williams helps curate a selection of works from artists like Alex Katz and Lorna Simpson. (10 Downing St. at Sixth Ave., 212-255-0300)
Salumeria Rosi
Chef-owner Cesare Casella (Maremma) has a deviously selfish reason for opening this new Italian meat market and restaurant on the Upper West Side: "It's four blocks from my home!" he laughs, adding that because of the area's high concentration of gourmet stores like Fairway and Citarella, "it's easy for me to explain the quality of my product." And those products? Artisanal meats like pancetta, speck, coppa and, of course, salami, all available for takeout at the deli counter up front, or as small plates from the restaurant at back. On the menu: savory bites (Chianti-braised beef brisket), greens (roasted Brussels sprouts), plus a selection of Italian wines. And nope, you're not hallucinating: Old faves from the now-shuttered Maremma make a cameo, including Casella's wild-boar chocolate ragu. (283 Amsterdam Ave. at 73rd St., 212-877-4800)
Boqueria Soho
Like its namesake market and jamón mecca in Barcelona, a visit to this Spring Street spin-off of the popular Flatiron tapas spot is sensory surfeit—clanging glassware, sizzling sea creatures and an order of Ibérico. Chef Seamus Mullen, who also runs the kitchen at Suba, takes pride in the chaos. "The fun with Boqueria is that you do stand and wait," he says. "It's our way of forcing people to eat the way they do in Spain." And boy can the Spanish eat—and not just paella, thank you very much—with Mullen earning a following by serving the fruits (and pork) of the nation: classic tapas dishes like bacalao, croquettes and serrano, in concert with offbeat seasonal grub like truffled lamb sausage with lentils and hake tongue. (171 Spring St. at West Broadway, 212-343-4255)
At Vermilion
Salaam, amigo! It's an Indian-Latin melting pot at this NYC outpost of the popular, Chicago-based Vemilion restaurant, cooking up innovative fusion fare that reads like a giddy kitchen experiment gone good (if the Chicago menu is any indication). Think tapas like coconut-chili mussels and cilantro-tamarind shrimp, in tandem with entrees like tandoori with fried plantain chips and pico de gallo. At Vermilion soft-opens on Friday. (480 Lexington Ave. at 46th St., 212-871-6600)
Also open:
Williamsburg goes Greek at Santorini Grill, with traditional fare like chicken and pork gyros, souvlaki and dolmas, in addition to daily specials. (167 Grand St. at Bedford Ave., 718-388-3668)
Got milk? David Chang does...along with cakes, cookies, pies and soft-serve ice cream at Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar. Manning the ovens: Momofuku empire pastry chef Christina Tossi, who'll be baking up classics like banana cream pie, carrot cake and snickerdoodles. And because this is still Momofuku, you'll be able to get (surprise!) a pork-and-egg bun. (207 Second Ave. at 13th St., 212-228-0031)
Meatpacking District refugee The Hog Pit, which is being booted next month from its longtime digs due to rent hikes, has found a new asylum in the Flatiron District for its barbecued treats. The Meatpacking location will stay open until Dec. 25. (37B W. 26th St. between Sixth Ave. and Broadway, 212-213-4871)
A LES bike store owner is behind Boneshakers, a no-meat café in Williamsburg peddling Balthazar pastries and Gimme! Coffee brews, all while you check out the bikes that are on sale. (134 Kingsland Ave. at Beadel St., 718-963-0656)
Astoria wine bar Vesta shakes up the area's Greek stronghold with an affordable, all-Italian wine list and a food menu is packed with classics like orecchiette with house-made sausage and tomato basil sauce. (21-02 30th Ave. at 80th St., 718-545-5550)
The folks behind Serafina scratch their that south-of-the-border itch at Mañana, offering a mix of hoity-toity and downscale fare on the Upper East Side from a Gramercy Tavern alum. (27 E. 61st St. between Madison and Park Aves., 212-752-8900)
Additional reporting by Matt Rodbard. Photo by Dan Peterson.
