Txikito
The name may be a tongue-twister (it's pronounced chee-KEE-toh), but the food is as fluent as it gets: Basque cuisine is the inspiration for Tia Pol vets Alex Raij and hubby Eder Montero (himself Basque), who bring the region's aggressive flavors and austere cooking techniques to Chelsea. "People don't really have much of a vocabulary," Raij says about the breadth of appreciation of Spanish food in NYC. "There's more Michelin stars in the Basque country than any other concentration in the rest of the world." Like Tia Pol, tapas are the focus here, giving a shout-out to the region's affinity for cod (there are three versions, including one poached in olive oil and garlic), along with canapés (chorizo-hash sandwich) and cold items (mussels with piquillo puree). Plus, of course, Basque wine. The narrow space, inspired by a Basque farmhouse, features reclaimed barnwood that creeps up the walls and ceiling. (240 Ninth Ave. between 24th and 25th Sts., 212-242-4730)
B Café West
Brussels sprouts on the Upper West Side via this beer-centric Belgian bistro, a spin-off of B Café on the Upper East Side. About 60 beers are available (11 of them draft), along with a range of bites like Flemish beef stew, chicken vol au vent (a kind of chicken-stuffed pastry) and—hey, this is Belgium—mussels, mussels, mussels. And if your can't say "Belgium" without blurting out "waffles," they've got that too, although—the restaurant's manager is quick to point out—"they're rectangular in shape," which ups the authenticity quotient. (566 Amsterdam Ave. between 87th and 88th Sts., 212-873-1800)
Zé Café
Nope, we aren't running down the café alphabet this week (see: B Café, above). This one, a French-Italian spot with American touches, a comes from a husband-and-wife florist team who moved their flower shop around the corner and transformed the old space—a converted carriage house—into an earthy, elegant dining room filled with reclaimed wood dating back to the 1800s. Dig in to dishes like coq au Riesling with mustard seed spaetzle and a "vegetable burger" with shallot gastrique and aged Gruyere. (The owners even uses eggs from their upstate farm in the omelets here.) Natch, flora is overriding them here, from the bouquet arrangements to the wall paintings, the blossoms in the soup to the wine's floral notes. (398 E. 52nd St. at First Ave., 212-758-1944)
Flex Mussels
This Upper East Side mussels specialist originates on Prince Edward Island, where owners Bobby and Laura Shapiro run two seasonal restaurants specializing in the local sea bounty. Twenty-three flavor combinations are available to send these PEI-born mollusks ($16–$18 per pound, or five for $5) to all corners of the globe. Classic (white wine and butter) and Negril (jerk) are pretty straightforward preparations. Not so, the Dubliner (Guinness, toasted walnuts, caramelized onions) or Southern (bourbon, mustard, roasted corn, country ham, cream). A "not mussels" menu includes crab cakes, chowder and a lobster roll boasting three mayos. "Most people think we're a gym," says Laura of her restaurant's "clever play on words." Get it: a flexible menu of mussels? They're gonna pump you up. (174 E. 82nd St. between Lexington and Third Aves., 212-717-7772)
Also open:
It ain't all-you-can-eat meat, but Financial District Brazilian grill Mr. Skewer & Co.—sis spot to the location right off Union Square—pumps out fast-food meat with dishes like marinated mini-sirloin steaks and...cheesesteak. (325 Broadway between Thomas and Worth Sts., 212-513-0505)
Ditch the kinky thoughts: Naughty-sounding Chelsea newcomer Il Bordello satisfies comestible, rather than carnal, appetites with Mediterranean fare like Tunisian stuffed peppers and whole red snapper. (470 W. 23rd St. between Ninth and Tenth Aves., 212-206-9065)
French food with an African touch is on the menu at Ponty Bistro in Gramercy, where a Senegalese born chef (and Jean-Georges alum) uses his mother's recipes to give steaks a dusting of African spices. (218 Third Ave. between 18th and 19th Sts., 212-777-1616)
"Seasonal" and "sustainable" are the buzzwords at Vinegar Hill House, offering countyside-ish fare like roasted butternut squash tart and lamb shoulder. (72 Hudson Ave. at Water St., 718-522-1018)
By-the-book French bistro Brasserie Athinee keeps tourists and theatergoers well-fed in the Theater District with the usual Gallic suspects: steak tartare, steak frites, sweetbreads. (300 W. 46th St. at Eighth Ave., 212-399-1100)
No need to guess what's in store at Simply Fondue, which bubbles up in Glendale, Queens: $45 gets you a salad, cheese fondue, a main course and a chocolate fondue nightcap. (80-00 Cooper Ave. at 80th St., 718-416-3755)
Upscale Italian pizzeria Aperitivo slices ‘em up in Midtown East—all done in a sleek, modern space that kills any trattoria clichés. (780 Third Ave. at 48th St., 212-758-9402)
Mega-chophouse chain Morton's opens its second location in downtown Brooklyn, a bold move in The Land of Peter Luger. (339 Adams St. at Joralemon St., 718-596-2700)
Photo by Dan Peterson
