NEW York’s movers and shakers are streaming back into the city and gearing up for the fall social season, and there’s a clutch of hot new restaurants competing for their ever-harder-to-come-by dinner dollars.
This year, a number of restaurateurs opened their doors in late July or early August to make sure they were primed for the make-or-break September rush. Pulse has traveled from Park Avenue, with its spectacular new restaurant in the landmark Lever Building, to the wilds of Rivington Street on the Lower East Side to bring you a preview of Manhattan’s five most important new venues.
Lever House Restaurant
The Lever Building, 390 Park Ave. (entrance on 53rd Street between Park and Madison), (212) 888 2700
Owner: John McDonald (Merc Bar, Canteen) and Josh Pickard (Joe’s Bar, Fez)
Crowd: The “mediarati,” Midtown power brokers, fashionistas
Sightings: Martha Stewart, Donna Karan, Kal Ruttenstein (fashion director at Bloomingdale’s), Catherine Malandrino, Michael Kors, John Varvados, Kyle MacLachlan, Ron Lauder
Décor: Marc Newson-designed, $5 million interior that looks like the inside of a beehive, as befits New York’s best-connected queen and king bees. Hexagonal overhead lights, carpets and side booths.
Culinary style: Classic American with a side of French
Order: Lobster tails with corn beans and cherry tomatoes, wild Alaskan salmon, cote de boeuf for two. Drink anything the sommelier selects from the dazzling, 200-bottle wine list.
Dress code: If you want to fit in, Michael Kors and Manolo Blahniks. If you want to draw attention, scuffed tennis shoes and an “I survived the blackout” T-shirt will do nicely.
Accessory: Megabucks contract (to be signed over coffee)
Best table: The side booths for the shy and retiring, the raised platform at the end for the keen to be seen
Table talk: Your new novel/exhibition/job/salary
The bottom line: From $140 for two
How to get a reservation: Currently, you need to book more than two weeks in advance to avoid a late-night or (even worse) late-afternoon spot.
Schiller’s Liquor Bar
131 Rivington St. at Norfolk, (212) 260-4555
Owner: Keith McNally (Pastis) and his wife, Alina
Crowd: Lower East Side slackers and uptowners who want to be Lower East Side slackers
Sightings: Nicole Kidman on the opening night, Amanda Cutter Brooks (head designer at Tuleh)
Décor: Think Pastis/Balthazar-style artfully distressed mirrors. Subway tiles decorate both the interior and exterior walls. Pewter bar and painted metal chairs, which go nicely with the exposed pipework.
Culinary style: Eclectic continental menu with elements of German/Jewish and French cuisines.
Order: Rotisserie chicken, chopped liver mousse, wiener schnitzel with spaetzle. Wine comes in three grades: cheap, decent and good. Bottles are printed with No. 1, 2 or 3, accordingly.
Dress code: Whatever you feel like. Preponderance of label-free, extremely expensive Helmut Lang black T-shirts. Classic Adidas. Tweed cap for artistic cred.
Accessory: Advance issue of Visionaire magazine
Best table: Any – there are only 95 seats and everyone wants to eat there. Station yourself at the bar for pickups.
The bottom line: No dishes over $15, except steak frites; you could do a full date for $50.
How to get a reservation: They don’t take them. Diners seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Hue
91 Charles Street, at Bleecker Street, (212) 691-4170
Owner: Karim Amatullah (Halo) and Frank Prisinzano (Supper, Frank and L’il Frankie’s Pizza)
Crowd: Fashion pack with a smattering of neighborhood types
Sightings: Bridget Hall, Maggie Rizer, Serena Altschul, Skye Nellor, Aerin Lauder, Ben Elliot, Vicky Ward, Jeff Klein, Cynthia Rowley.
Décor: Feng shui-style space, all cool black marble and dark slate. Water wall at rear of downstairs eating area steals the show.
Culinary style: French Vietnamese and sushi
Order: “Two-way” duck, clay pot yellow curry chicken, “ginger-kissed” cod. Kick off with a Ginger Snap (fresh muddled ginger, raspberry puree, Stoli Raspberry, lime juice, triple sec, cranberry juice).
Dress code: Dior, Miu-Miu, Lacoste (for the men)
Accessory: Jelly Kelly purse (fake)
Best table: The booths on the right-hand side downstairs. Ask for table 133, or table 115 if you’re a couple.
The bottom line: $100 for two
How to get a reservation: Four days’ notice will get you a prime spot at a good time. Wait time likely to lengthen in fall.
Bread Tribeca
301 Church St. at Walker, (212) 334-8282
Owner: Luigi Comandatore (the original Bread, in NoLIta) and film director/restaurateur Bob Giraldi.
Crowd: Upscale tourists staying at the Tribeca Grand across the street, fans of the original Bread in NoLIta, neighborhood families
Sightings: Tom Brokaw, Duncan Sheik, Marisa Tomei
Décor: High ceilings, huge windows and a corner location make the space one of the best things about this restaurant.
Culinary style: Ligurian, an Italian region near Genoa
Order: Anything with home-made pesto, all the fresh pastas. Don’t miss the Liguria Maria, a sensational hand-muddled Bloody Mary variant.
Dress code: TriBeCa chic. Boys: tailored shirts (Duncan Quinn or Seize Sur Vignt). Girls: Think Carolyn Bessette Kennedy (Ralph Lauren blouse and snug-fitting Habitual jeans).
Accessory: Mercedes key-fob
Best table: Ask for the corner table – it seats from six to 10
The bottom line: $100 for two
How to get a reservation: A few days’ notice is all that’s required.
Choice
220 Park Ave. South at 18th Street, (212) 529-3111
Owner: Bobby Ochs, partner of Patrick Swayze in the Mulholland Drive Café and Britney Spears in Nyla. This time he’s going solo.
Crowd: Jaw-dropping, long-legged models from the nearby agencies, other restaurant staff and party people drawn in by the deejay and the availability of food and drink until 4 a.m.
Sightings: Lizzie Grubman (she’s the publicist)
Décor: Cavernous ceiling, glass stairs leading to the upstairs VIP area, cement bar
Culinary style: Modern American bistro
Order: Potato-wrapped salmon, smoked chili ribs and classic American cocktails; stingers, mint juleps, Rob Roys or Manhattans
Dress code: Relaxed but trendy, customized downtown T-shirts, anything from Charlotte Ronson
Accessory: Next season’s tweed Vuitton bag (pinched from a shoot)
Best table: The booths on the right downstairs, anywhere upstairs
The bottom line: $70 for two with wine
How to get a reservation: You can call ahead, but it’s cooler to just turn up and people-watch at the bar for half an hour.
Still want more? We hear these will all be significant additions to the New York restaurant scene in the coming months:
The return of Saint Ambroeus (Italian, West Fourth and Perry, October)
Megu (Japanese, Thomas Street between West Broadway and Church, fall)
The Biltmore Room (chef Gary Robins, Eighth Ave and 25th, September)
Sumile (Japanese, 154 W. 13th St., September)
Terre (French, Washington and 14th, October)
Zona Rosa (Mexican, West 56th Street, September)
5 Ninth (International, Five Ninth Ave, September)
Spice Market (Ninth Avenue, coming soon)
The AOL TimeWarner Centre (five restaurants at the company’s Columbus Circle HQ, February or March)
