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New NYC Restaurant: No. 7

Tyler Kord, former chef at West Village celeb-sighting spot Perry Street, is bringing the fancy out to Brooklyn with No. 7, a sleek new bar-restaurant currently soft opening in Fort Greene.

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New NYC Restaurant: The Libertine

Of all the NYC neighborhoods we might grab a meal in, the financial district is probably the least likely. Aside from the whole crowded, loud and snotty thing, there's mostly just bland lunch counters and way overpriced expense account joints. When we've been stuck there before, we can hardly find a suitable spot for dinner.

That may have changed with the opening of The Libertine, a new dining room in the Gild Hall hotel from celeb chef Todd English. The book-lined, wood-paneled restaurant looks like the study in Clue, and the creative menu is just as comforting.

For brunch there's the "NY Bene," an unlikely but totally necessary combo of poached eggs and pastrami sandwich. Lunch brings the "Adult PB&J": almond butter and Cabernet jelly on whole grain bread, with a banana milk shake shot. There's also a raw bar, and dinner goes a little more traditional, with steak tartare and rack of lamb.

Related Stories:
· Gild Hall Hotel [Official Site]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]
· Gild Hall coverage [HC]

[Photo: The Libertine]

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New NYC Restaurant: Zorzi

New Yorkers pride themselves on the city's bounty of restaurants from just about every country on earth. So when opening a new NYC restaurant, it's no longer nearly enough to open a country-specific restaurant. Forget Mexican, think Oaxacan; instead of Spanish, try Basque. And clearly, just Italian doesn't cut it anymore--or even the old standby "Northern Italian."

Chef Marco Berto follows the rules at Zorzi, his new Venetian spot in Murray Hill, where you'd better not ask for fettuccine Alfredo. Berto's traditional menu is, as you might expect, heavy on the seafood, featuring dishes like salt cod risotto and stewed cuddlefish with grilled polenta.

The bi-level restaurant, which opened two weeks ago, features a sleek, steel-accented dining room and a full bar and lounge area serving up Italian cocktails and plenty of Prosecco--a Venetian standard we're thrilled to see on the wine list.

Related Stories:
· Zorzi [Official Site]
· New New York Restaurant coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Zorzi]

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New NYC Restaurant: Empanada Joe's

We usually don't get on board with chain restaurants, especially in New York, where nothing is a bigger food sin than eating at Pizza Hut instead of a local pizzeria or visiting Subway instead of a corner sandwich shop.

We're excited though, by Empanada Joe's, a new mini-chain setting up shop in Manhattan.

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New NYC Restaurant: Apiary

Sometimes new restaurants seem to get certain things just right, like the perfect appetizer or wine pairing, but screw up on the too-hard seats or the low lighting. This week we bring you a new restaurant panacea with Apiary, just opened in the East Village.

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New NYC Restaurant: Luxee

New York has no shortage of cute Japanese things, decadent desserts or hole-in-the-wall eateries. But there's no reason why we can't welcome a new place that combines all three.

Luxee, a dessert cafe that opened last week on the Lower East Side, offers tiny-but-over-the-top treats like vegan chocolate cake with avocado mousse, cherry and champagne.

The restaurant only has a few dishes out so far, but will be adding a full, Japanese-tinged dessert menu shortly, designed by a crew of chefs plucked from Tokyo culinary school L'ecole Vantan.

Related Stories:
· Luxee [Official Site]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Luxee]

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New NYC Restaurant: La Superior

New York is one of the country's best Mexican eating towns, but recent years have seen an onslaught of the type of Mexican restaurant we hate: overpriced, bland and Americanized. That's why we weren't too excited when we first heard there was a new Mexican joint coming to uber-hip Williamsburg.

La Superior has all the trappings of a less-than-superior NYC Mexican restaurant: It's set in the heart of a trendy neighborhood, it's open late-night for drunken partying and it rocks a faux-downtrodden exterior.

But La Superior comes with a pleasant catch: Genuine eats that make it all OK. The lengthy menu ranges from carne asada tacos for just $2.50 to Mexican classics like ezquites (corn kernels cooked with epazote leaves and served in fresh cheese, lime and mayo) and intriguing dishes that are new to us, such as torta ahogada (sourdough bread stuffed with "pork confit beans" and topped with extra-hot arbol sauce.)

The one drawback? No liquor license yet.

Related Stories:
· La Superior [Official Site]
· New New York Restaurants Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: JSlander]

New New York Restaurants / Restaurants / Bars / → All Tags

New NYC Restaurant: Whiskey Tavern

Belly up to the bar this summer at the just-opened Whiskey Tavern in Chinatown. Located in a spot between Bayard and Walker that's literally been serving alcohol to the locals since the 1940s, Whiskey Tavern is run by brothers George and Justin Ruotolo and feels like a friendly, family joint.

Drinks include tons of bottled and draft beers (name it and they have it) and also an extensive list of, yep, whiskey. Snacks include some solid bar fly standbys like burgers, egg sandwiches, wings, jalepeno poppers and Hostesses.

The decor feels old yet new, with booths to sidle into, a sand-covered floor and plenty of brass fixtures. An outdoor back patio with four communal picnic tables looks promising for the rest of the summer. Mix that with brunch on the weekends and the occasional rumored DJ on a Saturday night and we're sold.

Related Stories:
· Whiskey Tavern [Official Site]
· Whiskey Tavern [Thrillist]
· Whiskey Tavern, NYC [The Modern Age]

[Photo: The Modern Age]

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New NYC Restaurant: Convivio

Former Tudor City destination Italian spot L'Impero has just been re-invented as Convivio, a "neighborhood place" (if you happen to live in a super upscale 'hood) that's focused on Southern Italian fare.

The dining room's brighter and altogether hipper than before with red banquettes and cool retro-style chairs that go nicely with the eye-catching silver charger at each place. It's a little flashy for the locals we'd imagine, but something different than the standard.

The menu (served a la carte or as a $59 prix-fixe dinner) offers up treats like raw fava beans with caccicavalo cheese, buffalo mozzarella with sliced figs and rosemary oil and two main types of pasta. (Don't miss the spaghetti with pancetta, pecorino, egg and black pepper.)

There's a nice lunch prix fixe for just $49, as well as an impressive wine list and full bar. It's a nice spot to while away a summer afternoon over a long lunch, hidden from the craziness of Midtown right next door.

Related Stories:
· L'Impero Becomes Convivo [StrongBuzz]
· Convivio [NY Mag]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: NY Mag]

New New York Restaurants / Restaurants / Nightlife / → All Tags

New NYC Restaurant: Delicatessen

Only the hip and stylish need apply to eat and be seen at this week's pick, Delicatessen. Opening on the corner of Prince and Lafayette, Delicatessen will have service from breakfast straight through to late-night and dish up interesting menu items such as cheeseburger spring rolls and wonton-wrapped halibut tacos with kimchee sour cream, alongside standard deli standbys like matzo ball soup and pastrami.

The staff uniforms were designed by Charlotte Ronson and the interior features two bars as well as retractable stainless-steel garage doors opening onto the street. There will also be a "Macbar" in the fall that will offer 12 different varieties of mac and cheese.

Something tells us no one is going to actually be caught dead here for a real breakfast, but that late-night scene should be a rousing success.

Related Stories:
· Delicatessen [NYM]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

New New York Restaurants / Restaurants / → All Tags

New NYC Restaurant: James

Once upon a time--like three years ago--New York's trendy restaurant scene stopped at the East River. Today, it extends well into Brooklyn, with some of the city's most upscale eateries in Cobble Hill, Park Slope and Fort Greene.

The foodie conquest of Brooklyn continues to spread even further into the borough, with the latest high-end restaurant row popping up this year in Prospect Heights. The newest entry is James Restaurant, a homey dining room set in a 100-year-old brownstone on St. Marks and Carlton Aves.

The menu is "old-world European influenced," with the expected Brooklyn organic/locavore touches in dishes like crispy sweetbreads with rhubarb honey glaze and dandelion greens, grass-fed beef burger with Cotswold cheese and organic Pennsylvania greens with sherry and black pepper dressing.

Related Stories:
· James Restaurant [Official Site]
· To Die-orama For: Regressing in Prospect Heights [Jaunted]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: James Restaurant]

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New NYC Restaurant: The General Greene

This week's about comfort food: things like tomato braised pork meatballs with grilled bread, burgers with English cheddar, ham and Gruyere bread pudding. Take a break from the light salads and cold soups of summer and head to The General Greene, a new "farmhouse-meets-diner" in the buzzing Fort Green neighborhood of Brooklyn.

The General Greene's a step up from your corner spot, with homemade food, local brews and an owner who was the former pastry chef at Daniel. Prices are very reasonable; the burger is $11. And don't forget dessert: classics like warm chocolate chip cookies, lemon vanilla cheesecake and chocolate pudding are all here.

Hurry up and get there before it becomes everyone's regular Saturday spot.

Related Stories:
· The General Greene [StrongBuzz]
· New New York Restaurants coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Eater]