Weekly Opening Report: The Week Of November 18, 2013
Every week, we take a look at some of the restaurants that have opened or will soon open across the country. Here's this week's roundup:
After shutting down due to a ruptured pipe, Greek restaurant Kefi in the Upper West Side is reopening Nov. 25 with an expanded bar area and redesigned staircase. Every day throughout December the restaurant will offer all-day happy-hour deals featuring $5 cocktails and $1 oysters.
The long-anticipated restaurant-club Louie and Chan is now open in Chinatown, according to a press release. The Italian restaurant boasts a wood-burning oven, a private dining parlor, a "subterranean Asian-inspired" cocktail room, and a music den, "The 303." The menu offers Italian specialties such as Neapolitan-inspired pizza, crusty panuozzi, house-made pasta, and fresh crudi.
Returning to Tribeca this December is Dylan Prime, combining its classic cuisine with a new focus on market-fresh game and seafood, according to a press release. Due to its remodel, the space now offers three private dining rooms, a Chef's Table, a raw bar, and a standout cocktail program. New dishes include buttermilk and pickle brined half roasted chicken, house-made charcuterie, and a brisket and short rib-blended burger, while old favorites such as New York strips, rib-eye, and filets are still on the menu.
Named for Barcelona's renowned food market, Boqueria is opening a third location in the Upper West Side, according to a press release, and will serve a seasonal menu of authentic tapas. Designed as a modern version of Barcelona's famed tapas bars, the new restaurant will maintain the same look and flavor of its other locations with a bar where chefs slice jamon Ibérico and other artisanal cured meats and cheeses to order and an open kitchen, where guests can watch chefs work the plancha and prepare signature dishes.
Midtown's sandwich cart, Toast Monster, which, until recently, served savory selections such as macaroni and cheese and grilled chicken Parmesan in sandwich form, now serves Japanese street food and has renamed itself Kaiju, the Japanese word for "sea monster." The cart's simple menu offers rice bowls with steak, chicken, fish, or vegetables for $6 and $7; rice balls wrapped in seaweed for $4 and $5; and miso soup for $3.
Wafels & Dinges opened its second brick-and-mortar location in Herald Square. The new location offers Liège Wafels, Savory Wafels, a full esspresso bar, ice cream, milk shakes and Belgian hot cocoa.
New Jersey
Marked by "earthy, satisfying fare" and delicious wine, Osteria's second location just opened in Moorestown Mall, according to a press release. Basing its menu on traditional Italian cuisine with a blend of American ingredients, the restaurant serves house-cured meat, handmade pasta, pizza, and meat, fish, and vegetable dishes.
California
From the team behind STREET, comes Mud Hen Tavern, which will open Dec. 7 in Los Angeles and feature seasonal, gourmet pub and comfort food. The restaurant's menu offers something for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans alike including green eggs and ham, pumpkin ravioli, and whisky maple-braised short ribs.
The Cravory, a cookie company offering 11 signature flavors of cookies with six new flavors every month, is expanding with its first brick-and-mortar cookie shop in San Diego as well as subscription-based cookie deliveries, according to a press release. Signature flavors include Birthday Cake, Lemon Bar, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Cinnamon Roll, PB Chocolate Truffle, and Caramel Eggnog.
A new Cheesecake Factory location will open in the spring of 2014 in Lenox Square, according to a press release. With more than 160 locations nationwide, the restaurant chain is known for its creative and innovative menu of more than 250 dishes, handmade with fresh ingredients.
Opening in the University City neighborhood on Dec. 6, The Fat Ham offers a "pork-centric" menu that draws from Southern country cooking with twists on classic dishes, according to a press release. Items include shrimp and grits with country ham and scallion and baked macaroni and cheese with a potato chip crust.
Houston's first Korean-inspired restaurant, Nara, just opened, according to a press release. Korean-born chef and owner Donald Chang offers an authentic Korean dining experience mixed with Japanese cuisine, based on Chang's culinary training in both countries' cuisines.