All stories about "Eater Inside"

Eater Inside: Matsugen

Krieger, 6/26/08

By now you probably know about Matsugen, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's soba house run by the Japanese Matsuhita brothers. What you probably don't know though, unless you've been there, is what this baby looks like inside. So here we present Matsugen's lounge with a lovely little bar and a long communal table and a main dining room with the somewhat minimalist individual set ups and 66's famed fish tank (tank not pictured). All in, it's not the most exciting design we've seen, but it's clean and it seems to fit the theme of the place.

As for a judgment on the food, we've got a sampling of what the common joes think here. With the name behind it, the ambition of the project (claiming to bring the first 'truly authentic and refined' soba to the city), and the somewhat curiously low-key opening, we're sure Bruni and Platt already have their resys if they haven't been by already. So stay tuned. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: James

Krieger, 6/23/08

Opening up in the old Sorrel space tonight, we present James, a little Prospect Heights stunner from Bryan Calvert (former chef at Union Pacific and Bouley) and his wife Deborah Williamson. As seems to be de rigueur with any halfway ambitious new restaurant these days, James has pressed tin ceilings, exposed brickwork, a sleek dark wooden bar, and some designer chandeliers. As for the food, the owners say it will be a "a seasonal-American restaurant with old-world European influences," and of course they're offering an gussied up cocktail list. We're not expecting any critics to trek out here just yet (though remember Richman hearts Brooklyn), but it will most likely be an immediate hit in the neighborhood. Further reading here and on the official site.

Eater Inside: 5 Napkin Burger

Krieger, 6/22/08

Located in the former Jezebel space on 45th and 9th Ave., plywood vet 5 Napkin Burger finally opened to the public last week. Brought to us by the creators of the Upper West Side's Nice Matin, this is a bit of a spin off restaurant, devoted to one of NM's prized dishes, their 10oz burger.

As far as the space goes, it's sizable, open, and has some interesting flourishes like subway tiles on the walls and meat hooks hanging from the ceiling— Kobe Club meets Pizzeria Uno. The menu, from Andy d’Amico of Marseille and Nizza, features a number of $12-15 burgers, some typical meat-centric entrees (ribs, steak, lemon chicken), the obligatory schmancy cocktail list, and naturally sushi and maki rolls. So far the early reviews have been mixed, but (vitally) it has recieved praise for its signature dish. Since it's a new burger-centric joint, we guarantee you that more Yelpers, Chowhounders, and food bloggers will chime in to review, so stay tuned. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Forge

Sam Horine, 6/17/08

What you are looking at here is not a distant cousin of the EU or Stanton Social or any other AvroKO beauty, though it'd be right to make that assumption. The custom made glass, reclaimed wood, and "vintage, well worn feel" (says the press release) that you'll find at the two day-old Tribeca restaurant Forge are from the designers of Rayuela over on the LES. No matter— she's a pretty one. That and the fact that the name behind this place, Forgione, carries some weight means Forge could be a big success in Tribeca, depending on the price point and the early reviews.

The chef, the menu, up next.>>

Eater Inside: Clover Club

Krieger, 6/17/08

The beauty right here is the very highly anticipated cocktail lounge Clover Club from Julie Reiner, Michael Brais, and Sue Fedroff. Neighborhood types in the BoCoCa area and cocktail obsessives across the city have been eying the plywood and the signage on this place for months, salivating for its prospective arrival. They finally got what they wished for, and from what was offered at the opening party last night, the place will be just as good as everyone hoped it would be.

Pressed tin ceilings in the front room give way to mirrored ceilings in the back, and both spaces are adorned with dark wood floors and vintage-papered walls. The ambiance is clubby and a bit swank with oriental carpets, chandeliers, and finely upholstered sofas aplenty along with a bonus 1890's mahogany bar. They'll be serving a menu of small plates and as far as cocktails are concerned they've got all the sours, highballs, fizzes, cobblers, royales and swizzles you could ever want. But we'll wait for the spirits hounds to pass judgment on the mixologists—we can pretty much guarantee you they'll be hopping on the F train en mass to try the place out before the week is out. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside Rooftop Edition: Mad 46 & Empire Hotel

Sam Horine, 6/13/08

Since summer is really hitting its stride we present an Eater Inside double whammy: the two new rooftop bars atop the Roosevelt Hotel and the Empire Hotel. The Empire Hotel's roof opened ten days ago, is 8,000 square feet, and is backed by restaurateur extraordinaire Jeffrey Chodorow, though it lacks his usual design flourishes. Meanwhile, about 20 or so blocks to the southeast, Mad 46 sits atop the Roosevelt Hotel, opened up a week ago, and already has a mixed review up on DBTH. While Empire's roof looks a bit more spacious, Mad 46 will benefit from its location right in the thick of Midtown. However, we're going to predict that both will fill up with the after work crowds willing to shell out $14 for martinis in exchange for the breezes and views.
· Thursday Opening Report: Empire Rooftop Bar [~E~]
· InstaReview: Mad 46 [DBTH]

Eater Inside: Sheridan Square

Krieger, 5/28/08

This little number above with the funny red lamps and the schmancy table settings is the West Village's newest addition, Sheridan Square. From Biltmore Room chef Gary Robins, this place has been long in the making and has been a point of curiosity for folks in the neighborhood for quite awhile. The space, next to the shuttered/"renovating" Tasca, sat in plywood stages for the better part of a year when it was set to debut as Central Kitchen. Luckily its newest iteration has actually served some customers and holds its god honest official opening tonight (it's been in previews for a week).

So what's on the menu? The specialty here is supposedly the meats and whole fish cooked in Robins' cherrywood-burning oven and his grill outfitted with "antique wood chips". Hate to say it, but the price point ($24-39 for entrees and apps hovering in the high teens) here makes us want to Deathwatch this sucker ASAP. But we'll be patient. We're sure the amateurs will be filing reports in no time and one or two critics might stop by because of Robins' background and the saga of the space itself. Until then, further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Scarpetta

Krieger, 5/10/08

What we have here is Scarpetta, the highly anticipated project from Scott Conant, the former chef of Alto and L'Impero, opening tomorrow night. Formerly Gin Lane, the space has been gutted and totally redone as a rustic Italian dining room with an attached patio and cafe. The roof over the 70 seat main room is, of course, retractable, and according to press materials, the overall design reflects Conant's "honest and personal approach" to Italian cuisine.

But what of that cuisine? It's Italian, it's seasonal, but most importantly, it's from Scott Conant. The man can do no wrong in this town, so we're going to bet on some positive feedback. Since it opens tomorrow, we expect the first Chowhound post to be up by Wednesday and preliminary critic visits by next week. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Song 7.2 Opens in Under 5 Days!!

This moment, five days in the making, is one you know we've all been waiting for: Song 7.2 is now officially open in the old American Grill/Go! Go! Curry space. How could they open a restaurant so quickly you ask? Easy, just don't change anything decor-wise except the signage in the window, implant a new menu and a new chef, and doneski. Makes you wonder why everyone else takes so long.
· The Plywood Record Turnaround Edition: Song 7.2 [~E~]
· The Shutter: American Grill/Go! Go! Curry [~E~]

Eater Inside: Savarona

Krieger, 5/1/08

This right here is Savarona, a new Midtown Turkish restaurant that opened after a two month long delay last week. The chef here is Tevfik Alparslan, who has worked at La Tour d’Argent and Gordon Ramsay. His food is decidedly upscale, but probably something residents of Sutton Place haven't seen before in the area. The pared down design comes from David Howell, someone known more for his retail concepts than restaurant spaces.

As for the early word, there really isn't any besides one Citysearch user review citing the food and service as uneven. We'll have to wait for those Midtown East residents to try it out and get on the Chowhound. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Elizabeth

Ed Stern, 4/30/08

What you are looking at here is Elizabeth, the week-old restaurant in the old Rialto space on Elizabeth and Prince. The owners are the same but the architect is new, as is the consultant, the always popular Doug Psaltis (though we're guessing his involvement ended with the creation of the menu). The full time chef is ex-Country man John Iconomou. Like its predecessor, the backyard here is a major selling point, and it could help to draw in the early fans in the upcoming warm months.

To the brass tacks: the banquettes are leather, the bar, marble, and the menu, rife with small plates. Cocktails also seem to get a heavy emphasis, as is the norm these days. With its location and that backyard, all they have to do to bring in the people is serve some decent food. But that's probably what people said about Rialto, and the early word isn't great so far. They better smooth out the kinks before the gorgeous May weather hits. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Arlo and Esme

Adam Haas

Here we have Arlo and Esme, the almost two week-old bi-level coffee shop and bar on East 1st St. The owner emailed us back when it was soft opening to tell us it would be a 'coffee geek's' cafe/'speakeasy' bar. Naturally, we had our doubts. However, an East Village correspondent informs us, as do the pictures, that it's not as dire as we thought. The coffee shop on the ground floor looks inviting with its open windows and clean design, and they've got the requisite free wifi and brand name coffee.

As for the basement, it could go either way. The space has some definite draws: exposed brick, a pool table, and a Mrs. Pacman machine. And in that neighborhood, it seems like people stream into any open space with a liquor license that they can find. But we'll have to wait to hear about the vibe, the crowd, and the cocktails. There's a potential there for sure. Further reading here and here

Eater Inside: I Sodi

Krieger, 3/28/08

Here we have I Sodi, the month-old West Village spot on Christopher owned by former Calvin Klein Jeans exec Rita Sodi. Ms. Sodi is a native Italian and her chef, Michael Genardini, used to cook at L'Impero and Alto. What results from their partnership is a simple neighborhood spot serving up some straightforward but well executed Italian dishes. The look here, created by Sodi's business partner, is sleek but inviting with handmade leather banquets and hand picked accents.

As for the early word, the opening was covered by all the usual suspects, but there haven't been many follow up reports. NYC Nosh stopped by and gave it a rave, and from what we hear the neighborhood folks are big fans. Yet, so far it hasn't become a destination restaurant like some of its competitors in the West Village. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Bar Milano

Krieger, 4/10/08

Here we have Jason and Joe Denton's long awaiting Grammury restaurant Bar Milano, which opened at 7am this morning. Hoping to do to 24th and 3rd Ave what they did to the LES and the West Village with 'inoteca and 'ino and Greenwich Village with Lupa, the Dentons set out to make it a higher end 'neighborhood spot' and placed a heavy focus on the design details. According to a report from a private party there last week, the brothers hand picked those marble slabs you see on the walls during a trip to Italy's Emilia Romagna.

As for the menu, the focus for the cuisine and the wine list is Northern Italian with some modern flair (specialty cocktails). The co-chefs Steve Connaughton of Lupa and Eric Kleinman, chef and partner at ’inoteca, will be serving up more "refined" and mostly likely pricier fare than what they created at their former restaurants while an on site pastry chef makes all the bread, bread crumbs, and a line of inventive desserts. The Times, NYMag, and all the usual email newsletters have announced the arrival, and Lupa/'inoteca fans are already planning their visits, so expect the place to attract the early crowds. Further reading here, and the breakfast and dinner menus from Thrillist here and here.

Eater Inside: Weather Up

Krieger, 3/28/08

What you see here is Weather Up, the Prospect Heights high-end cocktail bar owned by Kathryn Weatherup, an original partner in East Side Company Bar, with Sasha Petraske of Milk & Honey fame as a consultant. It's pretty, it's pricey, and it's not a place for a vodka tonic. Designed in a 'speak easy' style but functioning as a normal cocktail bar (you don't need to wait or call a special number to get in), the place has a tiled ceiling, an eight-seater bar, and a number of dimly lit corners. It also packs the people in, especially on weekends where early adopters have complained of long waits.

Reviews on the place so far from the regulars over at Yelp and Brooklynian are giving the place a mixed bag. On the one hand, regulars love having high-end cocktails in the nabe. On the other hand, there have been reports of long waits for drinks and an inconsistent product. Yet in the end, the posters seem in a agreement that it's a welcome addition to the neighborhood whether it will attract the cocktail hounds from the rest of the city or not. Further reading here and here.

Eater Inside: Ippudo

Krieger, 3/20/08

Yesterday marked the official opening day for the first New York branch of the famous Japanese ramen chain, Ippudo. Anticipation has been running high for this one, and the press preview (see the full gallery) attracted no less than eight major Japanese media outlets. Chances are if you are a real ramen fanatic, you went already in the restaurant's soft opening stages. If you haven't been yet, know that the early reports have been mostly glowing, especially among the city's pork lovers (Andrea Strong called the ramen "liquid pig").

Here's the breakdown. There are two dining rooms, a sake bar, an open kitchen for non-ramen dishes, and an open ramen bar. As is the trend these days, they've got a communal table and some more intimate numbers in the back. And as for food, the main draw here of course is the ramen, which features homemade noodles, broth made from bones cooked for over 15 hours, and the customary slabs of pork and cabbage. By the looks of the early reports, the media buzz, and the general design, this place is going to be something. Major papers: dispatch your Underground Gourmets, your $25 and Unders, and maybe even you fat cat big timers down to the EVill. Further reading here and here.

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