Gourmet Gossip: November 2015

In this great dining city of ours, barely a day passes without news of an exciting new restaurant opening, a devastating closing, a shocking chef shuffle, or a groundbreaking, must-try dish.  That’s why we’re keeping you apprised of the industry’s most noteworthy bits and bites, from Wolfgang Puck’s very first NYC-slated restaurant to Mike Solomonov’s upcoming debut in the Chelsea Market!

To Market, To Market: As if the food scene at Chelsea Market wasn’t worth braving the tourists for already, their newest tenant totally justifies an afternoon spent dodging selfie cams.  Two of Philadelphia’s biggest food stars — Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov — have a signed a lease on their very own kiosk, which will probably be an outpost of the Israeli-inspired Dizengoff.  Which means market visitors are in store for a rotating selection of top-notch hummus, paired with pickles, salads, and freshly baked pitas.

Lucky Puck: It’s hard to believe it’s taken Wolfgang Puck this long (30 years!) to set his sights on New York, but the energetic, Los Angeles-based Austrian is finally ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple.  A branch of his steakhouse chain, Cut, is headed for the revived Four Seasons hotel next summer, and is sure to become the ultimate power lunch spot for the hungry denizens of the Financial District.

Hot Dog: Bypassing Bill DeBlasio, Andrew Cuomo has just signed off on the bill allowing dogs to dine with their owners in outdoor spaces.  Of course, restaurants can still individually decide whether or not to admit canines into their al fresco areas, which will serve as an easy way for animal lovers like us to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Goodbye Ruby Foo’s: The behemoth, over-the-top Ruby Foo’s — BR Guest’s cornerstone restaurant — has closed without notice after 15 years.  The hospitality group itself has seen a fair amount of upheaval over the years, severing ties with original founder, Steve Hanson, and shuttering projects like Fiamma, Wildwood, and Primehouse, but the Pan-Asian fantasia is still a surprising loss for Times Square.

Sushi Standoff: David Bouhadana’s duo of esteemed restaurants — Sushi Dojo and Sushi Dojo Express — have both been closed by the DOH, over the temperature at which they keep their fish, and their staunch refusal to wear gloves.  But Bouhadana remains unrepentant, declaring that, “17 employees lost their jobs because the DOH has been harassing me for four months and threatening me for this issue.  I have 20+ of the best sushi chefs behind me and many more ready to bat for me.  We will solve this BS rule, a rule I don’t stand by.  Sushi is being ruined my gloves, freezing fish and more issues.”

How Sweet It Is: Since FiDi is food-blessed enough (see the upcoming Wolfgang Puck restaurant), we’re glad to see a larger part of the city is now benefiting from Maple — the gourmet delivery service backed by David Chang, with dishes conceived by chefs like Brooks Headley and Mark Ladner, and executed by longtime Le Bernardin alum, Soa Davies.  Now serving the West Village, Greenwich Village, Soho, Tribeca, Nolita and Little Italy, the expanding business has begun to offer green juices as well, in addition to desserts from Momofuku Milk Bar maven, Christina Tosi.