Gourmet Gossip: August 2016

In this great dining city of ours, barely a day passes without news of an exciting 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 a surprising switcheroo at All’Onda, to David Chang’s bleeding veggie burger.

Impossible Dream: Multiple chefs have sought to up the crave-factor of veggie burgers — think Del Posto’s Brooks Headley, who accents his convincingly textured grain patties with iceberg lettuce, muenster cheese, Martin’s buns and mustard.  But David Chang is the first to draw on the hamburger’s unambiguously carnivorous appeal; launching a version at Nishi that actually bleeds.  Instantly drawing Fuku-style lines to his newest restaurant (which garnered a lukewarm response from critics), the totally plant-based creation promises to be the future of meat; mimicking the look, smell and taste of ground beef, but requiring only a fraction of its natural resources to produce.

All’Onda Alley-Oop: Unlike his sushi burrito spot, Uma Temakaria, Chris Jaeckle’s All’Onda has reliably received across-the-board acclaim.  But (also in contrast to his fast-casual mini-franchise), his Venetian fine dining eatery has had a tough time drawing regulars, with most people flocking to the laid-back bar downstairs.  Which is why the team has decided to serve an expanded roster of informal bites on the ground floor (think Calabrian chili-spiced chicken wings and meatball-mozzarella panini), and transform the dining room into a carefree drinking spot as well to better showcase their impressive, Northern Italian-leaning wine list.

Burke Bounces Back: Cheesecake lollipop-loving chef, David Burke, has been embroiled in legal battles since parting ways with his hospitality group some years back.  But as the leases start to expire on spots he lost in the divorce (such as David Burke in Bloomingdales and David Burke Kitchen), and the license to use his own name comes due, Burke and longtime partner Jimmy Haber are looking to reclaim what’s theirs; already repossessing Fishtail (which will open as Tavern 62 this fall), with an eye on taking over a number of other properties, including bankrupted locations in Aspen.

Eataly Advances: The World Trade Center is officially home to NYC’s second branch of Eataly, except the downtown outpost of the Italian megastore features a very specific focus — Bread.  Slated to open on August 11th, the Batali-Bastianich juggernaut irrefutably proves that the gluten-free craze is on the outs, boasting an on-site bakery, a pasticceria, a freshly made pasta station, and a counter specializing in piadina; thin, filled flatbread sandwiches.

Liquor License: It’s the end of Resto as we know it.  Owner Christian Pappanicholas has announced that he’s closing the 9-year-old nose-to-tail destination, and relaunching it as Cannibal Liquor House this fall.  Expanding on a growing brand that includes next-door neighbor, Cannibal Butcher & Beer, the establishment will place extra emphasis on cocktails, to complement all-American eats such as oysters, hamburgers and steaks.

Free Bird: The Japanese duo behind Harlem’s highly respected Mountain Bird have flown the coop to the West Village, in order to launch a shellfish-focused follow-up called Seabird, with Mezetto restaurateurs Bahr Rapaport and Alon Moskovitch.  Styled like a French bistro, it puts an under-the-sea (and frequently Asian) spin on brasserie classics, such as Bouillabaisse Soup with dumplings and saffron aioli, a Lobster Roll Thermidor tossed in béarnaise sauce, and Salmon Tartare (i.e. poke) folded with avocado, seaweed and dill.