New Restaurant And Bar Openings: From Full Spectrum Pizza To Crepes On A Roof
6 photos
<em>Noah Fecks</em><br/><br/><strong>900 Degrees:</strong> Self-proclaimed pizza aficionados Bruno DiFabio and Tony Gemignan (of the famed Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco) have given NYC another desperately-needed Napoletana-style pizza restaurant. But that's just for starters; 900 Degrees also specializes in Romana-style pizzas, which are made using a three day method known as "Poolish," in which the dough is made and allowed to set for two full days before being stretched and finished in the Italian brick oven. There are three to choose from on the menu, plus a variety of Americana-style pizzas, including the Lamb and Eucalyptus (free range New Zealand lamb, fresh marjoram, feta cheese and eucalyptus), and the 900 (fire-roasted pulled pork and tamarind, habenero and serrano peppers, citrus, tomato, agave nectar, cactus salsa and queso fresco). There are also Sicilian-style pizzas to choose from. <br/><br/>Depending on what kind of pizza you order, it will be made in either a customized 900-degree, wood-burning Cirigliano oven imported from Naples, Italy, or an Italian Cuppone brick oven. The New York tomato pies, in which the dough is made more flavorful by a process known as “biga," come out of the brick oven, as do the Americana and Sicilian pizzas. 900 Degrees seats about 60, with 7 seats surrounding the open kitchen. They've got seven beers on tap and a wine list made up of both Italian and California varietals, plus specialty cocktails. The Savanna, made with fresh mint, Bulleit bourbon, peach puree and crushed ice, sounds like just the thing right about now. <br/><br/><em>29 7th Avenue South, at Morton and Bedford Streets; (212) 989-9880 </em>
<p>Romana-style pizza served at 900 Degrees</p>
Crossbar: The former Limelight is moving towards a more department store-like approach, so naturally it needs its own version of David Burke who has an anchor restaurant at Bloomingdale's. Enter runaway groom and over-extended "celebrity" chef Todd English, whose latest "concept," CrossBar, just opened there. And what a scene it is? In what seems to be an effort to make the Catholic Church further regret selling off the building that once housed the infamous Limelight nightclub, the bi-level, 99-seat, CrossBar includes such loving touches as church pew seating, antique wrought iron lighting (meant to "evoke a warm, sexy atmosphere") and a giant onyx cross-shaped table for communal dining. It's the kind of place a late-'80s Madonna would have looked at home in.As for the food... The actual chef in the space—since this is an English "concept"—is Robert Rubba, an alum of English's restaurant Tuscany, who currently is focusing on a "head to tail" menu that goes from "puffed pigs' ears" to "pigs' tail pazole" to pork belly and octopus to popcorn (with bacon). And if you aren't kosher with eating pork or other meats, they've got a few veggie options for you. Well, they've got two salads, fries and a smoked eggplant dish. You can check out the whole menu for yourself here: (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })();47 20th Street, 212-359-5550
<em>John Del Signore/Gothamist</em><br/><br/><strong>Creperie: </strong>Le Bain, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/05/20/defy_the_rain_rapture_on_these_fres.php#photo-2">the hip rooftop bar with the spectacular views</a> atop the Standard Hotel, is getting into the crepe game. A recent visit revealed a little creperie tucked away in the corner of the roof's fake lawn, where you can delicately line your stomach with a variety of sweet and savory crepes. These range from Ham & Gruyere with Dijon ($7) to Dulce de Leche & Salted Walnuts ($7). Order as many as you like, but be sure to wait an hour before going swimming <a href="http://gothamist.com/2010/06/24/first_underlit_look_at_the_standard.php#photo-1">with the models</a>!<br/><br/><em>848 Washington Street</em>
<strong>Amorino: </strong>This European gelato chain, founded in France by two Italians who wanted to bring their beloved dessert further afield, opens its first American location today just south of Union Square. They <a href="http://www.amorino.com/en/our-philosophy/our-know-how">promise</a> to "make the highest quality ice cream as naturally as possible with no artificial colors or flavorings."<br/><br/>The gelato, in flavors like "cioccolato al latte di soia bio" (that's chocolate made with organic soy milk), salted caramel and passionfruit, is made with organic ingredients sourced from far-flung corners of the globe (Indian Alphonso mango, anyone?). It arrives served in a "petal" formation, with slivers of different flavors formed into a flower shape (pretty!), or, for the truly gluttonous, in focaccina form, which is basically a brioche-gelato sandwich. <br/><br/>To celebrate their grand opening, the gelateria is giving away <strong>free</strong> small cones today from 4-7 p.m., which should help combat some of the sticky weather we've been dealing with lately.<br/><br/><em>60 University Place, 212-253-5599</em>
<strong>Eighty-Four on Seventh: </strong>This casual West Village restaurant opened in March, but we never got around to mentioning it. Neither have we been there, but the press release warns customers, in bold, to<strong> "be prepared to be blown away"</strong>—so we're just letting you know so we don't wind up with blood on our hands. Run by the "stylish, willowy" Natalie Maroufi (formerly the manager of London’s 06 St Chad's Place), Eighty-Four on Seventh is intimate and relaxed, with windows that open to Seventh Avenue. We're told Maroufi's "warmth lights up the charming white brick and white tile restaurant," while Aaron Fitterman's cooking is "a revelation."<br/><br/>Entrees include a pan-toasted fennel gnocchi with pickled chanterelles, mint and pistachio pesto topped with whipped ricotta; pork loin with apricot relish and poppy seed spaetzle; and beer-brined brick chicken with smashed fingerling potatoes, Swiss chard and Vermouth jus. Again, the press release says this "takes comfort food to new heights." But what about the cruel Greek chorus <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/eightyfour-on-seventh-manhattan">that is Yelp</a>? Actually, there are quite a few gushing raves from Yelpers so far, too; assuming they weren't all ghost-written by the publicist, this place might be worth a spin. <br/><br/>84 7th Avenue (between Bleecker and Grove); (212) 255-7150