Off the Menu
The co-owner of Miriam opens Rafael, Brass enlists Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra, and more restaurant news.
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Opening
Kellogg’s Diner
The 1928 original, a classic of the genre, has been reborn. The restaurateur Louis Skibar has put Jackie Carnesi, formerly of Roberta’s and Nura in Greenpoint, in charge of the kitchen. (“I love diners,” said Mr. Skibar, whose portfolio includes a few.) At 37, Ms. Carnesi said she no longer had to prove her chops and could concentrate on a menu notable for approachability and affordability. At the same time, you’ll find herbed mayo and marinated tomatoes in the BLT; guajillo-braised short rib hash, a nod to Ms. Carnesi’s Texan roots; huevos rancheros; and nachos. A highlight on Amanda Perdomo’s dessert menu is strawberry pretzel salad. The design, an updated restoration, is by Nico Arze and Matthew Maddy. (Opens Friday)
518 Metropolitan Avenue (Union Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, kelloggsdinernyc.com.
Rafael
The chef Rafael Hasid brings Mediterranean and Middle Eastern to neighborhood settings. Having successfully planted Miriam in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and a sibling on the Upper West Side, he has now turned his attention to the Upper East Side. This time his name is on the awning; Miriam was for his mother. The townhouse space on several levels is simply done with pale wood, blue accents (a thing this year), some rough-hew stonework and Middle Eastern design touches. The repertoire of the executive chef, Francisco Da Silva Rosa includes shakshuka, Israeli chopped salad and lamb in a burger. (Opens Thursday)
917 Lexington Avenue (71st Street), 646-918-7971, rafaelues.com.
Brass
A challenge when opening a restaurant is the name. Here’s one that has been hiding in plain sight — clever for an American brasserie. The place in question is in the Evelyn Hotel in NoMad, where the entrepreneur Nick Hatsatouris has already opened the Tusk Bar. He has again enlisted Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske Valtierra as partners for a menu that talks brasserie with an American accent. Mussels with chickpea fritters, an onion tart in a buckwheat crust, Amish chicken rolled around a mousseline of herbs and truffles, and a profiterole masquerading as a banana split are what you’ll find in a room with a vintage piano centerpiece that will be put to use. (Thursday)
27 East 27th Street, 212-971-9746, brassny.com.
Corner Store
Michael Vignola, Catch Hospitality’s culinary director, and Paul Castro, the executive chef of this spot moving in to a space on the edge of SoHo once occupied by Dos Caminos, dress some American classics with luxury touches. Wagyu is in a French dip. A two-pound lobster is escorted by frites, and an apple hand pie comes encased in buttery shortbread. Drinks include martinis, like a sour cream and onion version served with dip and chips. A bar, two dining rooms done in green velvet and leather, and a glass-enclosed patio define the premises.
475 West Broadway (West Houston Street), 212-271-9240, thecornerstoresoho.com.
Dilly Dally
A white storefront and a red awning announce this newcomer to Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. There is a chef’s counter but the place is better defined by unpretentious fare like meatballs, lasagna, ravioli with sage, crackers and dip, Caesar salad, shrimp cocktail and crisp steelhead trout. Dave Patry’s goal is comfort and familiarity, and he is working with the culinary director Diego Moya, a chef with pedigree.
626 Vanderbilt Avenue (Prospect Place), Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, 646-481-0754, dillydallybk.com.
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