Off the Menu: Babbo Reopens With Mark Ladner at the Helm
Jean-Georges Vongerichten opens a new Abc flagship in Brooklyn, an elegant cocktail bar on the Lower East Side, and more food news.
Opening
Babbo
The Greenwich Village townhouse that was the Coach House for 44 years, serving black bean soup, lamb chops and pecan pie, before it became Mario Batali’s Babbo, is up and cooking again. The prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr has taken it over and placed Mark Ladner in charge of the kitchen. Once a chef on the defunct Batali-Bastianich roster and now the executive chef at the rebooted Babbo, Mr. Ladner is serving tours de force like a minestrone that needs 49 days to mature, a 100-layer lasagna and crudos presented in Venetian glass. Tizzy Beck runs the show. The two-story space conveys old-school elegance. (Opens Monday)
110 Waverly Place (Avenue of the Americas), 212-777-0303, babbonyc.com.
ABC Kitchens
Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s trifecta at Union Square — Abc Kitchen, AbcV for vegetarian and Abc Cocina for Latin American-inspired fare — have linked arms and crossed over to Brooklyn. The menu combines them all with dishes like crab toast, avocado lettuce cups, mushroom pizza, pork tacos, dosas and ice cream cones. There’s an inner room set off by a stained glass panel with vintage glassware for sale; and seating is indoors and out. The space is an eclectic mix. (Opens Thursday)
55 Water Street (Old Dock Street), Dumbo, Brooklyn, 718-586-5027, abckitchensdumbo.com.
Armada
A Lower East Side cocktail bar that’s more elegant than it needs to be takes a simple, time-honored route when it comes to the snacks you might crave with that Manhattan. They’re the work of Brett Regot, a food stylist. Choices like well-seasoned deviled eggs topped with bacon, and pimento cheese served with Ritz crackers dressed with Old Bay seasoning and butter give you some idea. armadanyc.com.
Park Rose
A menu of all-day Italian, including Roman-style pizzas and other staples of the cuisine, is a sensible and appealing choice from Renwick Hospitality for this hotel restaurant. It’s run by the company’s managing partner, Gary Wallach, and corporate chef, Carsten Johannsen. Seed Library, the hotel’s cocktail bar run by Mr Lyan, is to open next month.
Hotel Park Ave, 444 Park Avenue South (30th Street),parkrosenyc.com.
Thé de Renoir
Afternoon tea in the Morgan Café is themed with the current exhibit about Renoir. It comes with all the proper fixings for $88 and serves two, through Feb. 8.
The Morgan Café, Morgan Library & Museum, 225 Madison Avenue (37th Street), 212-685-0008, ext. 589, themorgan.org.
Branches
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés
Having recently opened a Basque steakhouse in Hudson Yards, the chef José Andrés isn’t done with meat in New York. He’s adding this restaurant, one of several across the country, serving wood-fired meats with an emphasis on Wagyu and Kobe, domestic and imported, and on large-format cuts. There will be a five-course tasting menu.
Ritz Carlton New York, 25 West 28th Street, 212-804-9070, thebazaar.com/new-york.
Santo Taco Union Square
After a resounding debut in SoHo last spring, this second location follows the same playbook of carefully crafted tortillas and fillings in a larger space. New to the menu are wild shrimp with salsa macha and soon, alcohol.
94 University Place (12th Street),eatsantotaco.com.
Chefs on the Move
Michael Lomonaco
The chef, who had been the executive chef at Porter House at Columbus Circle until its closure last month, is taking the reins of the Brasserie Cognac restaurants as culinary director, with the newest set to open on Fifth Avenue across from the New York Public Library. Mr. Lomonaco, who was French-trained but has worked in more American venues like the “21” Club, said he plans to add some American touches to the menu. “I want to do a crab cake,” he said. Fabio Granato and Vittorio Assaf, owners of the Serafina group, the parent company, are opening the restaurant next month.
Ann Thanthicha Piwatsuwan, Tantai Khantachavana
BKK New York, a Midtown West spot for Thai-style street food items like fried calamari and short rib massaman has a new chef, Ann Thanthicha Piwatsuwan, an alum of Wayla on the Lower East Side. She’s joined by Mr. Khantachavana, who goes by Tan and was at Mermaid Inn, and who is now creating drinks.
Angela Zeng
When the new club, Moss, opens near Bryant Park next month, the chef in charge will be Ms. Zeng, who was previously at Frenchette and Lilia.
Shopping
Red Onion Chutney Babka
This babka, new to the lineup at Breads Bakery, was inspired by “Padma’s All America,” the new book by Padma Lakshmi. The babka features Ms. Lakshmi’s red onion chutney, Brie and Kashmiri chiles woven throughout its typically buttery loaf, $17.95, two for $31.
Breads Bakery through Nov. 13, and breadsbakery.com for nationwide shipping.
Pan de Muerto al Grill
Cuerno, the Rockefeller Center Mexican steakhouse, is a new source for the commemorative decorated bread that marks the celebration of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Nov. 1 and 2. Light as brioche, the breads are on the small side, serving one or two. In the restaurant they get a flash of grill, are filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with guava jam, dulce de leche and chopped pecans ($16). They’re also available to go: two breads, $20 with dulce de leche, jam and pecans; the ice cream is up to you. Available through Nov. 15.
1271 Avenue of the Americas (50th Street), 332-269-0094, cuernony.com.