Best of the Buzz : Coming Soon

Shake Shack Flies South

BuzzEditor — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:36:00 GMT

Hear that? That's the sound of a squeal of joy coming from Florida. Why? Because Danny Meyer's New York institution Shake Shack has set its sights on Miami for its first operation outside of New York. Opening sometime in spring/summer 2010, the new Shack will be located in a new development at 11 11 Lincoln Road on Lenox Avenue. The only real question is, will Miami flip for the same Shackburgers, concretes and long lines that New Yorkers have grown to love so much?

Fall Preview

BuzzEditor — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:41:00 GMT

Photo: Micky

With fall almost here, it's time to look forward to the new restaurants coming your way:

New Eats for the New Year

BuzzEditor — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:53:00 GMT

Charles Phan's San Francisco eatery Heaven's Dog is set to open January 14th

Times may be tough, but you wouldn’t know it from the barrage of restaurants slated to open across the country in the next few months. Look out for newcomers from notables such as Adolfo Suaya, Charles Phan, Govind Armstrong and Stephen Starr.

Fall Restaurant Preview 2008

BuzzEditor — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 21:36:00 GMT

Summer may be blockbuster season for movies, but it's pretty much the dregs as far as restaurant openings go. Fortunately, we're now looking forward to an exciting fall season of debuts and second acts around the country and in London.

DC's Celeb-Chef Invasion Continues

BuzzEditor — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:14:00 GMT

San Francisco star chef Michael Mina will be joining Wolfgang Puck, Eric Ripert and other notable whisks who've recently set their sights on DC's culinary scene. This December, Mina plans to open a branch of Bourbon Steak (which currently has locations in Florida, Arizona and Michigan) in Georgetown’s Four Seasons. With the help of NYC restaurant designer David Rockwell, the hotel’s ground-floor Garden Terrace will be transformed into an elegant venue for this classy beef- and bourbon-focused retreat. Fans of the hotel's famed power-breakfast needn't fret, however, as it will continue to be served at its lower-level restaurant, Seasons.

There may another big name on the way to the nation's capital or, as the case may be, just outside it. Reports are circulating that Gordon Ramsay may be working with Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner in McLean, VA, to develop a restaurant for the Maestro space. Ramsay's team would not confirm this as its policy is not to say anything until all the contracts have been signed.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

BuzzEditor — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:23:00 GMT

A rendering shows the plans for the Liaison's Art and Soul.

Having successfully opened TABLE fifty-two in Chicago, cookbook author and humanitarian Art Smith is headed next to DC to be consulting chef at Art and Soul in the recently opened Liaison Capitol Hill hotel. Slated for a September debut, the resto-lounge will highlight Smith’s Southern cooking, honed as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef, in a space adorned with murals of political notables.

Alain Ducasse Adours D.C.

BuzzEditor — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:15:00 GMT

Capping its recent $53 million dollar makeover, D.C.’s St. Regis Hotel has tapped the internationally acclaimed talents of chef Alain Ducasse and architect David Rockwell to open Adour, a spin-off of NYC's modern French restaurant, in early September. The menu will be prepared by a yet-to-be named Ducasse protégé, with a vino selection suggested for each appetizer and entree, while the classic architecture of the dining room will be decked out with luxury appointments like fancy wine vaults and recessed alcoves.

Hélène Darroze Takes Over The Connaught's Kitchen

BuzzEditor — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:40:00 GMT

After a lengthy wait, we can now confirm that Parisian toque Hélène Darroze will be taking over the space formerly occupied by Angela Hartnett's MENU in London's recently refurbished Connaught Hotel. Darroze, whose eponymous restaurant is one of the Most Popular in our Paris Survey, will open Hélène Darroze at The Connaught in June. The space itself, which has been renovated as part of the hotel's £70 million renovation, is being designed by the French firm India Mahdavi. Darroze will be overseeing all of the hotel's food, including private and in-room dining, the more informal Gallery and the Connaught Grill, which is expected to return this fall (16 Carlos Pl., W1; 020-7499 7070).

Versailles Says Bonjour to Ramsay

BuzzEditor — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:49:00 GMT

Trianon Palace & Spa will house Gordon Ramsay's new ventures.

photo: courtesy of Trianon Palace & Spa

So what can a British chef bring to France, to the footstep of Versailles no less? Well, everyone (or rather the lucky few who can procure a reservation for one of the 50 seats) is about to find out on Wednesday, March 26th, when Gordon Ramsay au Trianon opens at Trianon Palace & Spa, the magnificent Westin hotel next to the palace. Modeled after Gordon Ramsay at 68 Royal Hospital Rd., which serves “hellishly good” New French cuisine, this new venture will also get Simone Zanoni as chef de cuisine, who has been head chef of the Chelsea flagship for the past five years. For those looking for a more casual dining experience, Ramsay's group will also oversee the hotel's brasserie La Veranda and room service.

This is not Ramsay’s first foray to France; in the early days of his career, he worked in the kitchens of Guy Savoy and Jöel Robuchon, while learning to speak French on the job (1 Bd. de la Reine; (33-1) 30-84-50-00).

Batali-Branded Steaks Headed to Vegas

BuzzEditor — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:02:00 GMT

Less then a year after opening two new restaurants in Vegas (that would be the Venetian's B&B Ristorante and Enoteca San Marco), Molto Mario and his business partner, Joe Bastianich, are at it again. As part of the opening celebrations at the new Palazzo Hotel (3265 Las Vegas Blvd.; 702-607-4300), just next door to the Venetian, comes the pair's newest concept, an Italian steakhouse called Carnevino. Though the Palazzo officially opens its doors to the public on January 17th, Carnevino will begin service in its 16-ft.-high ceilinged dining room two days after, on January 19th (a smidge later than has been reported elsewhere).

Las Vegas, of course, is already home to steakhouses from Tom Colicchio, Charlie Palmer and Emeril Lagasse, among others. Batali hopes to stand out from the pack by putting an Italian spin on the proceedings, with handmade pastas and classic antipasti supplementing the chops. There will also be an international wine list – a first for the Batali-Bastianich team – and, in a nod to the pedigreed meat trend, "a special brand of organic super prime beef developed exclusively by the B and B group."

Ramsay: California, Here I Come!

BuzzEditor — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:34:00 GMT

Gordon Ramsay

The British are coming, the British are coming... to Hollywood. This April the old Bel Age hotel is set to reopen its doors as The London West Hollywood (1020 N. San Vicente Blvd; 1-866-282-4560). And like its East Coast sib, the London NYC, its glittering star will be a restaurant from British chef and TV personality Gordon Ramsay, his first on the West Coast. Like its New York counterpart, Ramsay's LA venture will be home to his signature New French cuisine, this time inspired by California's famous fresh produce.

How will Ramsay fare in the Hills? Despite a recent slew of imports, the track record of out-of-town chefs in LA has been spotty. While similarly successful TV toque Tom Colicchio's Craft has performed well, its business is boosted by its walking distance from both the CAA and ICM agencies. And Ramsay will have high-class competition coming from another import, Laurent Tourondel's BLT Steak, which is about to make its West Coast debut on the trendiest segment of the Sunset Strip (8720 Sunset Blvd.).

Of course, if Ramsay's new restaurant doesn't work, fixing it will at least make for an excellent episode of his FOX reality show, Kitchen Nightmares.

Celeb Chefs Reach for the Bottle

BuzzEditor — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:33:00 GMT

The interior of Daniel Boulud's wine bar features oak furnishings and Rorschach-like wine art.

photo: Ryan Charles

2008 is shaping up to be a stellar vintage year. At least for New Yorkers, who will soon have two wine bars from a pair of powerhouse chefs in which to sip and swirl.

First up is Daniel Boulud's boîte across the street from Lincoln Center. Opening January 8th (though it played host to a posh New Year's Eve bash), Bar Boulud will offer a serious food-and-wine program even if it is casual by Boulud standards (walk-ins are welcome). A minimalist interpretation of a wine cellar, the setting will notably feature private dining rooms and a "tasting table in the round" that holds up to 14 guests. Expect a rustic bistro menu fit for an opera tenor, paired with a list emphasizing Burgundy and Rhône bottles (1900 Broadway; 212-595-0303).

Wine will also play an integral role at Adour, Alain Ducasse's American entry debuting in the St. Regis on January 28th. Housed in the storied space that was Lespinasse, it will offer cooking by chef Tony Esnault (who helmed the kitchen at Ducasse's eponymous Essex House venture), private tasting rooms and an "interactive" wine bar (2 E. 55th St.; 212-710-2277).

Mina Brings His Brand of Bourbon to the Ft. Lauderdale Area

BuzzEditor — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:09:00 GMT

Michael Mina's new Bourbon Steakhouse opens on December 18th.

Michael Mina, whose eponymous New American in San Francisco is hailed as a “temple of gastronomy,” has been in overdrive of late. Having just opened his new steakhouse concept, Bourbon Steak, in Detroit's MGM Grand, he is about to debut a second edition at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club outside of Ft. Lauderdale on December 18th (19999 W. Country Club Dr., Aventura; 305-932-6200).

And that isn't all for the top toque: Another Bourbon Steak will open in Arizona's Fairmont Scottsdale in February.

Kerry Simon Plans Two New Vegas Ventures

BuzzEditor — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:08:00 GMT

Kerry Simon is preparing to open two new restaurants in Vegas.

"Rock 'n' Roll" chef Kerry Simon (Simon LA, Impala) is gearing up to open not one but two new restaurants in Las Vegas.

Debuting December 29th at the Luxor is The CatHouse "Loungerie," a restaurant, lounge and performance space inspired by "the rich opulence of a 19th-century European bordello." It will serve sharing plates of New American fare accented with European and Asian flavors. This being Sin City, there will also be a slew of "exotically clad, professionally trained performers" dressed in lingerie to keep things ... interesting. And of course, the later you arrive, the more risqué the entertainment will be. The restaurant will be open seven days a week from 5–11 PM, while the "loungerie" will operate Tuesday–Saturday from "10 PM until late" (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702-262-4778).

Once CatHouse is up and running, Simon will turn his attention to Palms Place, the new luxury tower at the Palms Casino where his next venture will debut. Called Simon at Palms Place, it will open in early Spring 2008 serving a steak and seafood menu, including sushi, in an opulent setting designed by the ever present Rockwell group (4321 W. Flamingo Rd.).

Coming Soon: All-Dessert Dinners at Payard Las Vegas

BuzzEditor — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:28:00 GMT

Payard makes whimsy out of a classic candy bar.

Later this month, Las Vegas will get yet another New York import. This time, it's an outpost of beloved dessert house Payard Pâtisserie & Bistro, which will be opening its doors on November 23rd in Caesars Palace.

The new restaurant – the fifth after New York, Tokyo, Sao Paulo and Rio – isn't a direct clone of its East Coast forebear, though both are designed by the Rockwell Group. While the Sin City spin-off will offer classic bistro fare and tantalizing pastries for breakfast and lunch, its dinner menu seems designed to make many a dentist smile: Payard has done away with dinner in favor of a four-course all-dessert tasting menu.

So while mornings will feature pastries (croissants, beignets, etc.) and savories (think buckwheat crêpes with Gruyère cheese and eggs sunny side up), evenings are all about sweets, broken into four categories – "Le Fromage," "The Orchard," "Coffee, Caramel and Nuts" and "Tout Chocolat" – available à la carte as well as in a tasting menu (3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.).