Zagat Survey Discussions

New Restaurants

New Nightspots

Coming Soon

A.J. Maxwell's Steakhouse

A large-scale mosaic mural will be the focal point of this new steakhouse opening the second week of April in Rockefeller Center (57 W. 48th St.).

Chanto

In early April, this upscale Japanese will launch in the Greenwich Village space that was most famously home to Moomba (133 Seventh Ave. S.; 212-463-8686); its parent company owns several restaurants throughout Japan.

Dressler

The folks responsible for hipster hot spots DuMont and DuMont Burger are opening their third Billyburg venture (149 Broadway) this month; it too will specialize in New American cuisine.

Grayz

Gray Kunz (Café Gray) will give small plates a classic New York spin at this forthcoming lounge in the old Aquavit space (13-15 W. 54th St.), which is being restored to resemble its glamorous heyday as a Rockefeller residence. The menu will feature finger foods (think oysters Rockefeller) built around a cocktail list that will include an updated Manhattan. The swell surrounds, scheduled to open in October, will also feature a private catering space for weddings and other functions.

Hawaiian Tropic Zone

What do you get when you cross bikini-clad servers in sarongs and a Time Square theme setting? This saucy eatery, slated for a September opening in the former Houlihan's space (729 Seventh Avenue), featuring David Burke (davidburke & donatella) as consulting chef.

Il Porcchetto

The owners of Cobble Hill's Banania Cafe are transforming that recently shuttered French bistro into this Italian (241 Smith St.; 718-237-9100) helmed by a new chef; the popular weekend brunch will remain the same.

Lonesome Dove Western Bistro

A NYC outpost of Ft. Worth's celebrated Southwestern restaurant – a showcase for chef Tim Love's cowboy fusion cooking (blue corn–crusted rabbit, buffalo rib-eye, etc.) – is in the works; the Flatiron District eatery (29 W. 21st St.) should be ready to welcome curious city slickers by early fall.

Porter House New York

Michael Lomonaco's forthcoming bar and grill now has a name; modeled after Boston's Grill 23, it's slated for a late-summer opening on the fourth-floor of the Time Warner Center.

Also Coming Soon

Ted's Montana Grill: Manhattan makes way for another down-home import, this one an American grill specializing in both beef and bison; it's part of a nationwide chain from mogul Ted Turner and slated for a late fall opening in the Time & Life Building (110 W. 51st St.).

Good Deals and Other News

Garden Variety

Spring is in the air, so where to park it for a breezy tête-à-tête? This month, Gavroche will open its secret garden seemingly miles away from the bustle of 14th Street, and on April 17th, Tabla will open its patio featuring views of Madison Square Park. Speaking of the park, Danny Meyer no longer owns alfresco dining in this part of town (see also: Shake Shack) now that Andrew Carmellini's new restaurant, A Voce, is about to unveil a lemon tree–lined piazza outside its Madison Avenue digs; it's scheduled to open by the end of April.

Ama

Donatella Arpaia has sold her interest in this SoHo Puglian to chef Turibiio Girardo; her new Mediterranean restaurant, Dona, recently opened at 208 E. 52nd Street.

Aroma

This NoHo Italian wine bar offers three tastes of wine and a plate of antipasti for $15 Tuesday–Friday from 5–7 PM; antipasti selections change daily.

ChikaLicious

On June 1st, this East Village sweet spot will move to larger digs at 212 E. 10th Street (roughly triple the size of the original with 60 seats); at that time, the E. 12th Street location will become limited to takeout.

Craftbar

Craft's more casual sibling now serves weekend brunch starting at 10 AM; dishes include chickpea pancakes with smoked salmon and crème fraîche ($12) and crispy pork terrine with farm eggs ($12).

Daisy May's BBQ USA

This BBQ specialist is expanding in April to feature a dining room seating 40; a wine and beer license has been approved and hours will be extended, including the addition of weekend service.

Diner 24

Despite its name, this Chelsea American is now open 24/7 Thursday–Sunday only; Monday–Wednesday, it's 9 AM–1 AM.

Earl Monroe's

Now that Earl Monroe has pulled out, this Harlem New Southerner has been renamed The River Room.

Four Seasons

Executive chef Christian Albin's new spring menu features such seasonal dishes as kampachi and bluefin tartare with ginger, wasabi and jalapeño ($26), shad and roe with crisp bacon and orange-caper sauce ($37) and spring rabbit with sausage, morels, asparagus and polenta ($38).

Freemans

This hip Lower Eastsider off Freeman Alley is expanding to the Chrystie Street side as part of a face-lift that's expected to be completed this month; the original space will continue to operate during the renovations.

Heartland Brewery

The South Street Seaport branch is now known as Heartland Brewery & Barbecue; replacing the pub grub is a BBQ menu lifted from sister restaurant Spanky's BBQ.

Jacques

A new branch of this French bistro has opened in NoHo at 20 Prince Street (212-966-8886), the former home of Porcupine and Mix It.

JoJo

Sunday brunch is now offered at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's modern French bistro; served from noon–2:30 PM, it features à la carte items such as potato pancakes with smoked salmon and crème fraîche ($15), as well as a $24.07 prix fixe lunch menu that includes a choice of two small plates (the long list of choices includes goat cheese fondue, warm asparagus, foie gras brulée, black bass and peekytoe crabmeat).

Jolie

This Boerum Hill French bistro offers a four-course tasting menu for $25 on Monday nights.

Maya

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, this upscale Mexican Eastsider has spruced up its menu and decor; new dishes include spice-marinated duck with ancho-fruit mole ($24).

Poke

The new digs (343 E. 85th St.) of this East Side Japanese has triple the seating of the original.

Saigon Grill

This pair of popular Uptown Vietnamese restaurants is opening a Greenwich Village branch this spring at 91 University Place.

San Domenico

Restaurateur Tony May and brother Mimmo Magliulo have signed a lease for the ground floor of the Columbia University School of Social Work (1255 Amsterdam Ave.); plans for the public space are still being hammered out but will encompass what May calls "a total food experience – Italian, of course." A fall opening date is scheduled.

Scottadito Osteria Toscana

As befitting a restaurant a few doors down from the Park Slope Food Co-op, the menu at this Tuscan has been updated to feature more organic and locally farmed ingredients.

66

A new take-out menu at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's TriBeCa Chinese features roasted Peking duck ($23) and chile prawns with lily bulb and sweet walnuts ($22).

Tintol

This new Portuguese wine and tapas bar is luring Times Square clock-punchers with a lunch menu of larger entree-size dishes; choices include a ham and cheese sandwich ($10), pork tenderloin with clams ($16) and beef tenderloin with papas bravas ($22).

• Banania Cafe
• Blue Star Oyster Bar
• Cyclo
• Della Rovere
• 14 Wall Street Restaurant
• French Quarter
• Il Menestrello
• Kelly & Ping (Third Ave. branch only)
• 71 Clinton Fresh Food
• Shorty's on the Half Shell
• Via Emilia