14 Hot, New Restaurants To Try
Mike Isabella fans, take note
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New York:
Empellón
Alex Stupak, who made his name as a member of the downtown culinary set with several restaurants all below 14th Street, just opened what he's calling his flagship restaurant in Midtown. The double-decker space offers diners crab nachos with uni, as well as nine types of tacos, including his al pastor and the less-conventional falafel filling with grasshopper hummus.
Gloria
Aldo Sohm and Contra alums Phil Johnson and Diego Garcia are bringing downtown cool to Midtown with their welcome addition to Hell's Kitchen. There's no meat in sight, but there's plenty of East Coast seafood, like a lionfish tartare with watermelon radish, jalapeño and barley, and skate wing paired with tomatillo and nopales.
Mettā
Norberto Piattoni, who worked at Bar Tartine and for Francis Mallmann, has a South American approach to cooking. All of the dishes touch fire in one way or another, like his pork steak with charred cabbage and crab apple sauce, and a sweet potato dessert cooked in embers.
Majorelle
Charles Masson, a familiar face for La Grenouille regulars of years past, is implementing elegant touches at the new Lowell Hotel restaurant. In addition to floral displays overseen by Masson, Majorelle features classic French fare like huîtres aux endives (oysters in endive), steak au poivre and petits fours to end the evening.
Los Angeles:
Umeda
Japanese master chef Nobu Matsuhisa's latest endeavor brings him over to Melrose Avenue. The chef's team kept the opening fairly quiet, so details are scant, but look for sushi and green tea shaved ice.
Mh Zh
Pronounced mah zeh (the Hebrew phrase for "What is this?"), this Silver Lake spot has a constantly evolving menu of creative Israeli dishes. Dinner options might include cauliflower shawarma and grilled beets with labneh.
So Long, Hi
Shortly after Pok Pok LA closed its doors, another Thai restaurant swooped in and opened up downtown. This brightly colored incarnation focuses on street food from Chiang Mai, serving laab made with chicken or pork, sweet-and-sour wings with tamarind and grilled pork neck.
Chicago:
Mi Tocaya Antojería
Diana Dávila, who was shaking things up at Cantina 1910 before it shuttered, now has her own place, offering dishes like braised beef tongue with a peanut salsa, smoked chicken tacos, and avocado and shrimp ceviche. Be sure to kick off the meal with an elderflower margarita.
Washington, D.C.:
Arroz
This latest addition to Mike Isabella's growing empire is inspired by Spanish and Moroccan cuisine like the crispy bomba rice dish from Valencia, as well as a section of the menu dedicated to eggs. Finish the meal with crema Catalana served with rhubarb jam, strawberries and caramelized phyllo.
Mirabelle
While the mirror-lined walls lend the room a slight 1970s America vibe, Mirabelle's menu is definitively French, with offerings like pâté, boudin blanc and kouign-amann. For those craving a burger, the house tops theirs with caramelized onions and Gruyère as a nod to French onion soup.
Austin:
Bonhomie
Philip Speer, previously of Uchi, just opened this long-awaited French-inflected diner, where he's serving loup de mer, soft scrambled eggs with black truffle and a whole or half rotisserie chicken. There are also several pommes rösti options, including one with caviar, crème fraîche and "garlic candy."
Austin Taco Project
Tacos come in numerous forms at this restaurant, from a Thai octopus version topped with green papaya salad to classic barbacoa and the Wake Up, filled with smoked brisket rubbed with chile and coffee.
Detroit:
Joebar
Mabel Gray's newest neighbor is part bar, part laid-back restaurant. The menu hones in on dippable sandwiches like grilled cheese served with a side of Bloody Mary-inspired tomato soup and the Joedip, the house's play on a French dip.
Voyager
Eli Boyer, who got Gold Cash Gold off the ground, is focusing on ethically sourced seafood at this Ferndale raw bar and restaurant. In addition to oysters on the half shell, the menu includes more substantial dishes like a chili crab spaghetti made with numbing Sichuan peppercorns and salt cod brandade with Texas toast.