Headliner
Nice Day
The chef Lucas Sin, a 27-year-old Hong Kong native, is in charge of the kitchen at this restaurant in Greenwich Village. Nice Day evolved from a location of Junzi, a group of stylish fast-casual Northern Chinese restaurants developed at the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute. The group opened its first restaurant in New Haven in 2015. Mr. Sin, a Yale graduate (cognitive science and English) and part of the Junzi team from the beginning, was struck by recent research that showed a precipitous decline in mom-and-pop Chinese restaurants across America. “There seems to be a crisis in American-Chinese food,” he said. “I want to double down on what it means to eat everyday Chinese food.” At Nice Day, he’s tweaking American-Chinese favorites like shrimp fried rice, chicken lo mein, orange chicken, beef and broccoli, shrimp with lobster sauce and mapo tofu. The new place is open for takeout and delivery for now.
170 Bleecker Street (Sullivan Street), 929-260-1030, eatniceday.com.
Opening
Biryani Kitchen
True to its name, this restaurant serves nothing but biryani rice bowls. There are five of them on offer, topped with shrimp, lamb, vegetables and two with chicken, each from a different region, with particular seasonings. Yogurt-based side dishes and dal are also served. Pickup and delivery are available.
48 Greenwich Avenue (Seventh Avenue), 646-366-4488, biryanikitchenny.com.
Midtown Social
The pandemic has taken a big bite out of business for Savory Hospitality, a caterer with kitchens and offices near Bryant Park. So it has now opened for retail business, with tables outside serving tacos, a fried chicken sandwich, beef sliders, fancy hot dogs and $4 beers with the purchase of two or more sliders or tacos. Pickup and delivery are also available.
15 West 39th Street, midtownsocial-nyc.com.
Borrachito
This Mexican spot, formerly a speakeasy-style hideaway behind the currently closed Garret East, has taken over the front room. There are outdoor tables. The chef, Yuval Ochoa, puts a personal stamp on his tacos with fillings like rib-eye with bone marrow and smoked Cheddar, and shrimp with melted cheese and roasted peppers. The beverage director, Max Stampa-Brown, adds spiced raspberries to a margarita and coconut to a paloma. When indoor dining is approved, Garret East will move into the original Borrachito space in back. (Opens Wednesday)
206 Avenue A (13th Street), borrachitonyc.com.
Marcus at Nohu Rooftop
Marcus Samuelsson is the consulting chef for this renamed rooftop restaurant and bar with views of the Manhattan skyline. Tomato-peach salad with burrata, summer succotash, whole roasted branzino for two, and whole fried chicken with fixings highlight his menu.
EnVue Autograph Collection Hotel, 550 Avenue at Port Imperial, Weehawken, N.J., 201-683-2132, envuehotel.com/dining/nohu.
BapBap
Nate Kuester and Jason Lui, both of whom worked at Aquavit, have opened this casual Korean-style spot inside New Age Market in Flushing, Queens. They’ve divided the menu into three categories: ssambaps for rice bowls; baprolls, which are hand rolls; and filled bapbuns. Dessert soft-serve comes in flavors like grilled banana leaf with yuzu. The space is pickup and delivery only.
New Age Market Food Hall, 160-06 Northern Boulevard (160th Street), Flushing, Queens, 718-353-3425.
Talk Story Rooftop
Alan Harding, the chef who had restaurants in several Brooklyn neighborhoods, notably along Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, is now helping to create the menus for this new rooftop hotel restaurant and lounge in Williamsburg. His menu offers Barcelona-style pan con tomate and short rib chimichurri.
McCarren Hotel, 160 North 12th Street (Bedford Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-218-7500, talkstoryrooftop.com.
The Yacht Club
Oysters shucked at the bar and seafood are served in a spacious waterfront dining room that abides by social distancing rules. For now there’s only outdoor seating. The executive chef, Gregory Zapantis, offers a Hellenic-infused menu.
541 River Road (Pier of the Edgewater Commons shopping Center), Edgewater, N.J., 201-945-3300.
Felix Roasting Company
The elaborate cafe and store in NoMad (now closed) has a new SoHo branch with outdoor seating.
104 Greene Street (Prince Street), felixroastingco.com.
Sip.Eat.Harlem
This celebration of the neighborhood, with a number of Harlem restaurants participating, is offering timed tickets, $25 for an appetizer and cocktail. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Wednesday 5 to 9 p.m., experienceharlem.com.
Looking Ahead
Iris
The chef and restaurateur John Fraser keeps building his inventory. In the fall, he plans to open this restaurant, exploring the food of the Aegean, in partnership with EQOffice, a management company. Mr. Fraser, who has Greek heritage, said he had been wanting to to showcase the cuisine, along with Turkish food. The restaurant will seat 104 indoors, with more seats at the bar when such accommodations are permitted, and will have room for 32 outdoors.
1740 Broadway (55th Street).
Penny Bridge
This fall, Dan Kluger, the chef and co-owner of Loring Place in Greenwich Village, expects to open this dining room for diner-style comfort food in JACX, an office and residential development.
JACX, 28-07 Jackson Avenue (Queens Boulevard), Long Island City, Queens.
