Headliner
The Woo SoHo
Is this the name of a new bridal shop? Hardly. But those who have followed the Korean restaurant scene over the years will recognize the update of one of its pioneers, the elegant Woo Lae Oak, which opened in SoHo in 1999 and closed seven years ago. It was founded by Young Sook Choi, the mother of the new Woo’s present owner, Julie Choi, whose grandmother brought a branch of Woo Lae Oak from Seoul, South Korea, to Midtown Manhattan in 1974. The new restaurant, which can seat up to 150, occupies the multistory brick-walled space that was Fiamma, then Costata. The ground floor, with a bar and an open kitchen counter, is more intimate than the upstairs. There are tabletop grills throughout, not just for the usual beef and pork, but eventually for meats like ostrich and venison, which Ms. Choi plans to introduce. “Today, Korean food has become much more familiar, so you don’t have to let the seasonings overpower,” Ms. Choi said. “We are showcasing the ingredients.” Appetizers, Korean barbecue, hot-pot stews and some traditional dishes like bo ssam pork belly in a lettuce wrap are on the menu. The chef, Eli Martinez, a native of Honduras who worked up through the ranks, was at the previous SoHo restaurant. Ms. Choi said she was pleased to be back in SoHo: “The neighborhood was welcoming back then, and it is now.”
206 Spring Street (Sullivan Street), 212-925-2364, thewoosoho.com.
Opening
Bigeye Sushi
Harris Salat and Rick Horiike open a quick-serve spot featuring made-to-order sushi rolls, bento boxes, bowls and salads. (Opens Wednesday)
2 MetroTech Center (Lawrence Street), Downtown Brooklyn, 347-599-0188.
Brooklyn Chop House
This restaurant is close to the Brooklyn Bridge, and offers glimpses of the borough across the river. But despite the name, this new steakhouse is squarely planted in Manhattan. Its menu offers more than steaks and chops. Inventive dumplings with fillings like pastrami and French onion soup, short rib nestled in bao buns, and Peking duck tacos are some of the options. (Monday)
150 Nassau Street (Spruce Street), 212-619-1200, brooklynchophouse.com.
Frankie Goes to Bollywood
In Mumbai, a frankie is street food, a flatbread, like a wrap or burrito, enclosing a filling. This compact SoHo spot sells an array of them with lightly spiced choices like steak with creamed spinach curry, eggplant curry with cucumber raita, cauliflower and potato hash with cucumber raita, and crispy cod with coconut curry. There are also savory fritters and sweets. (Wednesday)
204 Spring Street (Sullivan Street), 646-869-1600, frankiegoestobollywood.com.