Headliner
Yuco
At their new Greenwich Village restaurant, the chef Christian Ortiz and his business partner, Trent Walker, focus on their shared love of the cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. They are first-time restaurant owners. Mr. Ortiz is a New Yorker with Dominican roots who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, consulted for restaurants and worked as a chef at Landmarc, now closed, among others. Mr. Walker is a former mathematics professor and wine collector who works in tech. Mr. Ortiz said he was taking a haute cuisine approach here, using French techniques and touches of molecular gastronomy. Their restaurant space, formerly Ardyn, has a bar and casual area up front with an à la carte menu, and a more formal dining room and an open kitchen in back, where tasting menus are served. Some of Mr. Ortiz’s elegantly plated dishes include an interpretation of chiles en nogada made with squash blossoms, Berkshire pork belly al pastor, an octopus taco in an hoja santa wrap, a heritage chicken tamal, lobster with rajas and sweet corn, Wagyu rib-eye with smoked chayote purée, and, for dessert, a plate of corn “textures” including sweet corn custard and corn shortbread. The cooking makes use of Indigenous ingredients like heritage corn and rare chiles obtained from Mexico. Mr. Walker, who is also the restaurant’s assistant sommelier, has contributed some of his personal cellar, especially Burgundies, to the wine list.
33 West Eighth Street, 646-707-0409, yucorestaurant.com.
Opening
Lower East
Jonathan Morr, the restaurateur who had noodle bowls on the menu back when he opened Republic at Union Square 26 years ago (it closed in 2017 after a rent hike), is back in the noodle business. This time, he has updated his concept with a largely vegetarian menu of mostly gluten-free noodles, with some vegan choices. He will offer 14 noodle dishes, with and without broth. There are also some rice bowls and bao buns (miso eggplant, tempura fish and duck confit). Appetizers and salads round out the menu by a team of chefs, including Julie Farias, who will be serving as a consultant, and others who worked for Mr. Morr at his hot-spot Japanese restaurant BondST. The space has high-top communal tables in the front barroom and regular seating in back; outdoor seating is on the way. (Opens Monday)
167 Orchard Street (Stanton Street), 646-719-1700, lowereastrestaurant.com.
Baby Luc’s
Mark Iacono, the chef and owner of Lucali who is known for his thin-crust pizza, is opening what he describes as a “traditional New York slice joint” nearby. “It’s for the neighborhood,” he said. The space is compact, with only a handful of seats, but there is a large garden area with seating; it will feature a few variations beyond margherita. You won’t find Lucali-style calzones, but there will be garlic knots.
387 Court Street (First Place), Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, babylucs.com.
Andre Fowles Pop-Up
Josh Grinker and Tracy Young, the chefs and owners of Kings County Imperial, are welcoming Andre Fowles, the culinary director of Miss Lily’s in Manhattan, to their Williamsburg, Brooklyn, location, where he will add Caribbean spins to the Chinese fare. Mr. Fowles, who was born in Jamaica, noted that there are “many Chinese influences in Jamaican cooking.” Among the dishes that will be served for a limited time (end date to be decided) are callaloo potstickers, coconut shrimp toast, hot peppa lobster lo mein, and tamarind hanging pork ribs with pork cracklings. (Wednesday)
20 Skillman Avenue (Union Avenue), Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-610-2000, kingscoimperial.com.
