Chef JJ Johnson’s pan-African eatery, Henry, now has a subterranean sister bar, Gibson + Luce, which opens this week.
Both, from Craveable Hospitality Group, are in Life hotel, at 19 W. 31st St.
Mixologist Pam Wiznitzer, formerly of Seamstress, heads up both cocktail programs, which seizes on the new mini-cocktail trend, with the creation of the Mar(Tiny)– a mini-Grey Goose martini on draft, served with house-pickled onions, marinated olives,and Bergamot. There’s also classics with a twist on offer, like a Cosmo Spritz, which is more like a clarified cosmo milk punch.
Indian street food is getting a starring role in Soho.
Frankie Goes to Bollywood, which launches this week at 204 Spring Street, at the corner of Sullivan, introduces the concept of “frankies” — a gluten-free flatbread used to soak up all sorts of Indian dishes and spices.
It’s the first independent venture for Yasir Chaudhry, who has worked at eateries from top chefs Alfred Portale, Andrew Carmellini and Floyd Cardoz.
Sweet and savory menu highlights include the Awesome Aloo, made with cauliflower-potato hash, chickpeas and tamarind chutney; Positively Palak, with creamed spinach curry, cottage cheese and mango pickle; Totally Tikka, with grilled chicken, sweet peppers, tomato-fenugreek curry; and Bombay Beignets, filled with rice pudding and dusted with cardamom and powdered sugar.
The décor, thanks to Chaudhry’s film and graphic design background, is ’80s-style bright colors and original artwork, including a six-seat counter with the word LOVE in graffiti in multiple languages.
The music stays on theme with a heavy rotation of ’80s hits.
Have a hankering for a South Texas-style breakfast burrito?
Óxido, a Mexican fast casual spot, is launching a breakfast menu this week at 18 W. 23rd, its 1800-square-foot flagship, which seats 30 people — from Chef Jesse Perez, of San Antonio, and New York restaurateurs Daihwan Choi and Shmilly Gruenstein.
Óxido will run a Taco Tuesday special of $1 breakfast tacos each Tuesday in October to celebrate the launch.
Menu highlights include El Traditional, with scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, poblano peppers and Monterey Jack cheese with salsa ranchera; chorizo and egg with scrambled eggs, house-made pork chorizo, Monterey Jack cheese, salsa fresca, and chipotle mayo; Migas with scrambled eggs, crisp corn tortillas, poblano peppers, salsa fresca and Monterey Jack cheese and salsa ranchera
and Vegetarian with red chile mushroom, grilled poblano peppers and onions, and salsa fresca topped with salsa ranchera.
The eatery is also opening a second spot at 1450 Broadway, at 41st Street. The 1,350-square- foot space will have 20 seats.
We hear … that Tal and Yagur Sheinman sold their beloved restaurant Resette over the summer and have joined Arty Dozortsev of D & S Beverages in South Florida as partners. Their root beer-flavored whiskey Root Out, available in New York at Vandal, Scarpetta and Serafina, is now in trendy Miami eateries from Serafina to Wynwood Kitchen and Bar … that on the heels of Sept. 29th’s National Coffee Day, restaurateur Barry Dry is expanding his Hole in the Wall coffee shops to include a new café located at 626 1st Avenue in Murray Hill slated to open in early December. The 1,800-square-foot space, which will have 28-foot high glass walls on three sides, will feature a more extensive menu from Executive Chef Brent Hudson, due to the venue’s larger kitchen size. Hole in the Wall currently has locations at 420 Fifth Ave. and 15 Cliff St. in FiDi … that The Bacon and Beer Classic was held at the USTA National Tennis Center on September 29.
