Opening
Zimmi’s
Like Third Falcon in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, this French bistro also veers refreshingly from routine escargots and beef Bourguignon. It’s from Jenni Guizio, who was the wine and beverage director for Union Square Hospitality, and the chef Maxime Pradié, a partner in the restaurant. They’re showcasing dishes like pissaladière, barbajuan fritters, vegetable terrine with anchovy emulsion, lamb stew with olives, and a Chartreuse souffle. Hand-blown light fixtures embellish a simple room that Ms.Guizio designed. The name refers to Marie Zimmermann, an artist whose Pennsylvania estate, Zimmermann Farm, Ms. Guizio now owns and runs for cultural events. (Opens Friday)
Sal Tang’s
Wilson Tang of Nom Wah and Cha Cha Tang in Manhattan has joined Sal Lamboglia to bring a Cantonese American showcase to a Brooklyn neighborhood that Mr. Lamboglia determined was short on Chinese options. Mr. Lamboglia already owns the Italian American Cafe Spaghetti, and Swoony’s nearby, with Giovanna Cuocolo. Count on egg drop soup, egg rolls, crystal shrimp dumplings, pork soup dumplings, scallion pancakes, fried wontons, General Tso chicken (or tofu), crispy orange beef, lo mein, golden fried rice and black pepper beef with broccoli, and on and on in a setting with retro touches. (Friday)
Dilli Dilli
A jangly pedi-cab, an essential means of transport in Old Delhi, could also take you to this New York theater district newcomer inspired in part by the Indian location. The chefs, Gaurav Anand and Vipul Gupta, look to that chaotic city as well as to the more contemporary grandeur of New Delhi for their menu. From Old Delhi comes 18th century tradition with lentil dumplings and lamb shoulder kebabs. New Delhi suggests okra fritters and tandoori branzino. Spice-driven drinks pepper the cocktail list and it all happens in a colorful dining room touched with luxury.
Westland Roe
Albert Seeley Roe, a 19th century lard-refining mogul, moved his family into the eclectic rowhouse he commissioned. The ground floor eventually became Donohue’s West, a steak house, then P.D. O’Hurley’s. It’s an Irish bar again, in the hands of Carrie Galvin, Linda Hopper and Michael Nash, who met in the industry more than 20 years ago. The name honors Mr. Roe and also Westland Row, a Dublin street. “The menu is more gastro than all-out Irish,” Ms. Galvin said. And it lists just about everything you’d want to eat with a beer (16 on tap), a dram or other drink.
Messy
A recent visit to Japan led the partners, who also own Lighthouse in Williamsburg, to add Japanese touches like miso, wasabi, furikake and togarashi to what is essentially a Mediterranean kebab spot. Skewers of chicken, beef and lamb, pork, tuna and mushrooms, along with assorted mezze are served from the counter. The proteins can also be had on plates or in sandwiches. Hooked on yamitsuki, also called “addictive” cabbage, an izakaya dish punched up with umami complexity, the partners have that on the menu too.
Branches
Pig & Khao
Leah Cohen’s take on Southeast Asian fare, as varied as it is on the Lower East Side, comes to the Upper West with new dishes like murtabak roti pockets crammed with ground beef; barbecued pork skewers that hint of tacos al pastor; tempura-fried stuffed shishito peppers; and caramelized clay pot ribs. Ms. Cohen’s husband, Ben Byrch, is involved in the effort, contributing décor that suggests night markets. (Wednesday)
Moody Tongue Pizza
Moody Tongue, a brewery in Chicago with two Michelin stars, is opening a pizzeria in New York. The company already has a sushi bar in the West Village. The pizzas are Neapolitan style but share the menu with Japanese starters. (Friday)
Closing
Ugly Baby
This tiny Thai restaurant that delivers huge flavor, often high on the Scoville scale, announced that it will close this month after seven years. A statement posted on Instagram said: “We have pounded batches of curry paste everyday for 7 years. That’s what we are proud of the most.” The final day of service will be Dec. 22; 407 Smith Street (Fourth Street), 347-689-3075, uglybabynyc.com.
Chefs on the Move
David Thual
A native of Brittany, France, who worked in Marrakesh, Morocco; Valencia, Spain; Paris; and New York, Mr. Thual is now the executive chef at Majorelle in the Lowell Hotel on the Upper East Side. His fall and winter menus reflect his experience with Breton cider enriching a gratin of scallops, a lamb tagine, veal tenderloin with a mushroom tart, and his use of olive oil from Spain.
On the Menu
American Chestnuts
Chestnut affogato made with domestic chestnuts is being served at Caffe Panna’s two locations. It would not have been possible until now. For more than a century, once-abundant American chestnut forests were decimated by a blight and almost all chestnuts have been imported. But through the efforts of plant-breeders, enough of a resistant variety, castanea mollissima, are being cultivated, mainly in Michigan, New York and Ohio. The Great Chestnut Experiment is selling these fresh chestnuts ($12 a pound) and chestnut gifts online, and, in the Bryant Park Winter Village in Manhattan, various chestnut confections like a warm chestnut drink, chestnut fudge and brown butter chestnut cake. Another treat from Winner in Brooklyn is coming.
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The post The French Fare at Zimmi’s Is Anything but Routine appeared first on New York Times.
