Headliner
The Bazaar by José Andrés
The chef and restaurateur José Andrés’s Bazaar rubric has permitted him to explore many possibilities: tapas, Spanish fare and twists on American dishes like cheesesteak in Washington; a beefier menu at Bazaar Meat in Chicago and Las Vegas; and now in New York, a meeting of Spain and Japan. In addition to cooking for millions in disaster areas and writing several cookbooks, Mr. Andrés has found the time to research the 17th-century voyage of Hasekura Tsunenaga, a noble samurai considered the first Japanese ambassador to Spain and the Americas (he even visited the Vatican). He has inspired Mr. Andrés; Koji Terano, the head chef of research and development; Manuel Echeverri, Mr. Andrés’s culinary director for the various Bazaars; and Victor Rivera, the executive chef in New York, to marry Spanish fare with Japanese preparations. The menu has sections labeled fry/tempura with ham croquetas, chicken karaage and red mullet tempura. Plancha/teppan includes baby squid and crispy socarrat, and josper/robata features short rib and piquillos, honey-miso eggplant and grilled marinated carabinero prawns with Japanese condiments. “It’s a play on the various concepts that are similar,” Mr. Echeverri said. “Raw Bar, Crudos, Sashimi, Same Thing” is a grouping of mostly raw fish preparations. Small bites come under the heading of little starters. The colorful dining room, exuberantly decorated with huge chandeliers and seafaring accents, seats more than 100. On the ground floor, Bazaar Bar serves drinks, including sakes, and small bites. Lázaro Rosa-Violán Studio in Spain designed both areas.
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad, 25 West 28th Street, 212-804-9070, thebazaar.com/new-york-city.
Opening
L’abeille à côté
This less formal sibling for L’abeille, the French-Japanese cocoon for elegantly presented dishes by Mitsunobu Nagae, will open next door. There are 20 seats in a setting that echoes the flagship, with more touches of velvet and an open kitchen. But it’s à la carte and more Japanese than French this time, with starters like grilled eggplant with Serrano ham, fried chicken, scallop tartare with nori chips, and takoyaki (octopus) fritters; then mains like a Wagyu teriyaki burger, sea bass in a fish-shaped taiyaki shell, and grilled heritage pork with chicharrón and yuzu kosho chimichurri. Desserts include an Osaka-style soufflé cheesecake. A finite but global wine list offers 10 each of red, white and sparkling. The executive sous-chef, Kyung Lee, and his sous-chef, Ken Koshihara, run the show. A patio provides outdoor seating. (Opens Wednesday)
412 Greenwich Street (Laight Street), 212-542-3897, labeilleacote.nyc.
Gulaabo
Payal Sharma, the managing partner of Baar Baar, serving modern Indian fare from the chef Sujan Sarkar in the East Village, has gone uptown. Gulaabo, the new restaurant on two floors in the theater district, features the cuisine of the Punjab region of Northern India. The executive chef, Paramjeet Bombra, and the pastry chef, Barinder Singh, are both Punjabi. They are producing a lengthy menu, with snacks like samosas and pakoras; kebabs including quail, venison and a few with just vegetables; and goat, rabbit and tandoori chicken dishes. Assorted vegetarian choices include standards like aloo gobi and baingan bharta, which are often relegated to sides but elevated here to main course. That there are assorted breads goes without saying. The décor by Curry Fwd in Kolkata, India, offers a gold-accented Indian aesthetic.
250 West 47th Street, 646-669-8261, gulaabonyc.com.
Paranza
This newcomer to the enormous Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas — already home to restaurants by Nobu Matsuhisa and José Andrés — has enlisted the chef Michael White to oversee its Italian menu, inspired by coastal fare. Freshly made pastas, crudos, antipasti and main dishes showcase classics like scampi with fennel, preserved lemon and caviar; seafood risotto; and grilled swordfish with Sicilian caponata, often with local ingredients like amberjack and strawberry grouper. The dramatic setting includes oversize brass light fixtures in the shape of seashells.
The Cove, Atlantis Paradise Island, atlantisbahamas.com.
