Fall Restaurant Rush
Borgo, Brass, Cafe Commerce, The Otter, Acru, Bananas, reader survey, TOAST, Vacation with an Artist, Omakase Room by Shin, best coworking spaces, MORE
RESTAURANTS • Fall Preview
Openings season
What better than a crisp Labor Day to usher in September, the very best month to be a New Yorker in New York? Everyone’s returned from la-la land, back in the city, ready to get down to work. And play! Fortunately, fall brings what’s usually the most exciting stretch of NYC restaurant openings, a phenomenon we call Fall Restaurant Rush. At FOUND, we track it obsessively.
In September, we will seek to be among the first inside at:
Borgo (Nomad-adjacent), the first Manhattan restaurant from esteemed Williamsburg restaurateur Andrew Tarlow
Brass (Nomad), a French brasserie from the Contra/Wildair team at the Evelyn Hotel, where they also run The Tusk Bar
Cafe Commerce (Upper East Side), chef Harold Moore’s longtime standout, once serving robust American cooking in the Village, reborn uptown
The Otter/Sloane’s (Soho), Empellón chef Alex Stupak’s seafood spot and cocktail bar at The Manner, Standard International’s new hotel
Acru (Greenwich Village), eclectic $95 per tasting menu spot from an Atomix alum (in partnership with the Atomix restaurant group)
Bananas (East Village), wild Asian-American creations from former Blue Ribbon and BondST chefs
In October, or thereabouts, we’ll be sizing up:
Time and Tide (Flatiron), Top Chef winner Danny Garcia takes the helm at this seafood restaurant, conceived by the late chef James Kent (and operated by his restaurant group)
Cafe Zaffri (Gramercy), wherein the Raf’s team debuts a Levantine restaurant within The Twenty Two, a hotel/membership club import from London
Santi (Midtown), former Marea chef Michael White’s gala return to NYC; Italian, of course
Chez Fifi (Upper East Side), Sushi Noz owners try their hands at a French bistro
Heroes/Pearl Box (Soho), vibemaster Ariel Arce turns a three-floor carriage house into a new restaurant and bar on West Broadway
Clemente Bar (Nomad), upstairs from Eleven Madison Park, chef Daniel Humm expands to open a cocktail bar with elevated (vegetarian) snacks and a small (vegetarian, obv) tasting counter
Zimmi’s (West Village), a new neighborhood bistro from Jenni Guizio, recently of Rockefeller Center’s Lodi
Sal Tang’s (Cobble Hill), Cafe Spaghetti/Swoony’s owner Sal Lamboglia teams with Nom Wah vet Wilson Tang on a new Cantonese American restaurant
Pitt’s (Red Hook), Agi’s Counter chef takes over the old Fort Defiance space
Beyond that, we’ll keep our eyes on openings including Smithereens (East Village), serving updated New England clam shack cuisine, and the extremely anticipated Bar Kabawa (East Village), where longtime Momofuku chef (and company head of culinary development) Paul Carmichael debuts a Caribbean restaurant. NFT/sushi restaurant Flyfish Club (Lower East Side) may be ready for its bow, too. Chef Daniel Boulud’s steakhouse La Tête D’Or (Flatiron) is targeting a November opening. And Seahorse, the perpetually forthcoming John McDonald seafood spot at the revamped W Hotel in Union Square, has to open eventually, right?
That nip in the air is our sign that the Rush is on. See you on the field. –Lockhart Steele
NYC RESTAURANT LINKS: Jungsik team debuts casual sibling Sea in Chelsea • Upper West Side Vietnamese favorite Bahn expanding to Union Square this winter • East Village grocery store trying its hand at Erewhon-esque smoothies • Regional expansion of Pastis and H&H Bagels continues apace • Deep diving on Le Veau d’Or’s martini program.
WORK • Feedback Loop
Take our survey, please
We kicked off the first FOUND reader survey last week. If you missed it, you can find it here. It should take just a minute or so to complete. As a thank you, we’re offering a couple of annual paid subscriptions (or subscription extensions) and also our sincere gratitude for your commitment to the cause.
In the early days of a startup, feedback can be tricky. Anecdotal reactions can have an outsize effect on mood and direction, if you’re not careful. Somebody casually mentions they heard someone’s sister’s husband isn’t a fan of x feature and all of the sudden you’re questioning your entire existence, wondering if it’s time to get a real job, probably something with a formal annual review process.
So some of the early work is just keeping your head down and doing the work that you set out to do. I’ve read the jacked-up LinkedIn posts about the value of constant user-testing and probing, which makes sense for some businesses, but not exactly for media and definitely not for the media we’re trying to build — or the kind of business that we want to be running. It’s not meant to be for everybody (just you, of course).
But today, we’ve got enough foundation that we’re ready to hear it all. The early results are in, and it’s been extremely edifying to learn about FOUND’s (very accomplished) readers and rewarding to get the feedback (“I literally read every one top to bottom.”) — even the constructive criticism, most of which we’ve registered without existential dread.
Of course we’re going to use some of the responses to sell some fancy luxury advertising (inquiries to sales@foundny.com!), but also to shape the product. Watch this space. And please, dear FOUND reader, fill out our reader survey. –Josh Albertson
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Relaxed fit
TOAST, a beloved English lifestyle brand, has opened its first shop outside the U.K. (and 20th overall) in Boerum Hill. On Atlantic Avenue, TOAST occupies a space that was once an antique store, with wooden floors and a collection of plants and branches to reflect the products’ natural textiles.
The clothing line features relaxed shapes, timeless silhouettes, and high-quality fabrics — mostly in muted tones, with pops of indigo blue, butter yellow, and sage green. You’ll find block-printed cotton dresses, heathered wool sweaters, garment-dyed linen pants, and many more thoughtfully sourced pieces, all of which can be brought to their in-house repair specialist’s drop-in hours for complimentary mending.
In addition to clothing, there’s a selection of elegant, functional homewares, like washed linen napkins, handwoven baskets, and glass vases. On my last visit, I noticed not one but two mother-daughter pairs humming in approval while browsing the store, falling sway to the brand’s intergenerational appeal. Coming soon: community events where local artists teach crafts like patchwork and weaving.
→ Shop: TOAST (Boerum Hill) • 367 Atlantic Ave • Daily 11a-6p.
GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: LVMH’s Lip Lab opening third NYC location on Lex • Printed Matter on St. Marks closing next month • The case for wearing flip flops in Manhattan • Four new electric microcars for city driving • The small dress watch is back.
WORK • Tuesday Routine
Still on vacation
GEETIKA AGRAWAL • CEO/founder • Vacation with an Artist
Neighborhood you work in: Prospect Lefferts Garden
Neighborhood you live in: Crown Heights
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
We work with travelers and master artisans in over 60 countries, making us a 24-hour operation. We just wrapped up a Zoom call with an internationally celebrated Balinese batik artist, who is finalizing a few details about their VAWAA — a seven-day private experience in their studio learning batik and visiting iconic temples like Borobudur, A UNESCO Heritage site. The rest of the day, we’re busy supporting guests from different countries as they embark on various VAWAA experiences worldwide this summer.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Ceramics and printmaking are two of the most popular options amongst VAWAA travelers, so today we’re chatting with a new ceramics artist in Japan and a printmaker in Mexico City to develop their itineraries. We also just got some great feedback from our first travelers who spent three days learning marquetry in Sorrento, Italy, with third-generation inlayers and cabinet makers, so we’re excited to debrief our community about their experience in our next weekly newsletter. You can join our mailing list to receive the (free) newsletter.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Bungalow in the East Village is getting a lot of hype for good reason. I just had the most incredible meal there with friends. We especially loved the spice-roasted pineapple. I’ve followed chef Vikas Khanna for a number of years, and I’m hoping that I get a long layover in Dubai on an upcoming trip to Southeast Asia so I can visit his other restaurants.
How about a little leisure or culture this week?
I just learned about Happy Medium Art Cafe in Greenpoint and I’m excited to visit for the first time. Live figure drawing is such an inspiring way to get back into my drawing practice, but it can be hard to find studio time in the city. I can’t wait to get back into it in such a beautiful and social environment.
What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
My membership to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has been my best purchase of the year for several years running. It’s a ticket to peace every time I need to escape the clamor of the city. Afterwards, I might stop by Cheryl’s Global Soul in Prospect Heights for brunch, or I’ll pick up a few things to cook for dinner at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket.
WORK LINKS: New renderings for Related & Wynn’s proposed Hudson Yards casino development • Flatiron Building’s new owners file paperwork to convert to condos • But only 14.8% of U.S. office stock strong picks for resi conversion • More green space ahead for Park Ave between 46th and 57th • What do the olds think about Gen Z workers? Quite vexing… but maybe they’re right!
RESTAURANTS • Kodawari
A blue ribbon sushi deal
Welcome back to Kodawari, a FOUND feature in which we profile sushi counters practicing kodawari — the uncompromising, relentless pursuit of perfection.
The Skinny: At the new Omakase Room by Shin in Midtown, 15-year Blue Ribbon Sushi vet Shin Yamaoka offers a very seasonal, traditional omakase that spans 14 courses. At $175 per, it’s one of the best sushi deals in town.
The Experience: By way of design, not much (if anything) has changed in the transition from Kaiseki Room by Yamada (which previously occupied the space). The intimate 600-square-foot dining room is wrapped in blonde wood that curves upward, enveloping diners into a serene cocoon, a stark contrast to W. 53rd St. outside.
House Manners: Gregarious chef Shin is ready to chat about everything from seasonal geoduck clams to his take on soft and spongy tamago. The rules for high-end omakases that are increasingly becoming the standard — no perfume, no cell phone calls, etc. — are more relaxed here, but honoring these suggestions is always appreciated.
Sushi Style: This pared-down omakase follows the Japanese ideal of minimalism, highlighting seasonal Japanese seafood via simple, umami-rich preparations. Shin seasons his rice with a red vinegar made from sake lees for a rich complement to fish from madai to Hokkaido uni.
The Progression: Two seasonal appetizers — like a summertime grilled eel with buckwheat and a delicate geoduck clam chawanmushi — kick off this medium-length omakase, which quickly moves straight into kampachi nigiri. Chef serves six pieces of nigiri, including buttery Ora King salmon and a tuna block of akami, chutoro, and a toro hand roll. A warm take on nigiri features grilled sea eel accented with a few drops of a thick salty-sweet soy sauce and concludes with an uni hand roll before moving into a geoduck clam miso soup and chef’s signature cloud-like tamago.
The Takeaway: A welcome entrant in the high-end counter scene, with a very appealing quality-to-price-point ratio. –Kat Odell
→ Omakase Room by Shin (Midtown) • 145 W 53rd St • Tues-Sat seatings at 530p and 8p • $175 per • Reserve.
ASK FOUND
Hit reply or or email found@foundny.com with questions and/or answers.
Three FOUND subscriber PROMPTS that require your immediate attention:
Where should I be shopping this season for fall wardrobe upgrades?
Which fall restaurant debut are you most excited about?
Where are you booking rooms for this season’s foliage peeping?
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Creative coworking
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC's best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.
NeueHouse (Flatiron, above), culture-centric startup fave