Soon the leaves will begin to fall and we’ll be donning sweater dresses, knee-high boots, and before we know it, winter won’t be too far behind. But before we get ahead of ourselves, there’s much to look forward to as fall approaches. The city is currently preparing for a new wave of restaurants, all opening within the next few months. From modern Chinese cuisine to an epic steakhouse, here are six restaurants opening this fall that we can’t wait to try.
Quality Bistro
This fall, Quality Branded restaurateur Michael Stillman will open Quality Bistro in New York City’s Midtown neighborhood. Helmed by Quality Meats NYC’s executive chef Antonio Mora, the 200-seat restaurant will serve brasserie-style French steakhouse fare paired with an inventive French-inspired beverage program by Beverage Director Bryan Schneider and Wine Director Scott Woltz. Dishes will include beloved French classics with a modern twist such as Crab Cake Paillard, Green Garlic Escargots, Manila Clams Marinières, Long Bone Short Rib Chasseur with Thai Basil Salad and the Porterhouse au Poivre for Two. Designed by award-winning creative agency AvroKO, the elegant space will feature warm, modernized accents reminiscent of France’s Belle Époque era. Quality Bistro is the 12th addition to Quality Branded, a national New York City-based hospitality group including Don Angie, Quality Eats, Quality Italian, Quality Meats, Park Avenue, Smith & Wollensky, and Maloney & Porcelli.
Toko
New York’s sushi scene is both diverse and impressive, with big hits such as Masa and popular hotspots, such as Zuma, but this fall there is a new sushi restaurant entering the scene and we’re excited to try it. Instead of searching for this restaurant on the street, you will have to look below ground for the entrance. Diners will descend into the Southeast corner of the subway station at West 32nd Street and Broadway to find the brainchild of Bobby Kwak and Joseph Ko. Upon entering the 1,500 square foot space, guests descend a little further and encounter a glass-enclosed wine room, smooth surface suede leather walls accented with stained navy blue wood panels, a dark gray porcelain tile floor and gray suede high-backed stools at the stark white ash dining counter seating 18. There is also a private room that seats eight guests. Conceptualized by Soojin Kim, the handsome design adds to the mystery guests feel as they descend down a subway staircase to enter this exciting new restaurant. Guests can enjoy items from two menus—sushi and composed omakase, which is overseen by J.Trent Harris (formerly of Shuko). While not much is known about this new addition, we’re excited to see its arrival, sometime in November.
Nikutei Futago
The team behind Yakiniku Futago is bringing extraordinary Japanese Yakiniku BBQ to New York this fall. Nikutei Futago specializes in upscale Yakiniku using only Japanese Wagyu, allowing diners to experience the ultimate umami and beauty of Japanese beef. There are three tasting-menu options, and just like Futago, the meat is grilled on the table by the diners themselves. The restaurant spans two floors and features 38 seats, mostly consisting of semi-private tables. The design transports guests to a traditional Japanese ryokan. After arriving through the entrance tucked behind a Japanese garden, diners will be greeted and guided to their tables. There are two Nikutei Futago locations in Tokyo, and this will be their first outpost in the United States. Expect specialties like their signature “Nikubako”—an assortment of Japanese Wagyu in a wooden box—Wagyu Otoro Nigiri, Japanesque desserts and an extensive sake list.
Cathédrale
Debuting at the new Moxy East Village, Cathédrale is a French-Mediterranean restaurant conceived by, partner and Chef, Ralph Scamardella and Executive Chef Jason Hall. The menu will bring elemental, ingredient-driven cooking to the forefront, evoking the grandeur of the past while remaining contemporary in its execution. Designed by Rockwell Group, guests descend into the striking setting complete with soaring triple-height ceilings and an ethereal 19-foot wire mesh sculpture by internationally-celebrated Italian artist Edoardo Tresoldi. An open kitchen outfitted with copper accents, an outdoor dining terrace with a retractable roof and a private dining room for intimate events support the decadence and raw creativity of both the menu and the East Village’s rich history and character. As with all Moxy hotels, Cathédrale is set to make a scene following its opening.
Goosefeather
Who doesn’t love a good Chinese restaurant in the fall? Chef Dale Talde recently opened Goosefeather inside the Tarrytown House Estate, which sits high on the hill above Sunnyside, the former home of famed writer Washington Irving—an area rich in history and folklore. The menu boasts seasonal modern Chinese fare that focuses on the trifecta that comprises the cuisine in Hong Kong, including a heavy hand on noodles, Cantonese barbecue and dumplings. Dale’s food takes traditional Cantonese fare up a notch, using unexpected ingredients like dry-aged beef, black truffles and more. Dinner menu highlights include dim sum bites like Typhoon Lobster and Shrimp with charred lemon and garlic; Dry-aged Beef Potstickers with Chinese mustard-horseradish; and Prawn Toast with pickled chilis and crushed avocado.
CATCH Steak
This fall, Catch Hospitality Group will be opening its first-ever sister restaurant, CATCH STEAK, a new concept steak house. Mostly known for its seafood-centric restaurants, Catch is bringing an energetic vibe to the 15,000 square foot theatrical venue, designed by Rockwell Group, which will take over the former La Sirena space in New York’s trendy Meatpacking District. The menu consists of a curated collection of the world’s best cuts and globally-influenced dishes for a more approachable 2020 steakhouse experience. The ‘scratch kitchen’ will turn out 50+ sauces, marinades and relishes daily to compliment hand-selected steaks, sourced from the limited allocation, super-premium farms and prefectures in the U.S. and abroad. As one of only two restaurants in New York City to carry an official Kobe license from Japan, the steak program will focus on smaller, elevated portions ranging from Prime, Dry-Aged, American Wagyu and Japanese Wagyu (including renowned ‘Snow Beef’ from Hokkaido prefecture, often referred to as the Holy Grail of Wagyu), to official Japanese Kobe varietals. Steaks will be prepared in a 1700-degree infrared charbroiler, seasoned with cracked Madagascar Black Pepper and Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and finished with a sel gris — a sea salt from the south of France that is harvested exclusively under a full moon from the Mediterranean Sea.
Cover Story
September 17, 2019Tilman Fertitta On What It Takes To Build An Award-Winning
