Le Marchande Opens, and More NYC Restaurant News

Headliner

La Marchande

Virtually 200 yrs in the past, the money district was New York City’s hub for wonderful eating. With Crown Shy, Harry’s, Nobu Downtown, Temple Court, the new Le Gratin and this gracious cafe and bar by John Fraser in the Wall Street Lodge, it’s heading in that way once again. The lodge, owned by Paspaley, a key pearl company in Australia, is in a repurposed office building with a mercantile past. (The restaurant’s identify — “the merchant” in French — displays that.) An stylish bar leads to a white-tablecloth dining place with an elaborate raw bar and a pair of semiprivate tables framed in significant drapes. Despite the formality of the location, Mr. Fraser hopes to attract what he sees as a more youthful group who reside and perform in the spot, by modernizing the French fare that shaped his vocation in Paris. “I’m searching at the 21st century, employing worldwide substances, at times out of left subject,” he mentioned. He’s supported by his executive chef, Rick Horiike, who labored at Buddakan and Wild Ink. Amid the raw-bar objects and appetizers on the prolonged menu are beef tartare, asparagus or blue crab enclosed in rice paper rolls littleneck clams with cilantro mignonette and evenly seared duck breast, sliced carpaccio-thin, with a drizzle of fish sauce caramel. Most important classes involve sweet rice with mushrooms cooked in a banana leaf, a variation of homard à l’Américaine produced with coconut milk, espresso-crusted pork chop with lentils, trout baked with a basting of miso, and roasted or steamed Dover sole for two with vermouth-lime butter. Desserts involve a floating island with Japanese-model cheesecake. Amy Racine, the beverage director for Mr. Fraser’s JF Places to eat, will oversee the 120-label wine list that, although largely French, lists some Australian picks to honor the hotel’s homeowners. (Opens June 7)

The Wall Road Lodge, 88 Wall Road (Water Street), 212-837-1918.

Opening

Il Gradino

An accommodating head captain at Scalinatella, specifically for regulars, Luis Diego Argudo has opened his initially restaurant close by, in the previous Fig & Olive space. Carlos Inga, previously of San Pietro and Il Mulino, will be the executive chef, executing a traditional upscale Italian menu. In his new cafe, Mr. Argudo presents quite a few products “a piacere,” cooked nonetheless you like. That applies to calamari, risotto, veal, chicken and lobster.

808 Lexington Avenue (62nd Street), 646-649-3289, ilgradino.com.

Calle San Marcos

PDT, the bar behind Crif Pet dogs, has opened this avenue-side summertime pop-up influenced by Mexico. Cocktails characteristic agave-dependent spirits. For meals, there are incredibly hot pet dogs designed in collaboration with the chefs Rick Bayless (a hen Milanesa pet) and Enrique Olvera (esquites pet with corn and queso fresco).

113 St. Marks Location (Avenue A), pdtnyc.com.

Singlish

Named for the colloquial language spoken in Singapore, this most recent from Salil Mehta, a restaurateur and chef who specializes in Southeast Asian cuisines, is a 2nd-flooring bar serving drinks that appear the two East and West, adding splashes of fish sauce, touches of galangal and dustings of Sichuan pepper to drinks manufactured with tequila, bourbon and gin. Alongside are road-foods treats like fries with salted egg aioli, papaya salad and marinated duck tongues.

17 East 13th Street, 646-609-2633, singlishnyc.com.