In April George Mavrothalassitis unveiled Cassis by Chef Mavro, a casual sibling to his tony Chef Mavro restaurant. Bistro classics get a delightful Hawaiian tweak at this easygoing, 295 seat venture at 66 Queen Street, named for the Provençal harbor village where he worked at his first restaurant. The dining room takes tropical cues from the surrounding Honolulu harbor in the form of an oceany palette and flame-colored Italian light fixtures that cast a soft sunset glow throughout. Chef Mavro's protégé, Ben Takahashi, who has been acquiring hotel experience the past few years, is back in the Mavro fold, running the Cassis kitchen. Apps ($8 to $15): socca (chickpea flour pancakes) with aïoli, tapenade, and salted cod brandade; flamiche (thin tart of onion, bacon, crème fraîche, coriander, thyme, and Swiss cheese). Mains ($22 to $30): crispy pork shank with cabbage, bacon, pineapple, soft white polenta, and sansho jus; shallot/lemon zest–crusted swordfish with tomato/red bell pepper fricassée. Desserts ($8): tarte Tatin seasoned with li hing mui (a mixture of five-spice powder, sugar, and salt) and Hawaiian vanilla ice cream; masaladas (the popular Portuguese-inflected fried pastry fritters) filled with green tea ice cream.
Terroir Restaurant & Wine Bar, serving small plates steeped in Pacific Northwestern flavors, opened in June at 3500 N.E. MLK Jr. Boulevard. Joining owner Mary Hinds (a native Oregonian who previously worked as executive chef at San Francisco's McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant) is executive chef/partner Stu Stein, formerly of Peerless Restaurant (Ashland, OR). Eco-friendly materials and an open kitchen outfitted with a wood-burning stove create an uncluttered backdrop for Stein's robust market-driven menu. From the wood-burning oven ($5 to $14): lavender honey glazed rabbit leg; "BLT" of slow roasted onion-stuffed pork belly with spring onions, lettuce velouté, and tomato gelée. Innards, offals & organs ($6 to $9): lamb sweetbreads with spaetzle; roasted beef marrow bones with herb salad, sea salt, and toasted brioche. Desserts ($3 to $6): strawberry/rhubarb puff pastry strudel with tarragon; goat's milk panna cotta with hazelnut shortbread and cherry compote.
In July Tim Stannard, Mark Sullivan, and Andrew Green, the team behind Bacchus Management Group (which owns The Village Pub in Woodside and four locations of Pizza Antica in the Bay Area), debuted Spruce, an unpretentious restaurant with a convivial feel, at 3640 Sacramento Street. Sullivan, who is also Village Pub executive chef, heads up Spruce's kitchen, while Green is wine and spirits director. Pastry chef William Werner has decamped from The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. The restaurant (La Table in a former life) is divided into four discrete spaces, all of them unified by handsome furnishings such as mohair sofas and saddle leather chairs created for Spruce by designer Stephen Brady of Williams-Sonoma Home. The menu, loaded with produce from the restaurant's private farm in the Santa Cruz Mountains, reflects Sullivan's penchant for the robust flavors of Morocco, Spain, France, and beyond. Apps ($8 to $17): blood orange/beet salad with crispy goat cheese; leek/fennel soup with salt cod dumplings. Mains ($22 to $34): seared big eye tuna in tonnato sauce with artichokes barigoule; honey lacquered duck breast with seared spiced foie gras and chicories. Desserts ($10): organic strawberries with white chocolate/Douglas fir ice cream; chocolate/caramel fondant with Maldon sea salt and kettle corn.
After heading the kitchens at Fort Worth's Reata and the now-shuttered Chisholm Club Restaurant, Brian Olenjack teamed up in March with first-time restaurateurs Paul Wilhide and Bill Bowie to open Olenjack's Grille at 770 Road to Six Flags East. The simple creamy white and black accented dining room accommodates 150 in deep booths and at tables draped in black tablecloths; a brick-lined patio invites another 100 to dine al fresco. Apps ($6 to $18): cornmeal crusted oysters with bacon/chorizo relish; flash-fried antelope ribs with jalapeño jelly and fresh mint. Mains ($10 to $25): seared and roasted boneless half chicken on creamy grits topped with oven-dried tomatoes, capers, roasted garlic, broccolini, and asparagus; grilled mahimahi with caramelized onion, pancetta/Tabasco pepper sauce butter, and mashed potatoes.
In April, wine and spirits retailer Hamlet Peralta and former nightclub owner Max Piña sailed into the burgeoning neighborhood of Harlem with the launch of an appealing American eatery, Hudson River Café, at 697 West 133rd Street. Tucked between Fairway Market and Dinosaur BBQ, the 6,000-square-foot space (previously a dilapidated car mechanic shop) seats 86 within a spacious loft-like interior plus another 75 on a bi-level patio. Executive chef/partner Ricardo Cardona, who also mans the stoves at Lua in Hoboken, New Jersey, puts a Latin spin on his seafood-centric menu. Apps ($5 to $22): Hudson Valley foie gras with vanilla/chile poached mango; arctic char concassée marinated in dry mustard and horseradish and served with dill/lemon mojo sauce. Mains ($18 to $34): seafood asopao, a soupy Latin-style bouillabaisse with rice; adobo marinated chuletas (pork chops) with chimichurri sauce and a choice of rice and beans, yuca fries, or tostones (twice-fried green plantains). Desserts ($5 to $8): grilled chocolate sandwich with dulce de leche ice cream; seasonal fruit cobbler.
Seasoned New York City dining scene veteran Lenny Lorando, who made news for a $16,000 tip he received while working as a maître d' at Nello, took the ownership plunge in March with the opening of Ferrante Restaurant & Bar, a Northern Italian steakhouse at 191 Summer Street. Recruited to run the kitchen is chef Pietro Dunamo, who hails from Campania, Italy. Windowpane doors, dark wood accents, and chocolate brown banquettes give the roomy 100 seat interior a timelessly masculine mien. Apps ($8 to $15): Roman-style crisp artichoke flowers drizzled with balsamic vinegar; pizza of tomato puree, poached pears, pecorino cheese, and raisins. Mains ($14 to $44): risotto with lobster tail, truffle oil, and snow peas; bistecca fiorentina for two with sautéed spinach. Desserts ($8): tiramisù; classic napoleon.
