A couple of months after his departure from Five & Diamond, David Santos has now landed at Hotel Griffou. A little over a year in, the West Village spot recently expanded its bar area, and you’ll now be able to nibble on venison tartare there. Santos is revamping the throwback dinner offerings (never really the draw of the place) with his Portuguese roots in mind. “My menus always reflect my life,” he tells us. “Where I’ve been, where I want to go, and who I am.” Santos says he plans to introduce wine dinners, “special ingredient dinners,” and tasting menus shortly. Here’s what he’s been sending out so far.

Grilled Portuguese sepia
piquillo peppers, kalamata olives, sherry shallots

Burgundy escargot
roasted garlic broth, bacon, watercress, poached quail eggs

Venison tartare
red curry aioli, peanuts, rice crisps

Hand cut tagliolini
butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, brown butter

Entrees
Nova Scotia lobster
baby sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, bacon maple reduction

Iowa farms pork chop
cornbread pain perdu. roasted root vegetables, apple jalapeno puree

East coast Halibut
Gigante bean puree, braised escarole, balsamic glaze

Spice crusted tuna
organic hen egg, fall pole beans, mojo vinaigrette.

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Filed Under: chef shuffle, 5 & diamond, david santos, hotel griffou

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Cascabel’s tacos have been flying off the grill so fast that after nine months, owner David Chiong and his chef-partner Todd Mitgang are already moving to a larger space three doors down at 1538 Second Avenue (formerly Willy’s Bar and Grille). So what will happen to the old space? “We’re hoping to bring another fun spot to the Upper East Side within the year,” is the only thing Chiong will reveal. “We have a few ideas one of them being dim sum but for now, our focus is on tripling Cascabel’s reach.” Don’t be surprised if Chiong’s Cuban-Chinese roots have a significant role in the flavors of his future venture. (Dumplings, anyone?) Either way, both the new Cascabel and its currently unnamed replacement at 1542 Second Avenue are due to open later this month.

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Filed Under: reopenings, cascabel, closings, david chiong, openigns, todd mitgang

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Cascabel’s tacos have been flying off the grill so fast that after nine months, owner David Chiong and his chef-partner Todd Mitgang are already moving to a larger space three doors down at 1538 Second Avenue (formerly Willy’s Bar and Grille). So what will happen to the old space? “We’re hoping to bring another fun spot to the Upper East Side within the year,” is the only thing Chiong will reveal. “We have a few ideas one of them being dim sum but for now, our focus is on tripling Cascabel’s reach.” Don’t be surprised if Chiong’s Cuban-Chinese roots have a significant role in the flavors of his future venture. (Dumplings, anyone?) Either way, both the new Cascabel and its currently unnamed replacement at 1542 Second Avenue are due to open later this month.

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Filed Under: reopenings, cascabel, closings, david chiong, openigns, todd mitgang

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After shuttering for renovations last month, Williamsburg transplant Planet Thailand 212 has reopened as an outpost of Boyd Thai. All week between 4 and 7 p.m., Planet Thailand owner Anna Popermhen and Boyd owner Amy Moko are celebrating their new partnership by offering three free bottles of beer (Singha, Chang, or Corona) with every prix fixe dinner (beers are $2 with à la cart items). The décor hasn’t changed that much — the large white booths have been replaced, the large bar that centers the room is now dressed with bright red chairs, and the sushi bar has been brought to the front to create a colorful lounge. But according to Moko, the entire staff and menu is new: “We want to really focus on good food and good service. We also lowered the price of the menu.” The $25 prix fixe menu allows a choice of salad (cranberry or mango) or soup (Tum Yum or a Miso); starter (steamed calamari with a chile dipping sauce or Vegetable Duck on pineapple skewers); and entrée (filet of bass grilled with a pear blue-cheese salad, a grilled New York sirloin sautéed with green vegetables and a spinach cream, or a sautéed salmon with sugar snap peas).

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Filed Under: reopenings, boyd thai, flatiron district, planet thailand

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While restaurant L’ybane sets to reopen August 3 at 709 Eighth Avenue, a couple of Parisians have already snagged its old home on the Upper East Side. Chefs Adil Fawzi and Anthony Raggiri have been serving up French fare down the block at Bistro 61 for over five years; now they’ll open a French gourmet bakery. “There are plenty of Italian markets, but we want ours to be like the French Citarella,” says Fawzi. The classically trained Parisians scored the space because they were friendly with L’ybane owner Al Rineh, who was looking for (he tells us) “a much livelier, happening neighborhood.”

Marche de Sud will open this fall with a rustic restaurant, garden, and wine bar. The menu will feature Southern French savories like tartares, anchoyade (anchovy paste), charcuterie, and a create-your-own cheese plate. The item they’re most excited about introducing is their varied selection of tarte flambée, a wafer-thin Alsatian-French pizza. Other French classics will include a lavender-cheese soufflé and sole gougeres, lightly fried strips of sole with dollops of tartar sauce.

Marche de Sud, 1136 First Ave., nr. 62nd St.

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Filed Under: openings, adil fawzi, anthony raggiri, french, hell’s kitchen, l’ybane, marche de sud, upper east side

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