Does Manhattan really need another Thai restaurant? A couple of Australians think so! But Betel, the restaurant they’ve opened in Wild Ginger’s onetime West Village location, isn’t just another pad thai spot — chef-partner Adam Woodfield calls it a “modern Southeast Asian kitchen” inspired by the hawker stalls there. Don’t be put off by the word “modern,” finicky eaters of New York!: “I don’t want to do any fusion or dumb it down,” Woodfield tells us. “I want to keep it very traditional.” To wit, the namesake dish: A betel leaf is topped with a roasted eggplant and shallot relish that’s mixed with chicken and lime leaf, lemongrass, mint, and coriander (the leaf is meant to be rolled and eaten).

Woodfield fell for Asian cuisine while exploring Melbourne’s Victoria Street and traveling to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand (all are represented on the menu). In 2002 he took a sous-chef position at Sydney’s Long Grain and eventually he became head chef at the award-winning Jimmy Liks. After leaving the restaurant for New York, he met up with Luke Fryer, an old Jimmy Liks regular who brought U.K. pan-Asian chain Wagamama to Australia. Now they’re trying to break the curse of New York City Thai spots — aside from certain places in Queens, says Woodfield, “I think you can just get the same thing everywhere and no one’s really trying to branch out.”

Check out the food and cocktail menus below, as well as Martin Brudnizki (Le Caprice)’s interior design. The kitchen is currently open from 6 p.m. till 11 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday, and 6 p.m. till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Food
West coast oyster w nahm jim 3.8
chicken betel leaf w smoked eggplant chilli & shallot jeow 3.8
tea smoked ocean trout betel leaf w salmon roe shrimp galangal & chilli 3.8
salt & pepper sepia w vietnamese dipping sauce 16 | 26
blue eye cod & cilantro dumplings w garlic chives & chilli oil 15
grilled bo la lot w veitnamese mint & red nahm jim 12
yummy chicken wings w lemon dipping sauce 12
pomello asparagus & cashew salad w thai basil & a coconut chilli jam dressing 16
chumpon bbq beef w green papaya salad & a chili tamarind dressing 19

crispy skin duck w yellow bean tamarind orange & ginger 29
stir fried tuna w chilli jam snake bean cashew nut & thai basil 26
stir fried tofu simese watercress w chili wild ginger shitake & black bean 22
vietnamese braised wagyu beef w thai basil vietnamese mint & chilli lime dressing 26
crispy pork hock w tamarind & plum sauce & nahm plah prik 24
dry red curry of prawns w snake bean kra chai & lime leaf 26
crispy whole fish w three flavoured sauce & crispy betel leaf (market price)
caramelised beef rib w cilantro chili shallot & nahm plah prik 28
Hung lae curry of pork belly w peanuts cilantro & sticky rice 26
green curry of grilled poussin w baby corn wild ginger & thai basil 28
sides
steamed brocolini w ginger & yellow bean 12
green papaya salad w snake bean peanut & cherry tomato 14
rice 3 p/p

dessert
betel’s ice cream & sorbet 12
sample plate 25

Drink
Stick Drinks 12
Tokyo Cup
tanqueray rangpur gin, ty-ku junmai sake, longons, cucumber, blackberries, kaffir lime leaf, lime, palm sugar

Stormy Mule
kraken spiced rum, ginger syrup, lime,
fentiman’s ginger beer

Nashi-Citrus Fizz
three olive citrus vodka, prosecco, ty-ku
junmai sake, nashi pear, lemongrass syrup, lemon

Caipirinhas & Caipiroskas
palm sugar, fresh lime
with your choice:
pandana leaf-infused sagatiba cachaca
aged sagatiba cachaca
42 below passion

24 Tea
infused beefeater 24 gin, lychee,
sensha tea, lemon, agave syrup

Vietnamint Julep
bols genever, cucumber, vietnamese mint,
palm sugar

On Ice 12
Ho chi minh tail
42 below kiwi, cinzano bianco, ty-ku junmai sake, kiwi fruit, palm sugar, white cranberry juice

Lychee Margarita
centanario blanco tequila, cointreau, lychee, lime, soho lychee liqueur, salt & raw sugar rim

The Ginger Manuka
makers mark bourbon, 42 below manuka
honey, yuzu, ginger syrup, lime ,ginger ale

Bold Fashioned
jameson, aperol , orange, honey

Macau Mary
thai chili-infused 42 below vodka,
red nahm jim, tomato juice

Soho Mai Thai
Veev acai liqueur , domaine de canton ginger liqueur, crème de framboise, grapefruit

Martinis 13
The Lotus Flower
plymouth gin, saint germain, ty-ku junmai
sake, shiso leaf, lime juice, palm sugar

Sarang Manhattan
michter’s rye, sweet vermouth, tangerine, orange bitters

Beijing Bellini
grey goose au poire, prosecco, ty-ku junmai
sake, lemongrass syrup, ginger syrup, lemongrass powder, lemon juice

Rosangel Gimlet
centenario rosangel hibiscus-infused tequila,
yuzu, lime, agave syrup

Bar Snacks
west coast oyster w red nahm jim 3.8
chicken betel leaf w smoked eggplant chili & shallot jeow 3.8
smoked sea trout betel leaf w salmon roe shrimp galangal & chili 3.8
salt & pepper cuttlefish w vietnamese dipping sauce 13
grilled bo la lot w vietnamese mint & red nahm jim 10
binhminhs chicken wings w chili lemon dipping sauce 10

Betel, 49 Grove St., nr. Bleecker; 212-352-0460

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: slideshow, adam woodfield, betel, luke fryer, southeast asian, thai, vietnamese, wagamama

• 0 Comments

from Grub Street Philadelphia

A major study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine yesterday adds credence to the theory that higher costs for sugary beverages – like the kind that might be caused by a soda tax – are linked to measurable health improvements. This information is another arrow in the quiver of politicians in Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles who have all recently put forth proposals for soda taxes. And it should make Chicago, which already has a soda tax in place – or is it a pop tax? – feel very cutting-edge.

The study, which “followed 5,000 young adults for 20 years as they moved around the country and faced changing prices of soft drinks” found a “$1 increase in the cost of a two-liter bottle of soda – about 1.5 cents per ounce – translated to 124 fewer calories per day from all sources, 2.34 pounds lower body weight per year, and significant improvement in a measure of heart-disease risk.”

Philly’s two-cents-per-ounce tax is, so far, the highest tax proposed in the country; according to an Inquirer article, as of 2008, 64 percent of adults and 57 percent of children in the City of Brotherly Love were overweight or obese.

Study Links Soda Tax and Better Health [Philadelphia Inquirer]

Read more posts by Kirsten Henri

Filed Under: food politics, chicago, los angeles, new york, philadelphia, san francisco, soda tax

• 0 Comments

Bastianch and Batali’s Eataly opens this summer. Chodorow’s Food Parc opens in the fall. But before either of them, there’ll be the Plaza Food Hall by Todd English, a 5,400-square-foot food court set to open this spring in the Plaza’s concourse level (funny enough, it’s designed by pet Chodorow architect Jeffrey Beers).

As previously reported, the juggernaut will include eight seating areas dotted with open kitchens: There’ll be a wine bar, a cheese and charcuterie station, a sushi bar, a burger bar and rotisserie, an Asian noodle and dumpling station, an espresso and tea bar, a brick-oven-pizza station, and a seafood grill, plus specialty foods and cookware for sale. See below for descriptions of these areas (courtesy of the press release) and click through for the just-released renderings.

Wine Bar – Staffed by a sommelier, the wine bar will showcase diverse international and domestic selections and will offer an array of small plates and eclectic Mediterranean tapas that guests may enjoy at the seated counter.

Cheese & Charcuterie Station – Here, guests can choose from a wide selection of artisanal and farmstead cheeses from around the world, as well as cured meats, smoked fish, caviars, and olives.

Sushi Bar – A sushi chef will preside over full sushi and raw bar, offering an assortment of rolls, sashimi, and sushi.

Burger Bar & Rotisserie – This station will feature American fare, burgers and made-to-order carved meat sandwiches, roast chicken with gourmet sides, etc., all prepared in an open kitchen equipped with a rotisserie and smoker.

Asian Noodle and Dumpling Bar – This station will offer eclectic Asian wok-made udon and soba noodles, steamed and fried dumplings, as well as specialty soups for dine-in as well as take-out.

Espresso & Tea Bar – Guests can refuel here with an array of specialty coffees and teas, which will be served alongside gourmet chocolates and freshly baked pastries.

Brick Oven Pizza – This station will feature a variety of made-to-order pizzas as well as Chef English’s signature flatbreads baked in a stone hearth pizza oven.

Fish and Seafood Grill – The Grill will showcase a fresh catch of the day, which can be packaged for home preparation or grilled to order in the fully equipped kitchen. Fresh select oysters and other shellfish will also be available at this station.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: slideshow, eataly, food parc, jeffrey bears, jeffrey chodorow, joe bastianich, mario batali, the plaza food hall, todd english

• 0 Comments

from Grub Street Los Angeles

Whale served in Japan

The makers of The Cove are not sitting around at home, shining their Oscar. Instead, they’re exposing The Hump, a popular sushi restaurant near the Santa Monica Airport, for serving whale meat. According to the New York Times the filmmakers began a sting operation in October after hearing rumors from friends that whale was served at The Hump, then joined with federal agents in the week leading up to the Academy Awards to catch the restaurant breaking the law. What did they discover?

Initially, Cove associate producer Charles Hambleton sent two animal activists to pose as diners for an omakase meal. The two vegans were served a dish of pink broad slices that the waitress called “whale,” a sample of which was later determined to be Sei whale by a shocked marine mammal professor at Oregon State University who had never seen the dish in the States before. The discovery helped grab the attention of federal agents, who returned with the filmmakers last week and were again served whale meat — possibly out of a Mercedes parked in the restaurant’s lot.

The government will take action against the restaurant, the U.S. Attorney’s office said. Possible penalties include a $20,000 fine and a year in prison for the guilty parties. The Hump, which is now lawyered up, explains its name as a reference to The Himalayas, but has taken on a sinister new meaning.

Oscar Winners Try to Keep Whale Off Sushi Plates [The New York Times]

Read more posts by Hadley Tomicki

Filed Under: crime scenes, charles hambleton, kujira, santa monica, sushi, the cove, the hump, whale

• 0 Comments

For a while now we’ve heard that SuChin Pak (MTV) and Ron Castellano (Broadway East, Santos Party House) were planning to bring a flea market to an empty lot at Hester and Essex, behind the former Isabella’s Oven. Now the Hester Street Fair’s Facebook page is up, and opening day will be April 24. The market will take place from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from April to December.

Will this be Manhattan’s version of Brooklyn Flea? No doubt. In fact, Flea vendor Sigmund Pretzel Shop has already signed on, along with shoe line Devotte. The Fair has placed a Craigslist ad seeking more vendors (there’ll be about 60 in all), so if you’re looking to get your “lobsteak” concept off the ground (lobster shells stuffed with meat!), you might want to drop them a line.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: foodievents, broadway east, hester street fair, ron castellano, santos party house, sigmund pretzel shop, suchin pak, the brooklyn flea

• 0 Comments

The man behind the short-lived hot spot known only as “Mike’s apartment” still isn’t giving up his last name, but he’s talking to press, and he tells us that his now-infamous Noho pad will no longer be hosting parties as big as the ones Axl Rose and Will.i.am attended. He is, however, trying to open a bi-level restaurant and rock club. By now you probably know the backstory: On February 23, Gawker outed the “newest hot spot in New York ,” a “reasonable-sized studio/loft downtown somewhere” that belonged to a guy named Mike. “While developing a new nightclub project over the last few months,” the story went, “he accumulated some fairly unorthodox nightlife friends — who eventually started hosting impromptu parties at his place.” It quickly became “the newest hangout for celebrities.”

So who exactly is Mike, and how did he get these unorthodox friends? The story is straight out of How to Make It in America. Mike is a friendly, average Joe from Jersey who does indeed like pickling as well as nineties rock music. After he graduated from NYU in 2000, he and his brother bought and oversaw a 450-seat, 120-employee landmark restaurant in Medford, New Jersey, with the help of their cosigning dad. (Mike currently works primarily for his father’s “family office,” which he describes as “a dynamic entrepreneurial environment” that brokers “commodity trades, commodity currency, and securities.”) The restaurant closed in 2008 (Mike also partnered in an upscale French restaurant).

About four years ago, the owner of a Noho eatery that Mike declines to name brought him on as a consultant, and Mike says that over the course of eight months of balancing the books, he turned the restaurant around and came to win the owner’s trust. So much so that, according to Mike, the two are now talking about partnering in the space and relaunching it as what Mike describes as “a restaurant with good, accessible food in an acceptable environment with a nightlife component that has a focus on rock and roll.” (There will be a small stage in the basement.)

Though Mike won’t name the space in question, a source close to the deal confirms previous rumors that it is Acme, and tells us that Mike has indeed talked to Paul Sevigny about being involved in the project (nothing has been decided and Sevigny now has his hands full with Kenmare). That source also tells us Mike is talking to a group of nightlife and real-estate vets, including longtime nightlife fixture Vegas. He’s the one who is said to have brought Axl Rose and others to Mike’s apartment.

In reality, Mike says he only threw about four or five parties (over the course of about two weeks) before Gawker declared his apartment a celebrity “hangout.” Far from operating an underground club, Mike was simply hosting get-togethers during the period of less than a month during which a larger apartment across from his had become vacant. “When we got keys to the space,” says Mike, “we knew we could do whatever we wanted over there. We’d had so many conversations with so many different people in nightlife about work-related things that we made phone calls to our friends and people that we work with and said, ‘We have this space we can hang out in, so come by.’” With Vegas showing Axl around town during Fashion Week, the rocker’s appearance was a gimme.

With a new tenant taking over the vacant space in March, its days as a party pad were clearly numbered, but a Gawker writer who knew Mike and attended an early party decided to have some fun with it, and Mike played along. “The only way I agreed to do it,” says Mike of the Gawker post, “is if it was done completely anonymous and if it was totally silly, that’s why they mentioned my pickles and goofy shit in my life.” What Mike didn’t expect was for a commenter to discover a GPS watermark in Gawker’s photo of his pickle cabinet — which led to the Village Voice blogging the location of the apartment.

After that post, says Mike, “there were people asking if they can get in; people asking people that know me if they could be brought, people buzzing my buzzer, people poking around about me in the restaurant downstairs.” So does Mike plan to host more blowouts there? “No,” he says emphatically, but he’s still trying to put a deal together. “We got pretty close to a finalization and the landlord has gotten sidetracked on family [issues] and other business projects,” says Mike. “We’re just getting back into the closing phase.”

Assuming Mike can get his project off the ground, the question is: Will the neighbors who blocked AvroKo from coming to Bond Street now embrace a man who unwittingly made a name for himself as an after-hours king? “There are certain connotations that come along with the term ‘nightlife,’ and I don’t think we’re trying to do something that’s offensive, loud, or disruptive — we’re trying to do something that fits in with the neighborhood.” And if Axl Rose shows up, who’s going to turn him away?

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: acme, kenmare, mike’s apartment, nightlife, noho, paul sevigny, Personalities, vegas

• 0 Comments

Add this one to the marketing playbook! Our story about Daniel Angerer making cheese from his wife’s breast milk has turned the Klee Brasserie (Bra-sserie?) chef into somewhat of an international sensation. It was picked up everywhere from London’s Daily Mail to the Toronto Star, and now the Post chimes in to ask the Health Department what it thinks about the chef’s “canapé of breast-milk cheese with figs and Hungarian pepper” and his wife’s idea of breast-milk gelato.

After inquiries from The Post, health bigs said yesterday that even though department codes do not explicitly forbid the practice, they have advised Angerer to refrain from sharing his wife’s milk with the world.

“The restaurant knows that cheese made from breast milk is not for public consumption, whether sold or given away,” a spokeswoman for the city Department of Health said.

Now look what you’ve done, New York Post! First you trigger a smoking crackdown, and now you’ve gone and ruined “human cheese” for everyone!

Wife’s baby milk in chef’s cheese recipe [NYP]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: health concerns, breast milk, cheese, daniel angerer, department of health, klee brasserie

• 0 Comments

It’s hard to mourn the loss of a bakery when it has another location literally around the corner, but hey, this is the location we went to for our red-bean ice drinks, and so it’s with the making of a tear in our eye that we report Manna House Bakery (a Voice pick for Best Pastries in 2008) has lost its lease at 212 Grand Street. If you’re looking for pineapple buns or custard, you’ll have to walk over to Manna House’s other outposts at 87 East Broadway, 125 Mott, or 27 Catherine Street.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: closings, chinatown, manna house bakery

• 0 Comments

Hill Country’s former pitmaster Robbie Richter (now the smoke tender at Fatty ‘Cue) points us to a message-board post from his former boss John Shaw. It seems Hill Country’s catering truck and barbecue trailer — used to transport its Kreuz Market vibe and meats to private events — has gone missing.

Howdy Folks – Please keep on the lookout for a Hot and Cold Hotshot Catering Truck and a Pitts and Spitts built Barbecue Trailer – both with Hill Country Catering and Events branding all over it – although it may have already been re-painted. They were taken out of our garage in NYC on Sat Feb 27th. A $$ REWARD and a mighty thank you to anyone who helps us get it back!! You can see photos on the website page on link included http://www.hillcountryny.com/catering_and_events.php.
Please call me with any info:
John Shaw
Operating Partner
Hill Country Hospitality
212-255-4544 ext 11
or john@hillcountryny.com

Truly bad news, but at least it wasn’t the RUB chopper!

Hill Country BBQ NYC Truck n Smoker Trailer Stolen [RBJB]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: crime scenes, barbecue, grand theft auto, hill country, john shaw, robbie richter, rub

• 0 Comments

• A group of public-school parents will hold a “bake-in” outside City Hall next week to protest new bake-sale regulations that ban home-cooked treats. [NYDN]

• New Yorkers are very excited about the return of outdoor dining. [NYT]

• Proctor & Gamble is recalling Taco Night and Cheeseburger Pringles owing to salmonella concerns. [Salon]

• Restaurant diners are ever more interested in health, responding positively to low-fat, low-sodium, and organic products. [NRN]

• Benihana recently refused an offer of purchase — without even knowing the price. [NYP]

• Subway hopes to have as many stores in China as McDonald’s by 2020. [NYDN]

Read more posts by Leila Cohan

Filed Under: mediavore, bake sales, benihana, pringles, subway, takeru kobayashi

• 0 Comments

This review might be a bit skewed as I used to live above Casimir (103-105 Avenue B @6-7th St.) from 2001-2005, so I…

Casimir

103 Ave B, New York

(212) 358-9683

• 0 Comments

I went to hipster-laden Cafe Habana (17 Prince Street @ Elizabeth) a while back with my brother & his girlfriend & I…

Cafe Habana

17 Prince St, New York

(212) 625-2001

• 0 Comments