New and Noteworthy around NYC

There's a lot of great news on the New York City restaurant scene. There are openings all around the town that includes inventive dining concepts with some of the city's top culinary talents. Check out what's new and noteworthy that we are recommending for our readers.

Belly (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) Pork belly, or Korean bacon, is beloved in the states, but it has yet to receive a temple devoted entirely to its worship. Enter Belly, a new restaurant in Williamsburg offering New York City's first bacon omakase menu. This trailblazing concept is the brainchild of Advertising Executive Phillip Cho and Partner Anna Lee (a marketing communication strategy specialist), longtime friends with a passion for the porcine. The team seeks to show diners that Korean cuisine can be so much more than what's found on 32nd Street in K-Town, and that an omakase does not have to be stuffy or exclusive. Belly is located at 219 Grand Street (at Driggs Ave.), Brooklyn NY. Visit: www.bellynyc.com.

Hudson Jane (Brooklyn) Hudson Jane is a gratuity-included all-day café, restaurant and wine bar from partners Chef Megan Johnson (ex-Gramercy Tavern, Gottino & Casellula) and Jen LaPorta opened this week in Fort Greene. The menus feature Megan's take on American comfort food for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner. A grab-and-go retail section will sell housemade provisions and local goods throughout the day, from breakfast pastries to lunch sandwiches to dishes to take home for a quick dinner. The restaurant will also host Meet the Maker nights to allow guests to connect and engage with the people who make, grow, and produce their food. Hudson Jane serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Hudson Jane is located at 360 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Visit https://www.hudsonjane.com/.

Imli (Upper East Side) Imli is a new urban Indian restaurant in NYC by owners Mervyn Winston, Ram Reddy, and Albin Vincent, who seek to offer a different Indian culinary experience with unique preparations of dishes, some rarely seen on an Indian menu along with shareable small plates like those found at the bustling all-day cafés of Mumbai. To craft the food menu the team has tapped Executive Chef Manuel Butler, a veteran Indian chef who consulted for the opening of Sahib, the recent recipient of a two-star New York Times review. He also opened Dhaba and Awad, and served as executive chef of Chote Nawab. At Imli, he has created a menu offering a range of experiences anchored by colonial Indian cuisine, with influences straddling modern and traditional representing various regions of India. Imli is located at 1136 1st Avenue (between 62nd & 63rd Streets), New York, NY. Visit www.ImliRestaurantNY.com.

MakiMaki (Midtown) MakiMaki has opened on 6th Avenue changing the Midtown lunch game with a fresh new affordable option. It serves traditional made-to-order sushi rolls created and cut in front of the customer, along with teas from an 800-year old Japanese company not available in the U.S. This fast casual restaurant is a passion project for Kevin Takarada, a Japanese American with a love of sushi and a family background in hospitality. A Japanese architect outfitted the 650 square foot space with high-end materials typically reserved for upscale sushi restaurants. The centerpiece of MakiMaki's menu is the selection of maki rolls, which can be ordered off the menu or customized by customers. MakiMaki is located at 1369 6th Avenue (between 55th and 56th Street) New York, NY. Visit: http://makimaki.nyc/.

Burger & Lobster (Midtown) Burger & Lobster, with its namesake fare, has joined the culinary cast of New York City's famed Theater District with its second Manhattan (and U.S.) location in One Bryant Park, The Bank of American Building. Burger & Lobster aficionados will recognize Executive chef Danny Lee's menu although there are new items including a fourth lobster roll option in the guise of the Po' Boy, corn crusted fried lobster clusters, spicy remoulade, Burger Bites, tiny Hereford beef patty, American and Cheddar cheese, house made pickles, wrapped in crispy puff pastry and served with a side of secret burger sauce and Lobster Bites, lobster and shrimp, lemon zest , chives, puffy pastry, with side of homemade sweet chili sauce . The highlight among the new menu offerings is The Tower with any two burgers, any two lobster rolls, two whole one pound lobsters, any three sauces, unlimited fries, unlimited Salad and any four specialty cocktails or a bottle of Cava presented on a two tiered tray. It is open daily for dinner, starting at 5 p.m. and lunch service will begin on July 31. The new Burger & Lobster is located at 132 W. 43rd St. with its entrance next to the Stephen Sondheim Theatre between 6th Avenue and Broadway. Visit: https://www.burgerandlobster.com/en.

Sen Sekana (Midtown) In the early 1900s, a wave of Japanese immigrants arrived in Peru to work on the country's rail system. Those that stayed assimilated and brought Japanese cuisine to Peruvian kitchens for the first time. The result was Nikkei cuisine, a meeting of two great food traditions. Nikkei, derived from the Japanese term nikkeijin. While Nikkei remained a Peruvian specialty, the cuisine is making its New York debut at the Sen Sakana restaurant, helmed by Chefs Mina Newman and Taku Nagai. It is the only Nikkei Kitchen in Manhattan. At Sen Sakana, Chefs Newman and Nagai seamlessly intertwine the two cuisines together, using produce indigenous to Peru to accent traditional dishes from each culture. Sen Sakana offers a full menu of hot and cold small plates, ceviches and tiraditos, sushi, entrees, and robata vegetables. Chefs Newman and Nagai are excited to introduce American diners to the inventive, resourceful and flavor-rich cuisine born from the blend of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines. Sen Sekana is located at 28 West 44th Street, New York, NY. Visit: https://sensakana.com/.

Sushi by Bou (Midtown) The restaurant is a 30-minute, 12 piece, $50-omakase experience that recently debuted at Gansevoort Market in May and just expanded to a second all-new underground location beneath The Sanctuary Hotel this month. Chef-owner David Bouhadana, along with partners Michael Sinensky and Erika London opened their new 200-square foot location down a graffitied staircase through a hidden cellar. Once inside, diners will sit counter side for their timed experience complemented by a well-curated list of Japanese whiskeys, sake and classic cocktails. Sushi by Bou is located at Sanctuary Hotel, 132 West 47th Street, New York, NY. Visit: https://www.sushibybou.com/.

Umami Burger Hudson New York (Midtown) The launch of Umami Hudson marks the first Empire State hotel restaurant, first-ever breakfast menu, fourth location in New York and 26th worldwide, and is yet another exciting development in 2017 for the cutting-edge gourmet burger brand. This year saw the opening of Umami Tokyo, the brand's first international restaurant; the debut of the Impossible Burger at nine of Umami Burger's West Coast locations and one of its most successful launches to date; and the unveiling of the redesigned Umami Burger at The Grove in Los Angeles in June. Umami Burger is located at the Hudson Hotel, 358 West 58th Street, New York, NY. Visit: https://www.umamiburger.com/locations/hudson/.

aRoqa (Chelsea) Experience the newly opened, stylish restaurant and cocktail lounge in Chelsea. Chef/Owner Gaurav Anand (Awadh, Moti Mahal Delux) has collaborated with Head Mixologist Stephen Thomas (il Buco, il Buco Alimentari) to offer modern dining that marries traditional Indian cooking techniques with global flavors paired with uniquely creative cocktails. Gaurav took inspiration from his travels to create a one-of-a-kind menu that marries Western and Indian flavors and techniques. The food goes far beyond traditional Indian cooking, utilizing ingredients not generally found in the cuisine: avocado, kale, tomatillos, bacon, goat cheese and more. aRoqa is located at 206 9th Avenue, New York, NY. Visit: https://www.aroqanyc.com/.

Old Monk (East Village) Old Monk specializes in Contemporary Indian Soul Food. Named for the iconic Indian dark rum brand, Old Monk's rule-breaking menu is poised to redefine Indian fare while still honoring the rich and vibrant flavors of the country's diverse regions. A twist on traditional Indian food, menu highlights at Old Monk include house-baked Goat Cheese Naan with pumpkin and melon seeds; Wild Rice Jhaal Moori with wasabi peas, tamarind and mint; Anjeer Kofta - tender fig and paneer dumplings in a saffron sauce; and Tellicherry Pepper Beef featuring flank steak, peppercorn jus and curry leaves. Adding to the convivial vibe, a special section on the menu, "You're in Good Hands," features a family-style, four-course feast. Seasonal ingredients are carefully sourced from NYC's greenmarkets and spices are ground in-house. Old Monk is located at 175 Avenue B, New York, NY. Visit: http://oldmonknyc.com/.

Becky's Bites (East Village) Becky's Bites is located in the heart of the East Village near Tompkins Square Park. The concept behind the city's first shoppe dedicated to cream cheese began one night in a bite-sized kitchen in New York. Acting on Becky Rosenthal's creativity and urge to eat something indulgent, quick and delicious, her signature chocolate dipped flavored cream cheese bites were created. Ever since that serendipitous night, Becky has been inspired by cream cheese: a household staple that doesn't have to be so ordinary. She has now perfected uniquely delicious savory and sweet treats all based on the beloved classic. Becky's cream cheese is sourced from the Hudson Valley and her other staples, which include coffee and bagels, are all proudly made in New York. Becky's Bites offers a range of novel cream cheese inspired treats from bagels and parfaits, to tiny tarts and cookie sandwiches. Becky's Bites is located at 122 E. 7th Street, New York, NY. Visit: https://www.beckysbitesnyc.com/.

Feed Your Soul Bakery (Financial District) Feed Your Soul Bakery's Founder and President, Mya Zoracki has announced the opening of Feed Your Soul Café on August 2nd. This is the company's first of several retail locations slated to open in Manhattan this year. Similar to its online bakery, Feed Your Soul Café will offer an array of sweets, from its signature cookies, brownies, and gourmet bars made with the highest quality ingredients. Located directly across the street from the New York Stock Exchange, Feed Your Soul Café will serve premium coffee, gourmet pastries, grab and go items, and a memorable experience to both locals and visitors alike. Feed Your Soul Bakery is located at 14 Wall Street, New York, NY. Visit https://www.feedyoursoulcafe.com/.

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