New to the scene …
High-end Meatpacking District restaurant Cherry now has a hip new Brooklyn sister. Restaurateurs Jonathan Moor and Eugene Morimoto opened a more casual Izakaya version of their Japanese and French fusion spot on Friday. Called Cherry Izakaya, the new Williamsburg location at 138 N. 8th St. will specialize in small plates like a Black Caesar Roll ($7.50), made with black rice, romaine, crispy bacon and a Caesar dressing; and shiitake confit gyoza ($8.50). Larger plates include short ribs with Suntory whisky sauce and potato salad ($26). The drinks are a big draw here — try the Rite of Spring ($12), with aged rum, cantaloupe, celery seed and Szechuan pepper leaf, or the Cherry Bomb ($12) with tequila, cherry jam, black pepper and lemon.
Veggies are the stars at the new Washington Market Tavern, which opened in Tribeca at 41 Murray St. last week. Chef Aksel Theilkuhl (who worked under chef Laurent Tourondel at BLT) is offering up a variety of raw and cooked seasonal seafood and meat dishes — but what catches our eye is the garden section. Here, you’ll find dishes like Blooming Hill Farms Baby Beets ($13), made with raw and roasted beets, a shallot marinade, charred onion “dirt,” spiced walnut crumble, whipped goat cheese and local greens; or the carrots ($15) that are prepared in a variety of ways, including grilled, roasted, shaved, butter poached and dehydrated.
Wall Street is now where financial and farmer’s markets meet. Every Thursday from noon to 7 p.m., Andaz Wall Street will host a farmer’s market on the hotel’s plaza near the intersection of Water and Wall Sts. Z Food Farms, an organic farm in Lawrenceville, N.J. is anchoring the market, and other stalls include Shibumi Farm’s from Princeton, which specializes in mushrooms.
Brooklyn Brew Shop has teamed up with brewer Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso of Evil Twin Brewing and Brooklyn beer bar Torst to create a Bikini Beer beermaking kit. Now, beer fans can make the light bodied and heavily hopped brew at home. It’s available at brooklynbrewshop.com for preorder ($40) and expected to ship in about two weeks.
Class up your condiments with Ft. Greene Farms, a new line of small-batch sauces and pickles created by Nate Meshberg, who has worked at Michael White’s restaurants Marea, and Osteria Morini. The line includes a Charred Sriracha Hot Sauce ($9), a pickled mustard seed spread ($8) and a Hot Pepper Relish ($8), all available online at ftgreenefarms.com and in specialty shops.
Gabriel Stulman has relaunched the former Chez Sardine at 183 W. 10th St. as Bar Sardine. The menu is no longer Asian-tinged, instead offering bar snacks like a burger with smoked cheddar and herbed French fries with mustard-maple aioli. Brian Bartels is overseeing the bar program, which includes barrel-aged cocktails, drinks with housemade bitters, wine and beer.
On the horizon …
That pricey wine you’re drinking might be a fake. Boost your knowledge on the subject at the 92nd Street Y, which is hosting a panel discussion on Aug. 6 with Benjamin Wallace, author of “The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine.” Others on hand for the talk include Judge Richard Berman, who recently presided over a high-profile wine fraud case, and food historian Francine Segan. After the talk ($21), enjoy a complimentary wine and cheese reception.
“Taste Talks” are returning to Brooklyn for a second yearfrom Sept. 12-14. Presented by Northside Media Group and Mario Batali, the events are curated this year by chef Danny Bowien from Mission Cantina and Mission Chinese. The festival is a combination of tasting events, dinners, panel discussions with chefs like Dale Talde, Christina Tosi and Justin Warner, as well as a free Future Food Expo where startups and innovators show off their products. Events range from $20 for a chicken and waffle brunch to $90 for a multicourse oysters and Champagne dinner at Villain in Williamsburg. Single tickets are available for events, as well as two types of weekend passes: a $100 Food Enthusiast pass that gets ticket holders into most events except dinners, and a Kitchen Sink Pass for $385 which also includes access to dinners. For more info or to purchase, go to taste-talks.com.
gpace@nydailynews.com
