Sushi on Jones
Sushi on Jones is coming to Williamsburg in November. The popular restaurant already has a location in Manhattan in the former home of CBGB:
Celebrated omakase counter Sushi on Jones — the original one that limits diners to 30 minutes — is doing away with the time limit at a new Williamsburg restaurant. Also to be called Sushi on Jones, the restaurant at 97 North 10th St., between Wythe Avenue and Berry Street, will have eight counter seats for its acclaimed omakase, plus another 40 for an expanded menu of Japanese fare. Dishes from Sushi on Jones executive chef Corwin Kave will include chicken skewers with hot mustard and lemon and fried tuna belly with spicy cabbage and tare sauce…. [Owner] Derek Feldman built his name with the first Sushi on Jones, which Times critic Pete Wells called his “favorite” bare-bones sushi in NYC. Then, Uchu cemented his status as a formidable restaurateur with its luxuries.
Next April, John Winterman of Michelin-starred Bâtard is opening a spot in South Williamsburg:
Michelin-starred Bâtard co-owner John Winterman and former Piora chef Chris Cipollone have teamed up for the unnamed restaurant at 134 Broadway, at Bedford Avenue, Food & Wine reports. They’re planning a menu that’s a return to traditional appetizer, entree, and dessert format. Dishes run from housemade pastas to fish and meat entrees, such as bucatini cacio e pepe with kale; agnolotti with lobster and tarragon; côte de boeuf for two; and roast chicken. Wine will focus on Europe and the U.S., alongside a full bar with a classic cocktail list and a non-alcoholic one, too.
The word brasserie comes in more in the vibes of the space than a French menu. Winterman told Food & Wine he wants it to be “egalitarian” with a “convivial, lively atmosphere.” It’s on the ground floor of an office building, and architect Glen Coben is designing the space, which used to be a bank. Expect a 70-seat dining room with leather banquettes, a semi-open kitchen, exposed brick, and a lot of light from the corner location.
Pizzette opens in East Williamsburg on the Montrose stop:
Steve Shaka opened Pizzette in East Williamsburg with manager Luc Trahn as a culmination of a long time dream to open a pizza shop. Shaka owns Bushwick’s French bistro Mominette and Bushwick Bakery. The pizza heavy menu draws from the dough work of a bakery with the day-to-day of running a restaurant. Shaka’s got Sicicilan heritage and grew up with pizza, which means he takes the crust very seriously.
Pizzette, close to the Montrose L, soft opened in early June in the former Tricolore Pizza space. Partner Trahn noticed the space was closing and Shaka was able to buy out their lease, which dated back to 2012 (with 2012 prices) and renovations were easier because the space already had a pizza oven. Build-out took about four months but the opening was stalled while they waited seven months for a liquor license. The space is large, with an art-filled back room that’s available for events and parties. Since opening, customer feedback has been good and plates are coming back empty, which is Shaka’s truest test of quality.
Planet X, a new “punk-style bar” is now open in Ridgewood:
Gracing the entrance, the building has an old sign in faded-out powder white, announcing “SENECA PORK STORE INC.” But on the boot black door underneath, little letters traced out read the name “PLANET X,” a punk-style bar that had opened its doors for the first time this past weekend.
The bar’s deliberately shuttered windows give the impression of a basement without the inconvenience of stairs. Dark, funky colors dominate, oversaturate and evoke scenes from Wilt Stillman’s “Last Days Of Disco.” The old commercial space is rather flat and uninteresting, so the walls are leaned on to entertain. Posters of ‘80s icons; gel-lamps that evoke strange, glowing fish hang about; a disco ball, too, hangs from the ceiling.