Buttermilk Channel, a new Carroll Gardens bistro, opens tomorrow night. Owner Doug Crowell, a former manager of Blue Water Grill, thinks that people in the neighborhood who stop in for a bite to eat might notice some familiar touches in the newly completed dining room. “We bought a lot of things from stoop sales, cleaned them up, and used them here,” he said today. A giant suspension spring from an old truck on the bar attests to that fact. Elsewhere, parts of the restaurant have seemingly been assembled from bits and pieces of old Brooklyn: in the center of the room is a long communal table that was made from ceiling beams reclaimed from a Red Hook warehouse. The same craftsman who made the table also put together Buttermilk Channel’s pegged butcher-block bar. more ›

Dean’s: A third Dean’s Restaurant is now open in Tribeca. The Italian eatery has won fans with their signature thin crust brick oven pizza made with homemade mozzarella and a dozen potential toppings. But if amazing brick oven pizza isn’t your thing, Dean’s also has a full Italian menu with pasta dishes like Parpardella Toscana, a wide ribbon pasta with wild mushroom and sundried tomatoes in a light cream white wine sauce. There are also some big salads and an extensive wine list. And the new Tribeca location is inviting, with brick walls and a warmly lit bar. 349 Greenwich St., between Harrison and Jay. (212) 966-3200. more ›

Bar Boulud: Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni recently lost his patience waiting on hold for 15 minutes to make a reservation, which should give you some sense of how feverish the excitement is for Daniel Boulud’s latest foray. The tony uptown wine bar, across the street from Lincoln Center, enjoyed the raging buzz of a sneak-preview opening on New Year’s Eve and now the 100 seat restaurant is open for real. Judging from the photos, the modern yet warm interior does look inviting; a long vaulted ceiling is intended to “invoke a classic wine cellar”, a backlit gravel wall echoes an old world vineyard, and three private “wine themed” dining rooms are available for the swells. more ›