New Restaurant and Bar Radar
8 photos
<strong>The Counter Custom Built Burger</strong>: How many options do you want to have for your hamburger? Is it over 300,000? Because if so you may have to look elsewhere. But for everyone who is fine with a measely few hundred thousand burger combinations there is <a href="http://www.thecounterburger.com/">The Counter</a>. It's been a while since we've done that type of math, but we're going to take their word that five types and sizes of proteins, 12 cheeses, 33 toppings, 21 sauces and four types of buns equals over 300,000 possibilities for your burger. Here are a few options.<p></p>Beef, turkey, veggie, chicken or "market selection" burgers can be ordered up to a pound in size, and served with cheeses like herb goat cheese or horseradish cheddar. Toppings range from hard boiled eggs to grilled pineapples to fried onion strings, and finally burgers are topped with sauces like ginger soy glaze or basil pesto. Don't work, it's entirely possible to get a regular bacon cheeseburger with ketchup too. There are a few signature burgers, sides like chili cheese fries or fried pickle chips, and plenty of shakes and malts. Oh yeah, you can also order those burgers in a bowl if you want. However, to get there you'll have to go to Times Square. Be brave, be bold.<p></p><em>1451 Broadway, (212) 997-6801</em>
<em><a href="http://colormekatie.com">Katie Sokoler</a>/Gothamist</em><p></p><strong>Calexico:</strong> The 2008 <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/10/19/and_the_2008_vendy_award_goes_tocal.php">Vendy Cup winners</a>, opened up their second brick-and-mortar location last week. Calexico's new spot in Greenpoint has a similar menu as their popular carts and their Union Street location, plus a full bar with several Six Point beers. This stretch of Manhattan Avenue now has Calexico, Manhattan Inn, <em>and</em> Van Leeuwen Ice Cream (not to mention Five Leaves just a block away). Dining and nightlife editors, start your trendgines! <em>(Tien Mao) <p></p>645 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn</em>
<strong>Cana Wine Bar:</strong> Opening in the <a href="http://www.shoplimelightmarketplace.com/index.html">Limelight Marketplace</a> (God that is still weird to say), Cana Wine Bar sounds like a good place to stop for a snack and a drink in the middle of a busy shopping day. The menu is full of small dishes like veal carpaccio, cured meat and cheese plates and bruschette. There are also panini (like one with porchetta and fontina), but the main draw is the wine selection. Sparkling wine cocktails include the Scropino (lemon gelato and prosecco) and the Cala Lily (sparkling wine, pear puree and pear eau-de-vie), and there is wine by the glass or the bottle. Bottles range from $35 to $70, and carafes of sangria go for $28.<p></p><em>656 6th Avenue, (212) 359-5568</em>
<strong>Luke's Lobster Upper West Side:</strong> <a href="http://gothamist.com/tags/lukeslobster">Luke's Lobster</a>, the maker's of quite possibly the world's perfect lobster roll, is expanding yet again. This time, they're heading to the Upper West Side, replacing a Tasti-D-Lite that we're pretty sure the city didn't need anyway. The classic seafood rolls and platters will still be <a href="http://www.lukeslobster.com/">on the menu</a>, as will their soups, which include spicy crab and sweet potato bisque and New England clam chowder. The new location will also serve the soups in a bread bowl if you want, and we don't see why you wouldn't.<p></p><em>426 Amsterdam Avenue, (212) 877-8800</em>
<em><a href="http://colormekatie.com">Katie Sokoler</a>/Gothamist</em><p></p><strong>Nameless Bar:</strong> No, this bar is not actually called "Nameless Bar." This bar is (presumably) so cool that it doesn't even have a name, man. As she was preparing to open, owner Jessica Lee Wertz told <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/50/24_namelessbar_2010_12_10_bk.html">Brooklyn Paper</a>, âI wanted this to look like a tavern you could find in an ancient Chinese trading village at the end of the Silk Road," which she accomplishes with wood paneling, floral wallpaper and jade tiles. As for a name, Wertz said, âEverybody has been pressuring me to name it, but I want it to come naturally. Do parents name their babies right after theyâre born?â Well, in this country they generally do, but we see where the South Korean native is coming from.<p></p><em>597 Manhattan Avenue, between Nassau Avenue and Driggs Avenue</em>
<p>More Nameless</p>
<p>More Nameless</p>
<p>More Nameless</p>