New on Resy: Le Coucou, The Modern, Upland

A neon red bird with loopy, playful handwriting spells out the name of this temple to Gallic fare. Dreamt up by Daniel Rose and Stephen Starr, Le Coucou is an ode to French classics of lore, where the gold-rimmed plates arrive saucy, beautiful, and decadent. “Tout le Lapin” presents rabbit cooked three ways, quenelles de brochet sit in a creamy pool of Champagne beurre blanc, and ruby-red lobster bastes in a thick sauce au poivre. There’s as much opulence in the menu as in the space itself—think a gilded bar, swinging chandeliers, white linens—and should you find yourself seated next to the open kitchen, you’ll be able to observe toque-wearing chefs perform a most meticulous ballet.

Danny Meyer’s two-Michelin-star restaurant finds a fitting home at this world-famous destination for modern art. Housed in the (newly-renovated) MoMA, The Modern is a beacon for contemporary cuisine, where chef Abram Bissell’s refined cuisine plays out in a stunning three-course lunch ($138) or six-course dinner ($188). But if you’re looking for a more casual affair, head to The Bar Room for the seasonal à la carte menu and award-winning wine program. Either way, in a setting like this and with food like Bissell’s, it’s hard not to linger and smile.

Stephen Starr is known for his thoughtful spaces, and Upland may be one of his best. Wraparound leather booths, warm woods, and glowing jars of preserved lemons lend an ambient glow to this Gramercy stunner, where chef Justin Smillie (of Il Buco fame) helms the kitchen. The menu leans Italian, with a hyper-seasonal Californian sensibility, resulting in bubbly-charred pizza, toothsome pasta (get the star-shaped estrella, laced with chicken liver), and flavorful meats (think crispy duck wings), best enjoyed with something off the excellent wine list.

A lively izakaya has set foot in the West Village, and with it, acclaimed chef Joaquin Baca. The Momofuku alum and Teo chef is the driving force behind Būmu, a cozy nook of a space where patrons chatter over shared plates. Baca reimagines izakaya fare, whipping up yaki skewers (rabbit tsukune, chicken skins, smoked beef tongue), cast-iron okonomiyaki, wok-fried pea leaves, and eggplant katsudon. And in honor of its previous tenants—the critically-acclaimed omakase spot Neta—Būmu serves enticing raw bar offerings.

Fish of the highest caliber graces this intimate sushi den– a subterranean spot outfitted in floor-to-ceiling bamboo slats. Omakase Room by Tatsu deals in Edomae-style sushi—the classic, centuries-old preparation—and patrons perched at the hinoki wood counter are invited to make their way through a stellar 18-course omakase. At the helm is Tatsuya Sekiguchi, a longtime Sushi Yasuda vet who expertly slices, molds, and presses the freshest fish onto pillowy rice. Get ready to revel in freshly-seared Japanese barracuda, bluefin tuna marinated in soy, and bursting spotted prawn roe.

If Champagne evokes lavish celebrations, you’re due for a trip to The Riddler. Owner Jen Pelka loves a good high-low combination, and it’s that whimsical touch, where a glass of bubbly is best paired with popcorn, that makes this San Francisco import shine. So retreat to the elegant yet casual West Village locale, and choose from over 150 Champagnes at all price points, alongside sparkling and natural wines, and the Champagne of beers… Miller High Life. Caviar service is optional, but the burger is required eating– oozing with raclette and lip-smackingly good, it stands as one of New York’s best.

The temaki hand rolls at Nami Nori are deceptively simple: a thin sheet of nori wrapped around a bed of rice, and topped with glistening slivers of sushi-grade fish. But simple they are not, for the hands crafting these delectable rolls have trained for more than a decade at the city’s most prestigious omakase counter. Chef Taka Sakaeda is one of three Masa vets behind this casual wood-accented spot, and the delicate open-faced temaki are revelatory. Try the toro with scallion, XO scallop, ginger-scallion squash, or opt for the $28 chef’s set of five rolls.

This cocktail lounge was crowned one of the World’s 50 Best Bars three years in a row, and it’s in no small part due to acclaimed French mixologist Nico de Soto, whose wildly inventive use of handpicked spices pepper the libations at Mace. Signature cocktails include The Pandan (made with coconut-infused bourbon and sriracha bitters) and The Chamomile, which mixes bee pollen-infused vodka with verjus and Champagne. And best yet, Mace has just moved to bigger digs, giving cocktail sippers more room to explore the ever-evolving menu.

Farewell, Mettā, and hello Rhodora Wine Bar! The natural wine bar, and successor to Fort Greene’s wood-fired stalwart, is taking sustainability to a whole new level, with a zero-waste policy. And when owner Henry Rich means zero, he means it: Rhodora is carbon neutral—partnering with Zero Food Print in the process—and serves only the best sustainable goods, all of which can be recycled or composted. Oysters, charcuterie, conservas, and cheese make up the menu, along with some of the best natty wines from France.

New York has been subject to an omakase craze, and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. Enter USHIWAKAMARU, a sushi restaurant steeped in the traditions of the 19th-century Edomae style, which offers a 16-piece omakase, signature specials, and à la carte items. Here, chef Hideo Kuribara uses premium rice from Japan’s Gunma Prefecture, and seasons it with two types of vinegar for a base that melts in the mouth. And what comes on top is sure to blow your taste buds away: soy-marinated fatty tuna, velvety uni, and fresh ikura are noted highlights.

For a rollicking time, make a beeline to East Village’s latest boozy destination. August Laura is the reincarnation of the eponymous Carroll Gardens cocktail bar, and it’s bringing more than a few libations from its old stomping grounds. Expect gussied-up bar fare—think wings, crab rangoons, and pulled-pork nachos—an indulgent brunch, craft cocktails with homemade syrups, live music at Wildside in the back, and a pool table to keep you going late into the night.

Toshio Tomita is a serious chef. After training under Nobu Matsuhisa for 16 years, the sushi chef now oversees this two-in-one Japanese institution, where the zen-like Cagen Sake Bar sits out front, and the more intimate Tomita hides in the back. At Cagen, you’re in for sake and small plates—if the Wagyu curry is on the menu, order it—with chef Hiromi crafting a $95 sushi tasting at night. But if you’re looking for a more exclusive experience, book chef Tomita’s eponymous counter, where the chef wows with an 18-course omakase featuring obscure fish, and handmade soba noodles.

An ice cream parlor for the modern age, Morgenstern’s delights with its texture-driven batches. And though the Greenwich flagship offers a dizzying 88 flavors, each developed by founder Nicholas Morgenstern with thought and care, you’re here for the sundae counter, where counter attendants scoop the desserts of your dreams. Spoon your way through the exclusive butter pecan and brownie sundaes, a classic banana split, and do indulge in boozy concoctions, with a salted caramel pretzel Old Fashioned taking the cake.

Get ready to delve into the homestyle flavors of South India at this East Village newcomer. Inspired by childhood meals and street market treats, Khiladi lays on the nostalgia to full effect, projecting old Bollywood films as you wait for the kitchen’s heady aromas to waft into the dining room. And when the plates arrive, vivid and striking, you’ll see charred and spicy tiger prawns, stir-fried kothu paratha (a flaky Indian flatbread), and a daily rotation of pappu (or daal, Mom’s way of making it), set with a technicolor spread of spices and sauces.

Not everyone can recreate the magic of the Greek isles, but chef Dionisis Liakopoulos, whose résumé includes NOMA, Aska, and Athens’ Kuzina, most certainly can. Lola Taverna deals in shared mezze and heftier plates, with Greek classics taking on a global twist. Greek salad is amped up with cucumber granita, chicken gyro is hugged between bao buns, spanakopita is stuffed in spring rolls, and the signature lobster pasta is tossed tableside with lobster bisque and tomato ouzo essence.

Nowhere else will you find an ex-printing factory so deeply committed to sustainability. The factory-turned-hotel is home to PRINT Restaurant, which relies on a valiant army of local farmers, artisanal purveyors, and an in-house forager for its seasonal menu. And with fall in full swing, expect this season’s bountiful produce: pumpkin seeds pepper honeynut squash soup, baby lettuce is mixed with honey crisp apples, and duck sugo macaroni is studded with black trumpet mushrooms.

Tucked along Great Jones Street, ACME is a New American bistro where the well-heeled abound. Make your way around the buzzy dimly-lit room, and you’ll see tables sharing globulous orbs of roasted bone marrow, spooning fork-tender duck ragu, and twirling slick strands of cacio e pepe. If you’re here for the cocktails (or the party) head downstairs, where an intimate cocktail-focused experience awaits. Pro-tip: we like the Oaxacan Negroni and Acme Spritz.

Coastal Italian cuisine gets a new home at the swanky Lumaca. At HGU Hotel’s new flagship restaurant, celebrity chef-restaurateur John DeLucie reimagines the usual suspects, with a focus on his family’s Puglianese homeland. Enjoy vitello tonnato, linguine bottarga, and branzino steamed in parchment, and do take your time: Lumaca means “snail” in Italian, and there’s nothing more Italian than settling into a leisurely meal.

Mario Carbone’s most casual concept is a love letter to New York’s Italian state of mind. We’re talking crackly chicken and saucy meatball parm heroes, mozz sticks bursting with melty cheese, light and airy fried calamari, and garlic bread doused in parsley butter. Throw in Parm’s retro-kitsch diner décor (read: tiled checkerboard floors and red vinyl booths), and feel yourself step back into a more nostalgic, red-sauce time.

Jon Neidich knows how to throw a party (The Happiest Hour, Slowly Shirley, ACME) and Tijuana Picnic is no exception. This bustling Lower East Side gem is where Mexican-inspired bites and agave flights crowd the tables, but don’t expect your run-of-the-mill cantina fare: empanadas hide Cognac duck confit, street corn is brushed with cricket aioli, sesame oil lends a kick to fish tacos, and tostones scoop up fermented black garlic dip. Pro-tip: get $5 tacos on Tuesdays.

Lush and sleek in a Brooklyn kind of way, Ten Hope tapped Top Chef winner Harold Dieterle for its Mediterranean menu. Inspired by the flavors of Greece, Spain, Italy, and Morocco, the shared plates run the gamut from house-made dips (tahini hummus, labne, whipped feta) to crispy lamb ribs, while the bar will have you quenched with homemade spiked sodas, low ABV cocktails, and wine. Drop by Tuesday nights for live music.