[Kalina, 3/2007.]
1) Open The Sesame: Dish today begins with the oh-so-cutely named Lower East Side Thai "street food" eatery Open The Sesame, located next to Basso Est Regate on Orchard Street. The sandwich list here includes drool-worthy offerings like cilantro-and-garlic pork-ball, but the menu also includes some standard rice and noodle dishes. The proprietor is, interestingly enough, a sibling of another Orchard Street Thai restaurant owner—Diane Wongprasert of Sticky Rice. (198A Orchard St, btwn Stanton and Houston Sts, (212) 777-7009) [NY Mag]
2) Natsumi: We've seen our fair share of strange cuisine combinations, but the Italian-Japanese fusion cuisine at Natsumi, a restaurant opening Monday on West 50th Street, is new to us. (226 W 50th St, btwn Broadway and Eighth Ave, (212) 258-2988) [TONY]
3) Peri Ela: Courtesy of Chowhound, we have info about just opened Upper East Side Turkish restaurant Peri Ela. A 'hound mentions that prices are moderate; a critique of the food have yet to be posted. (1361 Lexington Ave at 90th St, (212) 410-4300) [Chowhound]
4) Pacific Standard: Brooklyn Record has the sob story behind the much-delayed opening of Park Slope bar Pacific Standard. Apparently, according to owners John-Christian Rauschenberg and Jon Stan, you've got to do a lot of hoop-jumping and red-tape navigating to open a bar in New York City—who knew, right? Read more about their trials and tribulations on the Pacific Standard blog. The bar is slated to open this spring sometime. (82 Fourth Ave, btwn Bergen St and St. Marks, Park Slope, Brooklyn, no phone yet). [Brooklyn Record]
5) Maoz: A tipster emails us this shot of soon-to-open veggie falafel joint Maoz in Union Square. The chain, based out of Amsterdam, has one other US outpost in Philly. They should be doling out pita sandwiches by next week. (38 Union Sq East at 16th St, no phone yet). [Eater Inbox]
6) Lenny's: Last and perhaps least, a reader reports that a branch of sandwich chain Lenny's is up and running on 9th St and Sixth Ave. (9th St at Sixth Ave, (212) 353-0300). [Eater Inbox]
