Alder, the Second Restaurant From Food Sorcerer Wylie Dufresne, Opening Tonight

Alder
157 Second Avenue, East Village
212-539-1900
aldernyc.com
Status: Opening Tonight

Tonight, modern cuisine guru Wylie Dufresne will open his second restaurant as chef/owner, Alder. The menu features Wylie's reinterpretation of pub food and American classics, plus a few dishes that might not be out of place on the wd~50 menu. The opening list of starters includes purple pub cheese with chips made of dehydrated Martin's potato rolls, kumquats stuffed with merguez sausage, and Caesar salad "nigiri." The entree list features New England clam chowder with oyster crackers made of actual oysters, a foie gras terrine with yogurt and "English muffin," and fried quail with Chinese broccoli and banana curry.

Dufresne recently told the Times: "I hope this will be the kind of place where people will pop in for a bite and a drink or maybe a meal...It's not meant to be a destination, like WD-50." Still, it looks like Wylie and executive chef Jon Bignelli are applying the same modern techniques that are used at Dufresne's 10-year-old restaurant. Early photos show some dishes that look very avant-garde, and others that have simple presentations. For a peek into Wylie's creative process here, check out the "rye pasta" slideshow that's currently on the restaurant's site.

The dining room has a bar in the front and 56 seats in the back. Kevin Denton's beverage list features cocktails made with modern techniques and unusual ingredients, and the wine list has several affordable wines by the glass or by the bottle. Alder is the restaurant that every chef and restaurant obsessive will be flocking to in the coming weeks. Check out the menu below, and do send any and all early reports our way.
Previous Coverage: Alder Anticipation, 03/27; Coming Attractions, 03/21; Plywood, 02/22; Coming Attractions, 02/06; Plywood, 02/13; Blockbusters, 10/18.
Further Reading: New York Times, Grub Street, Urban Daddy, TONY.

ALDER MENU

PUB CHEESE
pistachio-fig brittle, Martin's "potato chips"
"PIGS IN A BLANKET"
chinese? sausage, japanese mustard, sweet chili sauce (6 pcs.)
STUFFED KUMQUATS
parsnip-black? sesame, merguez sausage (6 pcs.)
CAESAR NIGIRI
romaine, egg yolk, parmesan (4 pcs.)
SALMON TARTARE
avocado, horseradish cream, risotto

SQUID SALAD
cashew pesto, watercress, red onion
NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
"oyster crackers"
SOFT POACHED EGG
sherry? consommé, mushroom, celery, tarragon oil
FRIED CAULIFLOWER
lemon-almond puree, lardo, cocoa
FOIE GRAS TERRINE
poached apple, chartreuse yogurt, english muffin
CHICKEN LIVER TOAST
cornbread,? grapefruit marmalade, chicken skin
FRIED QUAIL
banana curry, chinese broccoli, pickled turmeric
BLACK BASS
nori salsa verde, asian pear, jasmine rice
SMOKED ARCTIC CHAR
berbere lentils, apricot, napa cabbage
RYE PASTA
shaved pastrami
PORK RIB
saffron spaetzle, green apple-celery root hash
OXTAIL STEW
carrot slaw, fried plantains

Although this menu does not have prices, Wylie previously stated that no dish will cost more than $25.

· All Coverage of Alder [~ENY~]