King Bee Lands In the Old Exchange Alley Space, Serving Gussied Up Louisiana Country Fare

Molecular mixologist Eben Klemm (last seen consulting for Pearl & Ash) and New Orleans restauranteur Ken Jackson (of Herbsaint) are hoping to break the curse that seems to have been cast down upon the English basement space at 424 East 9th Street, aka the former home of Exchange Alley. Tonight the pair open King Bee, an "Acadian-inspired" restaurant with New Orleans leanings.

Don't expect beads, masks or any other tacky Mardi Gras paraphernalia. This isn't that sort of place. The restaurant has been made over into an American Colonial-esque space with some farmhouse touches. The back room faces the backyard where the team is growing herbs, lettuces and other produce for the kitchen.

The menu draws on Southern ingredients heavily, but in a fine dining kind of way, with dishes like rabbit with peameal, rutabaga puree, beets, and kasha. There's also a small selection of oysters and charcuterie, a venison pate, and plate of pork cracklings with peanuts, cane caramel, and malt vinegar powder. The tightly curated cocktail menu includes drinks like the "Great Ray", a Madiera milk punch with bitter chocolate, and honey, and the "B Side Wins Again" with sherry, salt, and caramel. Check out the full menu below.

424 East Ninth Street, 646-755-8088.

HORS D'OEURVES
$6) Pork Cracklings with Peanut, Cane Caramel, and Malt Vinegar Powder
$7) Rabbit Rillete with Crispy Leeks
$8) Caraway Ployes with Smoked Trout Roe and Maple Cream
$12) Grilled Oysters with Cabbage Garlic Butter
$7) Louisiana Crawfish & Brioche with Tasso, and Radish

$3 ea) Oysters (chalkboard)
-St. Simeon (P.E.I.)
-Glidden Point (Damariscotta, Maine)
-Briar Patch Bluepoints (L.I.)

$6 ea) Charcuterie (chalkboard)
Rice's Country Ham with Pickled Autumn Squash and Mustard Crème Fresh

APPETIZERS
$12) Farro Salad with Mirliton, Garden Lettuces, Almonds, and Buttermilk Vinaigrette
$10) Upstate Farm Raw Salad with Cauliflower, Kale, Turnip, Romaine, and Sorghum Vinaigrette
$14) Gulf Shrimp Barbecue with Potato Salad
$12) Fish & Chips with Cod Tongue, Espellette, Remoulade
$14) Tartare with Venison Loin and Pate, Barley, and Banyuls Sauce
$12) Gumbo z'Herbes with Brown Jasmine Rice

ENTRÉES
$16) Buckwheat Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms, Jerusalem Artichoke, and Soft Poached Egg
$24) Pan Seared Rabbit and Peameal, Rutabaga Puree, Beets, and Kasha
$26) Duck Fricot with Carrots, Swiss Chard, Dumplings, and Savory
$23) Roasted Cod with Cockles, Mussels, Kale, and Anduoille Sausage
$32) Ribeye with Beef Vinaigrette, and Fried Garlic Potatoes
$19) Cornell Chicken with with Beans and Pea Shoots
$22) Poutine Râpée with Lamb neck, Turnips, and Partridgeberries

COCKTAILS
Great Ray, a madiera milk punch with bitter chocolate and honey
Dan Smith Will Teach You Guitar with quinquina and plum shrub
B Side Wins Again with Sherry, Salt, Caramel
Sunset Cox with sparkling Bugey Cerdon and fresh blackberries.
Llewelyn's Door with Pineau de Charentes, Hazelnut Orgeat, and Stout
Ford to City with Vermouth, Maple Grapefruit Saccharum