Seasonal Master Dan Kluger Opening Own Restaurant in Greenwich Village This Fall

It's been a year of longing for Dan Kluger fans. Kluger left his executive chef post at the perennially packed ABC Kitchen and it's sister ABC Cocina exactly 362 days ago to work on his "own project." That project still doesn't have a name, but it now has an address and a focus. The chef will open a 120-seat restaurant this fall at 21-23 West 8th Street, according to Flo Fab. Details are scant but, Florence reveals that — surprise, surprise — there will be a focus on sourcing ingredients from small regional producers, lots of shareable plates, and the ever-so-in-demand-these-days wood burning grill and oven.

Meanwhile, in other Flo Fabulous news, the Blue Ribbon brothers, Eric and Bruce Bromberg, are opening their latest project, The Ribbon on the UWS tomorrow. There's a French-ish menu here with cheese plates, pâtés, a raw bar, and rotisserie meats, with some family favorites like latkes and chopped liver mixed in. "We're going back to our roots: French, but also what we grew up with, like prime ribs at Grandma's house," says Eric. There's also a Sunday and Monday night fried chicken special that, in Flo Fab's words "may make it a destination."

Also of note, Matteo Boglione will become the new executive chef at Le Cirque at the end of August. Raphael Francois, who formerly held that title, has left, so apparently the restaurant will be running without a kitchen captain for the summer.