OpeningLe Chêne
Fresh from a brief stint in the kitchen of Margot in Brooklyn, Alexia Duchêne is now on her own in a room filled with art. She’s in partnership with Ronan Duchêne Le May, her husband, who was at Café Boulud and is handling the beverages. Her French menu looks forward with uni French toast, green bean beignets and pithiviers of pork and smoked eel, but also goes retro with foie gras Lucullus, crab thermidor, and potato gratin inspired by Joël Robuchon. (Opens Friday)
76 Carmine Street (Seventh Avenue South), lechenenyc.com.
Teruko
The chef Tadashi Ono, previously at Matsuri, is now at this underground space in the Hotel Chelsea. The restaurant, run by Sunday Hospitality alongside Charles Seich, is named for Teruko Yokoi, an artist who resided at the hotel and whose works are on display. There’s sushi served à la carte, though omakase is an option. From Mr. Ono’s kitchen come smoked and seared kampachi, whole Dover sole karaage, and robata-grilled Wagyu. The restaurant’s back bar was rescued from the Hotel Okura in Tokyo. (Friday)
222 West 23rd Street (Seventh Avenue), hotelchelsea.com.
Deux Luxe
Jean Denoyer’s contribution to the food scene is La Goulue, still going strong. Now, his daughters, Charlotte and Carrie Denoyer, have picked up the baton and are opening this burger spot where the beef is Wagyu. There’s a vegan mushroom version. The Wagyu burger at their Café Deux in Harrison, N.Y., is the inspiration. The compact space has diner in its DNA. Look for variations like kimchi and butter chicken burgers.
384 Broome Street (Mulberry Street) deuxluxeny.com.
Santo Taco
Barely a restaurant, with just a counter and ample outdoor seating at a location it shares with La Esquina, it offers five tacos wrapped in heirloom corn tortillas: beef trompo, pork confit carnitas, charcoal-grilled carne asada, seared chicken, and mushroom with squash blossom. (Thursday)
114 Kenmare Street (Lafayette Street), no phone, eatsantotaco.com.
