MONKEY THIEF MAGIC
Hell’s Kitchen has a hot new cocktail bar serving drinks and small plates with pan-Asian panache. Monkey Thief is inspired by partners Avi Singh, Rishi Rajpal, and David Muhs’ upbringings and travels throughout Asia, and the fusion of flavors is innovative and effortless. One cocktail is inspired by Thai tom kha soup, while the Holy Trini-tini is a martini spin-off with notes of garlic, ginger, and scallions – the holy trinity of Chinese cooking. If you’re craving something sweet, try the kulfi flip, a playful twist on the frozen Indian dessert. Snacky bites are just as colorful; chili confit baby bok choy, togarashi calamari, Laotian-inspired beef koi tartare with lentil crackers are just a few fan favorites. 401 W 47th Street, monkeythiefbar.com
ONE FINE PLATE
Le Chêne is an intimate new French restaurant in the West Village and first solo project for French-British chef Alexia Duchêne and her husband, Ronan Duchêne Le May. Pithiviers terre & mer riffs on surf and turf with pork and smoked eel layered with potato gratin inside a puff pastry, served on an elegant platinum trimmed Bernardaud porcelain plate. Duchêne often puts her spin on French classics, while still paying homage with chef Joël Robuchon’s patates gratinées and her father’s rice pudding, made with mango caramel and toasted buckwheat. The space, designed by Frederique Mortier, is cheerful but chic, with Jean-Michel Basquiat prints and original works from Warhol lining the walls above cherry-toned banquettes. 76 Carmine Street, lechenenyc.com
FRANCE IN FORT GREENE
Brooklyn insiders are flocking to Third Falcon, Fort Greene’s favorite new neighborhood restaurant by emerging chef Cali Faulkner. This is Faulkner’s first independent venture after working in some of New York’s most venerable kitchens, including Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, and Crown Shy. Third Falcon is Faulkner’s ode to Northern France, a region she fell in love with while working at Verjus in Paris and taking the train out to explore on the weekends. There are no misses on Faulkner’s tight seasonal menu, with rich, rustic dishes like wild leek tarts, crêpe soufflés, Parisian gnocchi, and brioche and sunchoke stuffed chicken paired with an excellent selection of French wine from smaller producers. 360 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, third-falcon.com
HOT GIRL HOUSEWORK
New York’s hottest new fitness studio, Housework, just opened in Flatiron. Founder Sydney Miller’s full-body sculpting and cardio workout feels more like a beat-driven dance party with friends than tedious exercise, blending low impact Pilates-based movement with higher intensity strength, cardio, and dance, all choreographed to a house music DJ set. Classes are livestreamed, and Miller also offers on-demand classes through the Housework app, but nothing beats the infectious energy of visiting the studio in person. Housework was founded in 2017 with pop-up events and online classes, but this is Miller’s first studio location. Up until now she’s been a one-woman show, but now Housework offers a full schedule of classes seven days a week with multiple instructors. 12 E 18th Street, joinhousework.com
SOHO STUNNER
Midcentury mod meets moody glamour at this sexy new overstay stay in SoHo. Tucked away on a tree-lined block, The Manner debuted last fall as a boldly styled 97-room boutique dripping in velvet, marble, and rich jewel tones. The hotel fosters a residential “home-away-from-home” vibe, with guest-only spaces like The Apartment that’s stocked with snacks and refreshments throughout the day, including a daily aperitivo with complimentary Negroni. Dining options span a seafood eatery, dimly lit cocktail bar, and rooftop lounge with stellar skyline views. Rooms and suites are sumptuous and spacious, featuring custom furniture in luscious shades of ochre, emerald, and lapis, plus full-length mirrored walls, marble bathrooms, and integrated audio systems. 58 Thompson Street, themanner.com