Cathédral opened in New York’s East Village in September / ©Cathédral
In this latest article in an ongoing series, Elite Traveler brings you a carefully-curated list of the best new restaurants for October.
As summer fades into the distant past, we also say goodbye to the plethora of pop-ups and al fresco experiences. However, chefs around the globe continue to work on exciting new concepts for the fall and winter.
In New York, we visit a long-standing restaurant celebrating the arrival of its first new head chef in over three decades and a stunning new dining spot in East Village. In London, we take a look at a new restaurant from the famed Joël Robuchon group before finishing in Barcelona with a new sky-high experience from a familiar name.
Gotham Bar & Grill
New York
Victoria Blamey introduces her new lunch menu in October / ©Evan Sung
One of the pillars of New York’s fine dining scene, Gotham Bar & Grill has been serving exceptional food to highbrow for 35 years. Thirty-four of those were under the stewardship of Alfred Portale, but he has now stepped aside to make way for his successor Victoria Blamey.
Blamey, 39, hails from Chile and worked in restaurants in Spain and Australia before settling in New York. Her most prominent work to date has been at Chumley’s before securing the role at Gotham.
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Her new dinner menu launched late September and includes dishes such as Charred Japanese Eggplant and Wild Coho Salmon. The new lunch menu is expected to launch in October and the pressure is on to retain the restaurant’s loyal midday customer base.
gothambarandgrill.com
Cathédrale
New York
Following its grand opening on September 19th, Cathédrale (pictured above) has quickly become the place to be seen in New York. A collaboration between Chef/Partner Ralph Scamardella and Executive Chef Jason Hall, Cathédrale brings the finest French-Mediterranean food to Manhattan’s East Village. Dishes take inspiration from Southern France with traces of Italy, Spain and Greece.
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Signature dishes include starters such as Oyster Mushroom Brochette with Mache Salad and Basil Pistou, and Hamachi Crudo with Green Apple and Black Olive Oil. Main courses include Bouillabaisse ‘Tetou’ with Saffron Potatoes and Red-Pepper Rouille; Roasted Lobster with Wild Oregano, Lemon, and Parsley Butter; and 30-Day Dry-Aged Ribeye Steak au Poivre.
While the cuisine is likely to delight diners, it is the spectacular setting that will draw most of them in. The cavernous dining room boasts a 26-foot, triple-height ceiling to give it the feel of an abandoned architectural treasure. There is also a vintage-style bar area that pays homage to East Village’s most famous night spots and an outdoor dining terrace for sunnier days.
Hopeful diners are recommended to book at least 30 days in advance.
moxy-hotels.marriott.com/nyc/east-village/cathedrale/
Le Comptoir Robuchon
London
An artist’s impression of the new Le Comptoir Robuchon
Joël Robuchon sadly passed away last year, but his incredible legacy continues to inspire new restaurant concepts. This October* sees the launch of a dual concept in the heart of London’s luxurious Mayfair bearing the legendary French chef’s name. Set on the site of a new apartment block, 7 Clarges Street, Le Deli Robuchon and Le Comptoir Robuchon will open side-by-side.
Le Comptoir will serve dishes from two menus named La Saison (The Seasons) and Les Eternels (The Eternals). The first of these dishes will be a frequently-changing menu using seasonal ingredients while the second will feature a selection of Robuchon’s most famous dishes.
The deli will open in November and will be a much more informal affair, serving fresh pastries in the morning and light bites at lunchtime. They also intend to launch an afternoon tea service once the service is up and running smoothly.
instagram.com/lecomptoirrobuchon
*The restaurant will now open on November 1
Tzuco
Chicago
Carlos Gaytán was the first Mexican-born chef with a Michelin-starred restaurant, so suffice to say he knows how to bring the food of his homeland into the realms of fine dining. This is exactly what he aims to achieve at Tzuco, a striking new dining space in Chicago’s River North. The menu blends Mexican and classic French techniques to deliver a menu that the restaurant describes as “Mexique on steroids”.
Gaytán has immediately set himself the lofty target of turning this new restaurant into the best Mexican in the entire world. The menu includes French/Mexican fusions such as a traditional French onion soup served with poblano peppers, gruyere and chihuahua cheese.
Soon, Gaytán will bring two other restaurants to the same location. Panago will debut in October, serving freshly baked goods in an informal setting. Finally, Tales of Carlos Gaytán opens in November. This 12-seat tasting-menu restaurant will likely showcase the pinnacle of this talented chef’s abilities.
Dinner with Sarah Steffan and Michelle Bernstein
New York
The New York City Wine and Food Festival will take place between October 10-13, bringing some of the most exciting food concepts to the city for a limited time. Dozens of events will be taking place over the course of the weekend, but the standout is Dinner with Sarah Steffan and Michelle Bernstein on October 12.
Steffan comes with a huge reputation for her work at the award-winning Dogwood at Blackberry Farm, where she sources many of her ingredients directly from the resort’s fertile lands. Bernstein is a James Beard Award-winning chef and has worked in many of Miami’s most celebrated restaurants.
The two chefs have combined to produce a menu that combines the best seasonal cooking from the Great Smoky Mountains and the coastal flavors of Miami. The event is priced at $300 per person and is exclusively available to Capital One cardholders.
nycwff.org/bernstein-steffan/
Nobu
Barcelona
The restaurant is located on the 23rd floor of the hotel / ©Nobu Hotels
There are over 40 Nobu restaurants in the world today so the opening of a new outlet is not exactly noteworthy, but the latest in Barcelona has a particularly special appeal. Not only is it part of a new luxury Nobu Hotel, of which there are far fewer, but it is also located on the 23rd floor and offers panoramic views out across one of Europe’s most architecturally beautiful cities.
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa brings his signature classics Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and Black Cod with Miso but has also developed a selection of dishes exclusive to this Barcelona outlet. These new dishes take influence from Spanish cuisine and celebrate the color and vibrancy of the city.
Also unique to the hotel is a casual dining spot, Kozara, which will open soon and serve masterfully executed Japanese inspired Catalan tapas, paired with cocktails using the largest selection of sakes and whiskeys in town.
