Word Around Town | Restaurants Spring 2004
San Francisco
The Slanted Door is finally opening at its new Ferry Plaza location; chef and co-owner Charles Phan is working on an Asian street food menu for the original Mission space. Daniel Patterson (an F&W Best New Chef 1997), who has closed Elisabeth Daniel, will serve small plates at Frisson in Jackson Square. In the same neighborhood, Piperade's Gerald Hirigoyen (an F&W Best New Chef 1994) is planning a sandwich shop and tapas bar called Bocadillos.
Phoenix/Scottsdale
A talented New York City chef is bringing his Italian cooking to the southwest: Wade Moises, best known for his Wade Made cured meats at Lupa in Greenwich Village, is cooking at Sassi, a 220-seat restaurant in Scottsdale.
Chicago
This spring's most widely anticipated opening is French-Vietnamese Le Lan, which pairs former Le Français chef Roland Liccioni with Arun Sampanthavivat of Arun's. Meanwhile, Eric Aubriot, formerly of Aubriot, has taken over as chef at Fuse in Hotel 71.
New York City
Former Cello chef Laurent Tourondel (an F&W Best New Chef 1998) will offer a modern steak house menu at BLT Steak, in midtown in the spring. Shea Gallante, a Bouley alum, will serve modern Mediterranean food at Cru in the old Washington Park space on lower Fifth Avenue. Alex Freij, the hip young owner of industry (food), is opening Diner24 in downtown Manhattan. Chef Ian Chalermkittichai, formerly at the Four Seasons Bangkok, will debut Kittichai at the 60 Thompson hotel in SoHo in the spring.
