Dan's Papers - January 11, 2008 - When In Manhattan by Amanda Kludt

Many consider the coming of a new year the opportunity to make fresh starts. But instead of resolving to give up vices (a noble but futile goal), commit yourself to being more adventurous and check out the hot new and soon-to-be-open restaurants of 2008. The following places are eateries that the restaurant community has been salivating over for months - and sometimes longer - and is just now getting a chance to see them in action. Join those excited foodies and check out what Manhattan's 2008 eating and drinking scene has to offer.

First mention has to go to the newly reopened Second Avenue Deli. It seemed like the food world and the deli-loving community in particular let out a sigh of relief when owner Jeremy Lebewohl made the announcement last year that the famous deli would open its doors once again, but in a new location. And when the doors actually did open early last month, the response was overwhelming. People lined up out the door to get a taste of that famous pastrami, and though the place is now on Third Ave instead of Second, reports note that the food is just as satisfying.

Another eagerly anticipated opening is that of Bar Boulud, celebrity chef Daniel Boulud's new wine bar on the Upper West Side. The centerpiece of the large space - complete with vaulted ceilings and three dining rooms - is a circular wine bar where sommeliers will pour patrons tastes of a large selection of wines from around the world. However, this place isn't just about the wine. With one giant kitchen dedicated to the main menu and a smaller one just for charcuterie, Bar Boulud is sure to be a popular place for both dinner and wine drinking. The restaurant opened for press previews last week and opened to the public January 8.

The next place on everyone's radar is the new venture from chef Marcus Samuelsson, Merkat 55. Samuelsson, known for his very popular and high-end Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit, is Ethiopian by descent but grew up in Sweden. After taking a trip to Africa in his 20s to discover his roots and learn about the cooking there, he wrote a cookbook about African cuisine and is now opening a restaurant with dishes inspired by the cuisines on the giant continent. The large two-story restaurant is located in the Meatpacking District and features a casual dining room with communal tables on the ground floor and a moreformal affair upstairs. Merkato 55 is set to open late this week.

Just about anything David Chang and his team at Momofuku do these days will get immediate attention from both the press and New York foodies. Their highly popular restaurants Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam bar have been runaway hits due to menus focusing on well sourced products, intriguing flavor combinations and overall comfort. Last year, Chang moved his noodle bar up the block to a much larger location with a kitchen big enough to serve the hordes that clamor at the restaurant's doors nightly. The vacated space will be turned into a new restaurant Momofuku Ko, a prix fixe only dinner spot where the menu will change every night depending on the whim of the chef and available ingredients. You will be able to make reservations, but only online on a first come first served basis. There's no word yet on the opening date, but it should be in it the next month or so as the space has been empty since November.

Another buzzed-about location that has yet to open its doors is Adour, the new wine bar/restaraurant by Alain Ducasse. Ducasse closed his restaurant at the Essex House just a year ago, and this will be his latest opening since his December debut of a restaurant inside the Eiffel Tower. Located in the St. Regis Hotel, the bar and restaurant will have all the luxury of other Ducasse operations with special touches like private wine lockers, temperature controlled areas for ensuring the quality of the wine and a high-tech wine bar. Using interactive technology, guests will be able to access more information about a wine - tasting notes, terroir, vintage, etc. - by pressing an icon projected onto the bar. Famed architect David Rockwell oversaw the design, so I'm sure it will be quite the beauty. As far as the food goes, Ducasse hasn't revealed a menu, but he has said that he hand picked all the wines and the pairings himself. The projected opening for Adour is January 28.

So the food community is all geared up to try these new places and you should be as well. They represent comfort, adventurousness, elegance and daring, and might end up being some of the most talked about restaurants in the coming year.