Batali And Bloomfield Open In NYC; Philly Gets A Japanese Coffee Shop And Izakaya

Winsome

Now open, Winsome is bringing the clean flavors of Southern California and the region's convivial dining culture to the heart of Echo Park. Owners Marc Rose and Med Abrous from the Spare Room, chef Jeremy Strubel (Rustic Canyon, Quince) and pastry chef Leslie Mialma are teaming up at the new space, which features an open kitchen, complete with a classic lunch counter to complement a 75-seat dining room (plus a coffee bar stocked with products from La Colombe Coffee Roasters.) The playful menu is composed of flavor combinations that draw on the diverse culinary traditions and cultures of the city, spotlighting local ingredients. Lunch items include a charred escarole chicken soup with pine nuts, black garlic and grilled rustic bread; and a harissa chicken salad sandwich with sultanas, celery hearts and Bloomsdale spinach. For dinner, offerings include a rockfish boil and simmer with grilled rockfish, toasted semolina couscous, Aleppo chili aioli, shellfish broth and bacon oyster crackers; and braised beef cheek with a red wine braise, heirloom carrot tagliatelle, watercress and charred Romanesco. The restaurant's interior pays homage to the building's midcentury architecture — one large wall is adorned by a 1938 watercolor, Sunshine in Echo Park, realized in custom wallpaper. 1115 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90012; eatwinsome.com

Spring

Spring is a refined culinary oasis located in the time-honored Douglas Building in downtown L.A. As the second collaboration from the husband-and-wife team behind the quintessential Francophile-bistro Church & State, the restaurant evokes the cuisine of Southern France, where fresh seafood and local ingredients reign supreme. Currently open for lunch (dinner service will begin in a couple of weeks), the menu consists of seafood, vegetables and lighter fare, in contrast to the venerable Church & State, which has long been touted as a preeminent restaurant for hearty and rich French bistro cuisine. The lunch menu lists saffron risotto, delicate fish stew and slowly cooked striped bass among its current offerings. Artfully divided into two distinct areas, Spring provides varied atmospheres for dining and cocktailing experiences. An intimate lounge with rick dark wood paneling and plush green tufted seating areas plays host to a large bar crafted as a respite for downtown denizens before or after a meal, pastis and classic cocktails. In the dining room, there is an approachable menu of Old World wines from France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Spain. 257 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; springlosangeles.com

Salvation Burger

Burgers, hot dogs, fries and jalapeño poppers aren't exactly the usual types of items that make it into these types of columns. But when April Bloomfield and Ken Friedman are the ones behind them, people are certainly going to listen — especially when just about everything (including the buns, mustard and American cheese) will be made in-house from inside the Pod 51 hotel in Midtown East, beginning tonight. The burgers play with tradition, from the classic burger — made with two smashed patties, American cheese, pickles and special sauce — to the namesake Salvation burger, with onions and Taleggio. Also available are Bloomfield's veggie burgers, meat-free patties made with beets, root veggies, sweet potato vermicelli and rice; and a house-smoked hot dog topped with giardiniera. Fish sandwiches, wood-grilled vegetables and salads round out the menu. For dessert, expect a variety of market-driven pies, including banana cream and peanut butter s'mores, and milkshakes — available boozy or straight up — blended with house-made ice creams and spirits. The beverage menu includes a robust selection of wines, along with cocktails on tap and a variety of beers. Salvation Burger will serve lunch and dinner seven days a week. 230 E. 51st St., New York, NY 10022; salvationburger.com

Freud

Now open in the heart of the Greenwich Village, Freud offers a contemporary take on Austrian fare from Michelin-starred chef Eduard Frauneder of the East Village's beloved tavern Edi & the Wolf and sister cocktail bar the Third Man. Evoking a turn-of-the-century brasserie from the chef's native Vienna, Freud will serve as a neighborhood destination open day-to-night, featuring a market-driven, seasonal menu and a craft cocktail program. Shared plates to start include crushed beets with whipped liptauer and house-made crackers; albacore crudo with pumpkin, basil and crispy sunchokes; and Gruyère cheese and onion gravy — an elevated take on the popular Alsatian flatbread at Edi & the Wolf. Small plates include scallops with roasted leeks, smoked ratte potatoes and elephant garlic; and a dark rye spätzle with five spoke tumbleweed cheddar and cauliflower. Main courses include pork neck with bacon, caramelized lettuces and Anatto sweet potatoes; grilled skirt steak with charred scallion, black shallots and celeriac mille-feuille; and the chef's renowned wiener schnitzel with cucumber dill, Yukon gold potato salad and cranberry. The beverage program at the 65-seat restaurant features a wine list focused on natural, organic and biodynamic wines with an emphasis on Central Europe, while the beer list echoes this region with a wide variety on tap. A Viennese-inspired cocktail bar offers a selection of seasonal sips. 506 LaGuardia Pl., New York, NY 10012; freudnyc.com

La Sirena

It's been a full decade since Mario Batali and partner Joe Bastianich last opened a freestanding restaurant in New York City — the fabulous four-star Del Posto (that ginormous Italian marketplace of theirs isn't technically a traditional restaurant.) The team plans to open La Sirena, located on the plaza level of west Chelsea's Maritime Hotel, tomorrow night. The lively yet elegant trattoria will look to blend the casual Roman-style menu of Lupa with the elevated vibe at Babbo. Dinner dishes include beef braciole "old school" with broccoli rabe and mollica picante; grilled lamb chops with Sicilian chickpea-flour fritters, pomegranate and mint; and gnocchi alla Sorrentina. Breakfast and brunch service — to be added at a later date — will feature Amaretti mascarpone pancakes and duck egg with polenta and almond pesto. A sophisticated dolci program focuses on interpretations of traditional Italian preparations. The space is characterized by custom Mod-inspired curvilinear pavers throughout and walls clad in quartz by Caesarstone. A 38-foot marble bar bisects the grand patio and connects the more intimate north and south dining rooms. 88 Ninth Ave., New York, NY 10011; lasirena-nyc.com