Public Kitchen And Bar

At some point, even the most iconic things need to make way for something new, which's why Abe Vigoda's trying not to get all nostalgic about that aluminum hip. Gently pushing aside an old icon to make way for their new resto, Public Kitchen & Bar.

Just taking reservations now for its debut in a week, Public's a date-ready American foodery in the former legendary Dakota steakhouse spot at the Roosevelt, featuring a total overhaul of the formerly dark, stuffy-feeling interior, now replaced with studded banquettes, a massive bar, and a vintage overhead mural discovered during construction, but not during reconstruction, as they didn't even bother bagging the carpets. Grub's from the 98 25 Degree guy, and includes small-plate vittles like diver scallops w/ zucchini risotto & mint mascarpone, Neapolitan meatballs w/ sugo, pine nuts, & currants, and glazed shallot- and water chestnut-sided sweetbreads, also what the Keebler Elves sarcastically say when they walk into any other bakery. If you're looking for big dishes, they've got butcher steak frites w/ salsa verde & bone marrow butter, spice duck steak w/ leg confit & caramelized turnips, and onion & potato puree-enhanced pancetta-wrapped monkfish, which is easy to catch, as it compulsively avoids swimming in schools, due to the germs.

They've also got booziness including the Country Daiquiri (rum/ lime juice/ brown sugar syrup/ bitters/ bacon), the Malicious Daisy (tequila/ lemon juice/ simple syrup/ grenadine/ Sriracha/ peach bitters), and the rye/ lemon juice/ simple syrup/ peach bitter/ apricot marmalade "Kentucky Brunch", which would also be iconic if, until last year, it didn't just involve drinking bourbon and trying to fight your cousins.