URBAN OASIS
Slide
174 Bleecker St.; 212-777-9077
With moss-covered rocks, a cascading waterfall and a koi-filled pond, all under a canopy of old-growth trees, the Zen-like back patio at Slide is a freak of nature along frenetic Bleecker Street in the Village.
“It’s like Grand Central every night on the street,” says co-owner Robert Meller, whose wife Anna helps out as the bartender. “You go in back, you feel like you’re not on Bleecker Street anymore.”
Meller and his partners leased the space earlier this year, inheriting the Asian-inspired landscaping from what they guess was a Japanese restaurant, and which had been suffering from neglect.
“We brought it back to life, hired a landscaper, rebuilt the deck, accessorized with plants,” says Meller, who, at first, had no idea there were fish in the pond, as the 3-feet-deep pool had frozen over during the winter. “As soon as the ice melted, we were like, ‘Wow. Can’t believe they survived the winter.’ ” They have since added five more fish.
While the menu focuses on sliders, including a bunless, seared tuna sandwiched with creamy wasabi aioli and iceberg lettuce ($16) and spiked shakes, like its salted dulce de leche with Alhambra lager ($11), the kitchen also offers aromatic and flavorful saffron-tomato mussels ($10/$18). The American slider combo boasts three flavors: chicken-and-waffle, Manchego-cheese and pork-belly ($15).
“Everyone wants to sit back there,’’ says Meller of his cozy 18-seat patio area. “It’s the focal point of the restaurant. A lot of people stumble into it, saying that it’s the nicest outdoor section they’ve seen. You feel like you’re escaping to another place, like you’re not in the city.”
GARDEN OF EATIN’
The Cleveland
25 Cleveland Place; 212-274-0900
Looking for a hidden oasis amid the bustling SoHo scene to relax with a glass of wine and some spectacular Mediterranean fare? Venture past the cozy main dining room of the Cleveland, and take a seat out back in the string-light-festooned, 1,000-square-foot garden space.
“Nobody paid attention to it for a long time,” says owner Paul Shaked, who found the outdoor haven in a decrepit state, when he and his partner Hudson Solomon signed the lease last fall. “The landlord didn’t even think it was a big deal. I was like, ‘Are you kidding? All you need to do is plant a little.’ ” So they did, with the help of a landscaper friend — and their mothers. “If you asked me about the biggest surprise in opening the restaurant,” he says, “it’s how much I learned about gardening and plants.”
Now, the once-desolate flower beds are filled with a variety of foliage, including fragrant English lavender, rose vines and leafy sorrel. Brightly colored pansies are used to garnish many of their beautifully plated appetizers, such as a white carpaccio composed of delicate slices of raw branzino and shaved fennel ($13); plump mussels in a rich and spicy wine, butter and Gorgonzola sauce ($13); and salmon tartare cocooned in a sheath of avocado ($13).
“There’s perfect shade after work in the garden,” says Shaked, who hired chef Tal Aboav away from nearby Balaboosta. “People are here all day on the weekends.”
But Solomon notes that opening the 40-seat garden last month was like launching a whole other restaurant. “Before, we were just a tiny, 36-seat restaurant,” he says. “After we opened, our receipts quadrupled.”
Garden closes by 10 p.m. on weekdays, 11 p.m. on weekends.
UNDER THE SUN!
The Strand
25-27 Broadway, Astoria; 718-440-3231
Fruit trees, hops growing on wood pillars and walls of live bamboo comprise the Strand’s 3,000-square-foot rear space, which opened earlier this month at the 6-month-old Queens barbecue joint.
“It was so much fun — such a blast for everyone there,” says chef John Zervoulakos. “The crowd was spot-on: the perfect balance of busy and comfortable.”
Right now, only drinks — not food — can be consumed out back. But it’s open-air heaven for barbecue nuts in the front patio, where diners can enjoy picnic seating and a clear view of the smoker (weather permitting) while dining in the 600-square-foot space. (And yes, there is an airy, crowd-friendly indoor dining room, too.)
The drinks range from craft beers and house-aged whiskey to home-brewed cocktails such as the Veranda Mint Julep ($10), made from organic chamomile sun tea, Bulleit bourbon, and fresh mint.
Diners can get their fill of barbecue — standards like pork ribs and the more unusual beef cheeks — priced by weight. Or try a dish such as the smoked chicken and biscuit sandwich with maple-glazed collard greens ($10). Live bluegrass and country music add to the festive atmosphere.
ON THE WATERFRONT
Watermark Bar and Lounge
Pier 15, 78 South St.; 212-742-8200
Just as the South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 prepares to be razed and redeveloped as a glass-box shopping center, the Watermark Bar and Lounge on Pier 15, a leisurely stroll away, has opened for business. At the end of the pier, the casual bar and lounge affords guests a full drinks selection, including the Bourbon Palmer ($12 — think Arnold, only with whiskey, peach mint tea, honey and lemon), and New England eats, such as a meaty Maine lobster roll on a buttered, toasted bun ($21). The open, breezy views of multiple East River bridges, the Brooklyn Heights skyline and the towering skyscrapers of the Financial District are unparalleled.
“It was called Watermark before Sandy,” says owner Telly Hatzigeorgiou, who began construction with his business partners two years ago, and was finishing up final touches just when last October’s storm hit. “We were scheduled to open in November. Then Sandy happened and everything got delayed.”
The cleanly designed space seats 75 inside (with five flat-screen TVs for sports watching) and 100 outside, in a cordoned-off space outfitted with picnic tables and a dazzling, glowing red light system at night. Hatzigeorgiou hopes to attract locals, the working population from the Financial District and tourists, and is considering adding bands or DJs to the mix to help bring them in. For teetotalers and ice-cream lovers, the adjoining Cones Cafe will have 12 flavors of Ben & Jerry’s.
UP ON THE ROOF
Pod39
145 E. 39th St.; 212-865-5700
The hippest of happy hours is currently located high above Midtown East, on the 17th-floor rooftop lounge of the Allerton House. Originally built circa 1918 as a “gentleman’s” hotel for “refined” single men, the Northern Italian Rennaisance-style landmark building now houses Pod39, a modern hotel aimed at the traveling backpack set. Guests can sip finely curated cocktails, such as the refreshing and fizzy Chilean ’75, concocted from pisco, peaches, yuzu, Prosecco and lemon ($12), or the Salvation Margarita ($13), while enjoying a spectacular view framed by arched openings, terra-cotta columns and ivy-covered brickwork. If you lean in at just the right place on the southwest corner, you’ll catch both the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.
Restaurateur Ken Friedman, of the Spotted Pig and the Breslin, helped launch the international-themed Salvation Taco on the hotel’s ground floor with chef April Bloomfield, as well as food and beverages for the bar up top. But Friedman, who originally also offered a limited menu of small bites upstairs, noticed guests didn’t really want to balance silverware and plates with cocktails — particularly when it’s crowded. “People want something to go with drinks,” Friedman says, “as opposed to the other way around — food that goes with booze.” So for now, the food selection has been curtailed to just guac and chips ($10).