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\n Little Pine opened on Division Street earlier this spring.
\n Illustration: Naomi Otsu\n <\/p>\n
Welcome to Grub Street\u2019s rundown of restaurant recommendations that aims to answer the endlessly recurring question: Where should we go? These are the spots that our food team thinks everyone should visit for any reason (a new chef, the arrival of an exciting dish, or maybe there\u2019s an opening that\u2019s flown too far under the radar). This month: a must-order salad in Chinatown, some scene-y new Greek, and a welcome substitute for those nights when you just want to celebrate at a steakhouse but crave something a bit more interesting.<\/p>\n
Cafe Bar J.F.<\/a> (Williamsburg) Selene<\/a> (Soho) All of Our Picks, Mapped<\/p>\n See the Map<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n Kidilum<\/a> (Flatiron)
The wedge of a space that last housed the Peruvian-focused Llama Inn is now this more broadly South American spot from the same team. On a recent night, the setting sun streamed in through the oversize windows and the staff happily answered questions about the daily specials, the wine list, and a menu divided into \u201csnacks & starters,\u201d \u201cslightly larger,\u201d \u201cprincipales,\u201d and \u201csides\u201d sections. Celery salad is crisp and refreshing and given some heft with Chinese pine nuts. Arroz meloso \u2014 like a Spanish risotto \u2014 is equally nice as is the tonka-bean-flecked cream that sits atop Cafe Bar J.F.\u2019s tres leches cake. \u2014 Shay Cohen<\/p>\n
When you don\u2019t want to go to midtown for big-box Greek, and you don\u2019t want to dodge the Dimes Square hangers on at Kiki\u2019s, Selene is a nice, still-somewhat-secret alternative, hiding on the second floor of the Modernhaus<\/a> hotel. The beachy space is just right for summer, and the classics \u2014\u00a0horitaki salad that doesn\u2019t skimp on the feta, bright-orange ktipiti with oil-slicked pita \u2014 are well tuned while grilled seafood including red snapper or lobster carry the slightest hint of char. The best surprise of all may be the bread, a generous basket of flour-dusted horiatiko psomi that reminded me of the Greektown restaurants I went to while growing up in Chicago, which is served, unusually in this day and age, on the house.\u00a0\u2014 Zach Schiffman\u00a0<\/p>\n
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India\u2019s many regional cuisines are too often lumped under one generic heading \u2014 \u201cIndian\u201d \u2014 which even still mostly conjures \u201cbutter chicken\u201d to many people. But the past few years have seen an explosion in excellent region-specific restaurants. Kidilum, which opened a few months ago in the former Bouley at Home space, dives into the coastal cuisine of Kerala, on the southwestern coast, known as the \u201cspice garden\u201d of India. Kidilum means something along the lines of \u201cbeyond awesome\u201d in Malayalam, a local language, and \u201cbeyond\u201d is a good approximation for the vibe inside. The Bouleyan neutrals have been replaced by fiery reds, oranges, and leafy greens \u2014 hot lights, giant fronds, and gold accents. As you\u2019d expect, chef Vinu Raveendran\u2019s cooking emphasizes seafood and tropical accents; I loved giant prawns roasted under a thick masala of turmeric and tomato in banana leaves and a whole crab turned sweetly nutty in a dark-roasted coconut nandu curry. Ask for a tour of the spice room downstairs, with vials of barks, berries, herbs, and peppercorns. If you\u2019re lucky, you\u2019ll be sent home with a squeeze bottle of homemade hot sauce and a little jar of lemon pickle. \u2014 Matthew Schneier<\/p>\n