Openings

First Look at Travertine and Top Chef Manuel Treviño’s Food

http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2009/09/20090924_travertine_1_190x190.jpg

It’s been a little over two years since we brought news that Little Charlie’s Clam Bar was sold. The space was at one point going to house Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce, but the neighbors squelched that; then Chris Eddy failed to come up with enough capital to open a planned sushi restaurant. Danae Cappelletto, a veteran of the Australian restaurant biz (and granddaughter of Giuseppe R. Cappelletto, chef at the Sydney Opera House), then took the space and took the unusual step of hiring a lobbyist to make sure she wasn’t the Nightmare on Kenmare’s latest victim. A year later, here she is — Travertine will open next week with former Babbo sous-chef and Top Chef alum Manuel Treviño at the helm.

Treviño’s Mediterranean dishes will, of course, be quite a bit more refined than the red-sauce dishes at Little Charlie’s (pastas such as pappardelle and spaghettini will be made in-house), though when you take a look at the menu below, you’ll notice a Charlie’s Linguine with pancetta, Long Island clams, and fire-roasted tomato sauce. The pastry chef is Marisa Croce — like Treviño (who was at one time chef at Dos Caminos), she’s a B.R. Guest alum, and she also put in time at Dressler. Dinner will be served quite late — till 1 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and till 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. As for the basement space Ivan Kane was going to use for a burlesque club, it’s still coming together, and should be open in some form by next spring. The dining room, meanwhile, is due to open next week (reservations are only being accepted for parties of six or larger); we’ll let you know when we have an exact day. In the meantime, take a look at the dining room, the menu, and a couple of Chef Treviño’s dishes.

Travertine dinner menu [PDF]
Travertine dessert menu [PDF]

Travertine, 19 Kenmare St., nr. Elizabeth St.; 212-966-1810

First Look at Travertine and Top Chef Manuel Treviño’s Food