Neighborhood Watch

Picnic Club Debuts in Central Park; Manhattan’s Better With Rye

Central Park: The Picnic Club’s first picnic is this Sunday, at 1 p.m., in Sheep Meadow. [Picnic Club via Down by the Hipster]
Chinatown: Try pairing Tribeca Film Festival flicks with not-inconvenient, quasi-relevant meals, like going to the Peking Duck House before checking out Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, in which “three ancient Chinese kingdoms battle for control of the country.” You and your date can fight over the crispiest skin. [Zagat]
Dumbo: It’s comedy night at Water Street Restaurant, and in honor of Earth Day the comedians will try to make facial hair funny. There’s no cover, though. [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: Arlo & Esme might actually succeed at being a “coffee geek’s cafe/’speakeasy’ bar.” [Eater]
Midtown West: If you think a Manhattan cocktail is too sweet, try swapping the bourbon for rye, as suggested by the expert bartender at Keens. It’s thought to be the original recipe, and it’s damn good. [Diner’s Journal/NYT]
Nolita: Former Country chef Doug Psaltis is behind the menu at the new small-plate spot Elizabeth in the old Rialto space, which also features a large garden with a retractable roof. [TONY]
Upper West Side: El Malecon’s rotisserie could win a chicken competition any day. There were no actual other chickens to which to compare the tasty bird, but “anytime you can walk right into a restaurant without a reservation or a wait, and find spectacularly delicious food, cheap prices, and on-the-ball service despite a full house—that’s a very happy, very rare night in NYC.” [Mouthing Off/Food & Wine]

Picnic Club Debuts in Central Park; Manhattan’s Better With Rye