First Look at East End Kitchen, Opening Thursday on the Upper East Side

It’s certainly the time of year for chilled tomato soup and frozen blackberry souffle, two items you’ll find on the menu of East End Kitchen when it opens this Thursday on the Upper East Side. Husband-and-wife owners Allan and Diane Carlin are longtime neighborhood residents and they wanted their restaurant to fill a void of “casual” “thoughtful” restaurants in the area. As such, their “American bistro” uses organic produce, sustainably sourced seafood, and grass-fed meats in its menu by Edward Martinez, a Joël Robuchon alum, offered from 5:30 to 11 p.m. daily (till 10 p.m. on Sundays). The former Le Boeuf à la Mode space has been lightened up, with cream-colored walls sporting antique mirrors, reclaimed-oak tables, and a 22-foot maple-and-butternut bar up front. See that, and a couple of dishes in our slideshow, and preview the menu below.

East End Kitchen, 539 East 81st St., nr. East End Ave.; 212-879-0450
Menu [PDF]