Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News
Ganso, a Japanese restaurant owned by Harris Salat (front) and Rio Irie, is now open at 25 Bond St. in Brooklyn.
DANIEL KRIEGER
Grilled branzino, a dish on the menu at MP Taverna, owned by chef Michael Psilakis. He will be opening a new branch of the rustic Greek eatery in Astoria, Queens, in fall 2012.
Temperatures are dipping, but the New York City dining scene is just starting toheat up.
From a “Top Chef” debut to long-awaited follow-ups, here are 10 fall openings no foodie should miss.
GANSO
25 Bond St., Brooklyn, (718) 403-0900, gansonyc.com
OPEN NOW
Japanese comfort food has made its way to downtown Brooklyn.
Four fragrant versions of ramen are available at Ganso, a collaboration between cookbook author Harris Salat and chef Rio Irie.
But the cozy Bond St. spot isn’t just a noodle den — Irie, formerly of Chelsea’s Matsuri restaurant, has put unique spins on gyoza (potstickers), pork buns and spring rolls, not to mention a Japanese-style fried chicken “that puts Paula Deen to shame.”
PIG AND KHAO
68 Clinton St., (212) 920-4485, pigandkhao.com
OPEN NOW
True to its name, this casual Lower East Side joint — the first from former Top Chef contestant Leah Cohen — serves up all forms of swine-centric goodness: grilled pork jowl, pork leg and chicharron pop up on the meaty menu.
The dishes are inspired by Cohen’s trips to Southeast Asia and touches of the Far East also appear in the decor — a hand-carved Filipino bike hangs off the ceiling while photos of the chef’s travels line walls.
There’s an extensive wine and cocktail list, with many using tropical ingredients, but the coolest drink may just be the bottomless self-serve beer on tap.
M. WELLS DINETTE
22-25 Jackson Ave., Queens, momaps1.org/about/mwells
OPEN NOW
The highly-anticipated follow-up to Long Island City’s shuttered M. Wells is finally here.
Owners Hugue Dufour and Sarah Obraitis have relocated to MoMA PS1, a Queens offshoot known for quirky exhibits and its Warm Up summer music series.
Make no mistake, M. Wells Dinette isn’t your ordinary museum cafe.
Avant-garde offerings from the husband-and-wife team include bibimbap (a Korean rice dish) with tuna and scallops and a rabbit terrine.
As a nod to the building’s schoolhouse past, the dining room is set up to look like a classroom—chalkboards, wooden desks and all.
SIRIO RISTORANTE
795 Fifth Ave. at 61st St., (212) 940-8195, siriony.com
OPENING: EARLY OCTOBER
Legendary restauranteur Sirio Maccioni is putting his name on the family’s latest venture.
Italian-born chef Filippo Gozzoli will helm the kitchen located inside the iconic Pierre Hotel, dishing up seasonal cuisine such as Risotto alla Pizzaiola (risotto with five types of tomatoes) and Cacciucco alla Livornese (a seafood stew).
Maccioni, of the famed Le Cirque, will also have his private label wines — a red and a white produced in Maremma, Tuscany — available exclusively at Sirio.
