HotelChatter

The NY Times' Diner's Journal contained a piece yesterday announcing the new dining concept, which is named The Standard Plaza (opening June 29), and is located in front of the hotel, where the ice skating rink usually goes in the winter. On the Spanish-influenced menu, the Times wrote:

"[The restaurant] will be equipped with a wood-fired grill and an oven where the chef, Seamus Mullen, will cook an array of casual, summery dishes, often with the Spanish touches for which he has become known.

The menu lists the selections as 'media raciones,' which is tapas bar talk for plates to share, and raciones, which are more like generous main dishes and include a rib-eye for two and a whole black sea bass. These, and the smaller plates, like grilled shrimp, grilled peppers and grilled bread with tomatoes, figs and cured Spanish ham, are often made with fresh produce from hotel owner Andre Balazs’s farm at Locusts-on-Hudson in Staatsburg, N.Y."

Old MacDonald Balazs seems pretty excited about it, which is good to see considering all the projects he has on his plate right now (the ongoing Standard-ization of East Village, plus a new hotel in London opening next year). He told the Times:

"I think it will offer a nice contrast to what Dan Silverman is doing at the Standard Grill."

We're guessing by "nice contrast," what he probably means to say is that the money's going into the same pocket at the end of the day anyway, so what's not to be happy about?

Will you beat us to the Standard and taste Andre's veggies before us? Send us your review!, or drop a comment below.

[Photo: HotelChatter]