Ardesia
510 W. 52nd St., nr. Tenth Ave.; 212-247-9191
Midtown West’s luxury-apartment boom has done more than transform the once tenement-lined side streets of Hell’s Kitchen. It’s paved the way for sleek new watering holes like Ardesia, the wine bar opening this week on the ground floor of the LEED-certified Archstone Clinton complex. There’s a 30-seat patio, a banquette-lined lounge, and a Venetian-marble bar backed by a two-story wine wall. The list emphasizes “mineral-driven” bottles expressive of terroir, with a by-the-glass selection ranging from a $7 Tramin Lagrein to a $16 Vranken Demoiselle Champagne. To accompany them, chef Amorette Casaus, late of El Quinto Pino, offers light bites like Indian-summer pickled vegetables, squash crostini, and a house-cured-and-smoked pastrami sandwich served on Sullivan St Bakery’s stecca bread.