The Vanderbilt
570 Vanderbilt Ave., at Bergen St., Prospect Heights 718-623-0570
When Saul Bolton and his wife Lisa opened the eponymous Saul a decade ago, they were Smith Street pioneers. This weekend, they team up with chef turned restaurateur Ben Daitz, a Saul alum and co-owner of Num Pang sandwich shop, on a new venture situated on and named for another burgeoning restaurant row. As befits the current climates—culinary and financial both—the Vanderbilt is more casual than Saul, with lower prices ($4 to $16, for marinated skirt steak), and an emphasis on globally inspired small plates and classic and original cocktails. There is a smoker on the premises, and an array of charcuterie, from blood sausage with avocado and pork rinds to jagerwurst with German potato salad. The jerky is made in-house, and so are the berry-filled doughnuts.