Daniel Boulud Branches Out

Offering a first peek at his new eatery DBGB, French chef extraordinaire Daniel Boulud peeled back the construction paper and fired up the kitchen to reveal his vision for a spot that will specialize in beer, sausage and burgers. (Done as only Daniel can, of course.)

So what does DBGB stand for? "Some have suggested it stands for Daniel Boulud's Giant Balls," joked the chef. But in actual fact, the name is an obeisance to CBGB, the late, legendary music destination that was located not far from the place where the new restaurant now stands.

Deliberately designed with no back-of-house storage, the restaurant stows all of the kitchen's tools in plain view, on floor-to-ceiling open shelving that runs the perimeter of the dining room and which acts as a visual buffer between the dining area and the open kitchen.

With just a few weeks (and a few tweaks) left before DBGB opens to the public, the venue (even in its unfinished form) proves itself to be an exciting newcomer and a dining spot unlike any in the Boulud empire.