Plant-based chef Matthew Kenney's Arata opens today on 2nd Avenue and 4th Street

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

Plant-based chef Matthew Kenney's latest Second Avenue venture debuts today with Arata.

Florence Fabricant at The New York Times has a preview of the restaurant on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street that "highlights the diverse and abundant plant-based ingredients of Asia":

Arata, which has sleek, minimalist décor, will serve kimchi pancakes; several salads; rice cakes with long beans and sugar snap peas; tempura mushroom hand rolls; and steamed buns with mushrooms, eggplant and other fillings tucked inside. Assorted ramen and udon bowls will brim with ingredients like chickpeas, smoked tofu, Sichuan tempeh “sausage” and baby bok choy. A cacao matcha tart is one of the desserts.

Kenney is also involved with 00 + Co. and Bar Verde right next door on Second Avenue. And in March, Kenney teamed up with Pure Green to launch PlantMade, a cafe on Second Avenue between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

This corner space on Second Avenue and Fourth Street has been four restaurants since 2012 — La Contrada ... Contrada (not to be confused with La Contrada) ... Calliope and Belcourt.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Matthew Kenney bringing yet another plant-based restaurant to 2nd Avenue

Matthew Kenney bringing yet another plant-based restaurant to 2nd Avenue

Plant-based chef Matthew Kenney must really like Second Avenue.

Signage arrived yesterday on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street for Arata, another Kenney-backed restaurant. Here's more about this concept:

Arata highlights the diverse and abundant plant-based ingredients of Asia. Japanese for fresh and new, Arata will offer steamed buns, small plates, noodle bowls, tempura, vegetable sushi and Japanese inspired desserts. Arata will have an innovative cocktail and sake program. Opening in EARLY MAY 2018...

[Photos by Perri Silver]

Kenney, whose bio says that he is "crafting the future of food®," is also involved with 00 + Co. and Bar Verde right next door on Second Avenue.

Last month, Kenney teamed up with Pure Green to launch PlantMade, a cafe on Second Avenue between Ninth Street and 10th Street. So that's four restaurants with Kenney's involvement within six blocks on Second Avenue.

Meanwhile, the signage for Arata means the end for the previous tenant — La Contrada, which opened in July 2016. This corner has seen its share of turnover in recent years with the arrivals and departures of Contrada, (not to be confused with La Contrada), Calliope and Belcourt.

Thanks to EVG reader Perri Silver for the photos!