Textile in the Heights

The long-awaited debut of Scott Tycer's Textile (611 W. 22nd St., 832-209-7174) is finally upon us. Tycer, of course, brought Houston Aries, which morphed into Pic before going away completely, as well as the ever-popular Kraftsmen Baking and Gravitas. His latest venture is housed in a building that dates from 1894 and has been a mattress factory and a textile mill. Since the closing of Pic in 2006, Tycer hasn't been cooking very much. "I feel a little bit sore because for the last couple of months, I've been getting myself back in kitchen-shape," he says. "I plan on being behind the stove every night."

Textile will be open for dinner only and will feature two tasting menus — five courses for $85 and seven courses for $95. Dinners will also be available à la carte from a menu that changes daily but will always feature Scott's unique twist on American and French food.

Talking about Textile, Tycer sounds like the proud father of a newborn. "I'm absolutely thrilled about the way things are working out here," he says. "The composition of a dish and its success is something every chef wishes for, so when it works out, it's a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. This is a much smaller venture than my other places. The feel of a place is really important and here, I really feel good in the room; it has a great ambience, and it's more inviting and warm than my other spaces. I'm entering a much more intimate phase in my life, one where I'm more in tune with my guests."