rock star.

kebabs are cooked over an open fire grill and finished on lava rocks at bhatti indian grill, little india's newest resto. there are entrees, too, like bhuna gosht, a goat meat dish made with garlic, ginger and saffron. or try meen moiley, a fish of the day in green chili and lime juice curry. all are served on custom-designed hammered steel plates and in a room lush with grass cloth pendant lamps, exposed brick and french doors. a unique wine selection devoted to india's growing horticultural scene is planned (no license just yet). now open. 100 lexington avenue. at 27th. 212.683.4228.

take the cake.

waiting in line for cupcakes is so last summer. skip the crowds and order up the good stuff from the cupcake lady (AKA peniniah wallace), an at-home chef who bakes up creative creations like pina colada cupcakes and home style banana pudding. there's a new cupcake flavor featured every week, or offer up some info about your favorite flavors and see what she comes up with. this is literally just like mama used to make. for more info, contact peniniah at peniniahscupcakes@gmail.com or call 516.205.1411.

motoring.

it wouldn't be NYC unless one of the city's best pizza spots was quickly replaced by another. a manhattan location of williamsburg fave (pictured) motorino sets up shop in what was the oft-packed una pizza napoletano, but chef and owner mathieu palombino plans to keep the space intact. the only noticeable change in the place will be who's making the pies. instead of the slim offerings una had, mathieu plans to serve his classic white, marinara and margherita pizzas as well as a slew of antipasti and desserts like soft serve ice cream and tiramisu. opens mid to late august. 349 east 12th street. between 1st and 2nd. www.motorinopizza.com

mad, mad world.

for four consecutive thursdays, the museum of arts and design hosts MADCrush, a pop-up wine bar with a to-die-for view of central park and finger-licking foods from rotating guest chefs like scott conant, george mendes and cesare casella. in an effort to keep things green, stephanie goto's playful design conjures collapsible counters and seating out of repurposed wine boxes and cardboard inserts. cost of wine and snacks starts around $6, but the admission price ($10 for members, $12 for non) includes your first round. every thursday until the end of august. 2 columbus circle. at 59th. www.madcrushnyc.com

umi oh my.

an extensive sake bar is the main draw at umi nom, a new southeast asian-focused resto in BK by kuma inn's king phojanakong. a small plates menu includes BBQ ribs with garlic, ginger and lemongrass, grilled beef patties with house pickles, and pan roasted salmon. and while the weather is still warm, think about hunkering down with something from the noodle bar in the garden that's slated to open soon. now open. 433 dekalb avenue. at classon. 718.789.8806. www.uminom.com