AFTER SIX years of toiling in basement kitchens at Saint and Domani, chef Rene Michelena is on top of the world - quite literally. He's moved up to a fourth-floor kitchen as executive chef at two new dining spots in the Financial District: Central 37 and its more casual sister, MKT. "I was bored," says Michelena of his decision to move into a new kitchen only two weeks before opening day. "Domani and Saint were closed by a flood, and the idea of just hanging around for 16 weeks of renovation didn't work for me at all." Here are a few things to know about Central 37: it's really located at 21 Broad Street; it's intimate and cushy, but not over-the-top for a business lunch or a dinner date; and the menu features New American city food with Italian and Asian hints. Neighboring MKT shows all the signs of becoming the new, grown-up hangout for people who work in the Financial District and have been swimming in a culinary sea of sandwich shops, Faneuil Hall spillover, and burger joints. >> Another chef on the move is Rachel Klein. Fresh from having a baby and from her recent stint as the edgy opening chef at OM, Klein is now the new executive chef at Aura at the Seaport Hotel. We're guessing she'll be too busy to take in the ocean view, since she'll be supervising room service and banquets at the hotel, on top of running the dining room. At least she'll get to see the sunset-streaked skies when she comes out for victory laps.
