Welcome to First Word, wherein Eater and its correspondents sit for hours at steamy community board meetings to bring back the first word of new establishments and what they're up to. Your reports from the field always encouraged to tips@eater.com.

Sir Keith McNally wasn't the only one causing a stir at last night's Community Board 2 meeting. There were also some updates on Pelaccio's WVill project, The Windsor, La Esquina, and Hudson Corner Cafe. Let's get straight to the report:

1. The busiest man in the universe, Zak Pelaccio, was in attendance last night to get a beer and wine license for 48 Carmine LLC a.k.a. The Windsor, his new project/nightmare with Josh DeChellis and Will Goldfarb. But little did Zak know you don't need CB approval for those. At the end of the meeting after realizing his venue had not been called, Pelaccio asked about his license, the board told him he was "all good" and he expressed his frustration at waiting two hours for nothing. Gotta read up on the CB playbook my friend.

2. Indochine/Bond Street co-owner Jean-Marc Houmard made an appearance to petition for a license for 570 Hudson Street, the old Hudson Corner Café. The name on the application was Red River Delta although no word on whether that will actually be the name of the restaurant, and per Houmard, the menu will be a mixture of British-inspired dishes and seafood, (Spotted Pig competition perhaps?). The application was denied as submitted, but it will likely be approved once a few stipulations are met. No official confirmation as to whether or not Hounard’s frequent collaborator Jonathan Morr is involved in this one.

3. Last night’s meeting, not short of drama, also included a hearing on La Esquina’s application for a liquor license for their sidewalk café, which turned out to be quite a scene. Owners Serge Becker and Derek Sanders were front and center, as well as about 30 other neighbors/friends to support the restaurant against one very pissed off lady, who also lives nearby. The woman complained about noise from drunk patrons of the restaurant as late as 6am and a full fledged debate ensued between her, Becker and the other neighbors. In the end though, La Esquina skated through, and the motion passed unanimously with a long list of stipulations. UPDATE: The reporting on the La Esquina resolution was inaccurate. Because of the community opposition, the committee voted unanimously to deny the application.
· First Word: Pelaccio, DeChellis and Goldfarb Collab on The Windsor [~E~]
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Filed under Manhattan: West Village, First Word, Hudson Corner Cafe, La Esquina, The Windsor, Zak Pelaccio

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