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.

All in all last night's CB3 committee meeting was pretty tame: no hammer drops, few license denials. However, you can always count on the community board members for the occasional outburst and heated exchange:

1) Stalwart 2nd avenue red sauce/hipster joint Frank was up for liquor license renewal. CB3 didn't deny them, contingent upon the establishment's making a "concerted effort to clear the sidewalk of waiting patrons." As one board member put it, "You can't even walk by when it's warm...not to stereotype, but it's every 20-something standing there, on their cell phones, flinging around their elbows," and as another member chided, "I like your food, but I won't go there because it just pisses me off so badly." So when you are waiting for your Rigatoni al Ragu, mind those flailing arms.

2) New restaurant Settebello was applying for sidewalk license when an interesting law came up. Apparently it's not legal to open any new commercial ventures in residential areas or on side streets in the East Village. Any business that is new has to take over a grandfathered in location. And, if a space is not used as commercial for two years, it goes back to residential. Fun.
—Adam Haas
· First Word: CB1 Gives Go-Ahead to Smyth, Drops Hammer on Atomic Wings [~E~]
· First Word: Red Egg, LeDen Green Lit; Sohotel Must Wait [~E~]

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