Buzz: Plywood Archives
Cha-Chum! Construction at Chumley's Underway
FDNY, Contractors, Crew at a pre-construction meeting, just inside Chumley's. Timestamp: Monday, February 25th, 9:49 AM
On Friday Lost City had a little chat with Steve Shlopak, owner of the once doomed West Village staple Chumley's, and was told the place is now set to open in May—and that repairs and restoration work was beginning as soon as today. Shlopak, bless his heart, has made projections like this before, so we had our people in the West Village secure us the confirm this AM via site inspection. Lo, as the photos above and below taken earlier this morning show, there are indeed rumblings at Chumley's. Workers are on site. Construction is beginning. Set your calendars to T-minus ninety days. Barring complications, late May/early June it shall be.
Another Construction Shot Ahead.>>
Plywood Report: Corrado Bread, Cafe Society, Grom, Beach House, and Oh So Much More!
Resurrection in the old Ametller space
1) West Village: This week, it looks like there are some signs of life in the briefly opened Cafe Ametller space (above): "New bakery/eatery going into former Ametller space at 35 Christopher St called Corrado Bread and Pastry. See pic (above)." [PLYWOOD]
2) East Village: And as always, there's something going in on Avenue A. Writes a tipster: "Yet to be named restaurant is coming to the corner of avenue a and 12th. I peaked inside and the tiles are up on the walls - definitely not very high end - and the floor is laid out too. Guy said 'it's gonna be a french bistro'. [PLYWOOD]
3) Union Square: A quick update per a tipster on the Union Square situation: "Cafe Society (former steak frites) has its awnings and window paper up." [PLYWOOD]
4) West Village: A tipster emails an update on the long plywooded Beach House, "Heard the The Beach House on Hudson is finally getting ready to open. Saw the the chef on the street yesterday and he said it'll be another week or two til we see the beach backyard and boardwalk on Hudson?? He seemed really annoyed.." [PLYWOOD]
Grom, a possible Royale Cafe & Pastry, and Thai in Bushwick, up next.>>Plywood Special: Frankies New Carroll Gardens Space
Back in late '07 the internet got word that the owners of Carroll Gardens favorite Frankies 457 and Clinton Street's Frankies Sputino were adding a third location to their mini empire. These shots were taken last week of the new, raw space, accessible through the back garden of Frankies 457. Official word from the Frankies camp is "something's brewin'" but other than that they're keeping mum about the final vision. However, from the pictures we can infer the following: place is sizable, it's going to be a major renovation, and the opening date seems at least a few months out. Stay tuned.
More of the Frankies interior, on click away. >>Plywood Report: International Bar, Tet, Mystery Spaces, and More
It's time for your weekly Plywood Report, where we share the goods on what's on the verge of opening, what looks weeks away, and what's just a blip on the restaurant world horizon.
Progress made on the East Village's much stalled International Bar
1) East Village: An East Village correspondent writes in to tell us about the updates at the long delayed International Bar: "It's on 7th and 1st ave. I think you ran a blip abut it via Vanishing New York, but now there is paper on the front and a permit which is a good sign in re construction. It's been empty for two years." [PLYWOOD]
2) East Village: The space of the neighborhood Thai place Tigerland on Ave A has been vacant since last July, but an informant tells us a new restaurant may be opening soon: "You know that place that used to be Tigerland on Avenue A? There's been construction there but now there's a sign in the window that says "Tet", not an unusual name for a Vietnamese restaurant." [PLYWOOD]
3) Midtown West: Zagat Buzz has the latest on restaurateur Simon Oren's new venture, an American resto in the west 40s: "Simon Oren has taken over the former Jezebel space at 630 Ninth Avenue to open an as-yet-unnamed American restaurant spotlighting hamburgers in May. He knows that block-long building well as he already has two restaurants, Marseille and newcomer Nizza, in there. Oren's local empire together with various partners encompasses several cuisines – notably French (Nice Matin, L'Express, French Roast and others), Japanese–South American (SushiSamba) and desserts (Max Brenner) – but burgers represent a real departure for him." [PRE-PLYWOOD]
Downtown Brooklyn and Midtown Mystery Restaurants, up next. >>BLOCKBUSTER: Spotted Pig, Freemans Honchos Teaming on Rusty Knot
The Rusty Knot, soon
So, how's about we go ahead and blow your minds now? Ken Friedman (Spotted Pig, John Dory) and Taavo Somer (Freemans, Bowery Hotel) have teamed up on a bar and restaurant. The king of the hottest restaurant on the East Side and the guy behind April Bloomfield's west side sizzler are doing a collab. Truth. Located in the former West Space at 425 West Street, the place is going to be called, we think, The Rusty Knot, complete with a nautical dive bar motif, designed by Somer, the guy who brought us such atmospheric gems as Freemans and the Bowery Hotel. A bowl of gnudi's toss from the Spotted Pig,— actually, a rickshaw ride away, if Friedman's promises of gratis rides between the venues pan out — it's Friedman's second West Village project, and something of a shocking twist, since we were expecting the John Dory to be his next big thing.
From a West Village correspondent who got a look at Rusty Knot space this past weekend:
Want to know what the inside looks like? >>Plywood Report Coda: Anita Lo's Bar Q One Month Out
West Village: To round out the day in Plywood, we have this update on the long delayed Anita Lo project on Bleecker Street, originally slated to open in November: "I live at 308 bleecker, and there's plywood underneath my apt. the restaurant used to be the SUPER grody italian place vittorio's, which i always assumed was a mob front, but now it's being renovated and looks really good. i spoke to the guys working today and they said it's owned by Anita Lo, owner of Anissa. it will be an "asian BBQ" and the name is slated to be "Bar Q." they plan to open in march...from my bedroom, i can see the back garden. they've covered most of it with a sleek glass roof." [PLYWOOD, previously]
Plywood Report Special: Five Guys West Village Getting Close
Continuing with our Plywood filled Friday afternoon we have word from Five Guys at Bleecker and Seventh Avenue South, the second Manhattan location of the DC-based chain. It's looking pretty close to opening, folks, and if the Midtown debut was any indication, it's going to be quite an event. Bottomless Dish has the opening set for 2/17, so expect the burger experts to have more on this in the days to come.
· Plywood Special: Five Guys Takeover Update [~E~]
· Burger Hottness Interlude: Day Two at Five Guys a Zoo [~E~]
Plywood Report: Ippudo, Houdstooth, Brick Oven BBQ Pit, Clover Club, Yogo Monster, and 71 Clinton
This afternoon we bring you Plywood Mainia, because just a simple Plywood report won't cut it this week.
Plywood of the upcoming satellite for Japanese ramen chain, Ippudo
1) East Village: The opening of the East Village outlet of the Japanese chain Ippudo, a highly anticipated event among ramen lovers, creeps ever closer. From the looks of plywood on 4th ave between 9th and 10th Street in the East Village, the outside woodwork is done but they've yet to finish off the sign and the inside. [PLYWOOD]
2) Midtown: Imbible has the latest on Houdstooth, the new 6,800 square foot bi-level monster to open in Midtown: "Nicholas Cohen, Kevin McKenna and Dave Renehan, the owners of West 37th Street bar Stitch, have a new bar and grill in the works. Cohen tells us that Houndstooth--located at 37th Street and 8th Avenue, in the space formerly occupied by the old Chock Full O' Nuts store--will make its debut between late March and mid-April." [PRE-PLYWOOD]
Clover Club, 71 Clinton, and Gowanus BBQ, one click away. >>Plywood Photo Gallery Special: Momofuku Ko
We'll have more of the good 'wood coming your way later this afternoon, but our East Village mole has just returned with the following. Brace.
The latest word from David Chang's forthcoming knitting circle, Momofuku Ko, located in the old Noodle Bar space on First Avenue: a) they're looking to upgrade from a beer and wine license to a full liquor license, hence the community board notification; b) word from the inside is that they're a few weeks away from open; c) word from the dark side is that they may be close enough to open next week, at least for friends and family. And so we wait—and in the meantime, play with our brand new photo gallery tool seen above. Go ahead, have a click. C'mon.
· Peter Serpico Named Chef at Momofuku Ko [~E~]
· Momofuku Ko: The Full Reveal [~E~]
Plywood Report: The Long Delayed Terroir
East Village: An update is in on Terroir (above and below), the much delayed wine bar from the team at Hearth. By way of refresher, we began surveillance on this place early last year, back when the projected opening date was sometime in November. Later estimations had them opening this month, but by the looks of this picture, partners Marco Canora and Paul Grieco are still behind schedule. We're going to place our bet on an April opening at the earliest. Any further intel is welcome, of course.
The interior reveal is one click away. >>Plywood Report: (Le) Poisson Rouge, Savarona, More!!
As is so often the case on Friday afternoons, it's time once again for the Plywood Report. Your sightings of yet-to-open establishments to the tipline, please.
1) Central Village: It's not even slated to open until the summer, but (Le) Poisson Rouge at 158 Bleecker Street (at Thompson) is already making quite the impression on the neighborhood. This is the space that previously served as home to the defunct Village Gate. Oh, and it's got over 3,000 friends on MySpace. [PLYWOOD]
2) Midtown East: Bottomless Dish has a nice reveal of the interior design of Savarona, a new Turkish restaurant aiming to open next month at 59th Street and First Avenue. Color: "Chef Tevfik Alparslan hails from Bolu, in the Northwestern part of Turkey, and according to the PR materials, his cuisine bears the Western influences of time spent with Gordon Ramsay." [PLYWOOD]
3) East Village: A tipster updates us on a corner we've become strangely obsessed with: "So the space that used to be GNC and also Subway, on the corner of 14th and 1st Ave. is now being renovated. I asked the guys who own the deli next door and they said 'It will be a restaurant.' Hmm... i guess we'll wait and see." [PLYWOOD]
4) Chinatown: "A new Hong Kong Style Chinese restaurant is under construction at 202 Centre Street," emails a source. "The interior will be anything but the typical Chinese restaurant." Oooh, do tell us more. [PLYWOOD]
Plywood Report: The Palm IV Opening at 200 Chambers in Fall '08
Tribeca: Consistent with more nebulous rumors elsewhere, the legendary steakhouse The Palm will open at 200 Chambers Street, a new luxury building on the border of FiDi and Tribeca. Projected opening date: Fall 2008. This makes four Palms in New York, with the others being on Second Avenue -- the Palm and the Palm Too -- and West 50th Street. [PLYWOOD]
Back to top
About Eater
From the newest temples of haute cuisine to the oldest dive bars in New York, from Batali to McNally, Eater has you covered. More about Eater...
Tipping Is Customary
Know about a restaurant opening or closing in your neighborhood, or other NYC restaurant gossip? Do let us know.
Restaurant Search
Archives & Feeds
Full-Content FeedContact Us
Email Eater
|
EATER
Editor
Amanda Kludt
Associate Editor
Leslie Price
Contributors
William Tigertt
David Chang
Eater Radar Editor
Kelly Dobkin
Photographer
Noah Kalina
Banner Design
Khoi Uong
Editors-in-Chief
Ben Leventhal
Lockhart Steele
