Eat: The DOH Chronicles Archives
DOH Chronicles: Hakata "Pig's Feet" Tonton Stickered, Shuttered
We just got this sad tip regarding the DOH and mecca for porcine trotters, Hakata Tonton: "Walked by Hakata Tonton on Saturday afternoon, saw the infamous DoH yellow flier nailed to the door. Two bemused looking staff inside sitting around. Wasn't able to talk to them." Correspondents stopped by the place, and the picture confirms: certified shuttered, as of 2/6/08. Can't a man just serve up hundreds of pig's feet and hot pots in peace, people?
· Will Pig's Feet Fly [NYT]
BREAKING: Dept. of Health Wins, Pies 'n' Thighs Closing Tomorrow
Peter Meehan, making a rare but dramatic appearance on the Bruniblog, reports that Williamsburg barbecue darling Pies 'n' Thighs will close tomorrow. In November, the joint had a nasty run-in with the Department of Health, forcing them to shut down their illegal smoker. This, Meehan notes, led to today's news:
Continue reading "BREAKING: Dept. of Health Wins, Pies 'n' Thighs Closing Tomorrow"Gross Out Fridays: Crickets at La Esquina
Friday has always been a day for fun at Eater, what with Receiptrocity and the like. Now, we bring you another edition of what is perhaps our greatest editorial achievement to date: Gross Out Fridays. End of week seems the logical place for grasshoppers in chicken wraps and beetles in salads, no?
Give a Dam/Eater Pool
At La Esquina, that's a cricket right there, just lifted from what looks like an order of Hongo Y Epazote tacos. Yum.
Serendipity Shuttered: Still Mid-Coverup, Not Opening Until Wednesday
Serendipity 3, the famous Upper East Side dessert bar that was shut down by the Department of Health two weeks ago, will remain closed this weekend, despite reports in other corners of the web that they'd reopen for business tonight. Currently, they're planning on reopening next Wednesday, 12/5. Also of note, the attempted cover up at the restaurant continues. An reservations operator we just spoke to said, simply, "oh, the restaurant is just closed for a couple of days for renovations." Please.
· BREAKING: Serendipity Shutdown Confirmed; '100 Live Cockroaches' Found [~E~]
· Serendipity Shuttered: On-Site Cover-Up/Denial Continues [~E~]
EaterWire: Rubyfruit In a Bad Way, More from the West Village
Some Femia to send you off to Turkey Day. We'll catch you back here on Monday.
WEST VILLAGE—The Hudson Street grill Rubyfruit is in a world of trouble. Seems they've been shut down by multiple government agencies. A local report: "Not that they were known for any culinary delights, but I found it interesting to see on my walk home last night that Rubyfruits restaurant + bar had been double whammied this week. First earlier in the week, white stickers went up in windows (taxes?) followed by DOH closing (yellow stickers) yesterday." [EaterWire Inbox]
WEST VILLAGE—Those who brunch in the West Village may want to note that Perilla, Harold Dieterle's see (him) and be seen, has begun serving the stuff as of a few weeks back. The menu, including signature items like a Duck Burger, is here. [EaterWire]
WEST VILLAGE—A couple of temporary, non-DOH shutterings to fill you in on. First, Cafe Asean is closed for the next two days for construction work in their basement. Second, the venerable Blue Hill is taking a mini-vacation, back for service Saturday night. [EaterWire]
The DOH Chronicles: Pies 'n' Thighs Down a Smoker
Word from Williamsburg is that Pies 'n' Thighs, a local 'cue favorite and only a restaurant by the most loose definition of the word, has had a run-in with the Department of Health. As a result, they're down a smoker (pictured during happier times above). From our man on the scene: "I went by tonight, because I go all the time, and I found out the DOH stopped by and made them get rid of their smoker. Apparently it is illegal to have one in NYC. There was pork smoking and had only moments more to go before it was done, but the inspector made them pour bleach all over them." Somewhere, Peter Meehan sheds a tear and plots his revenge.
On how to beat the Department of Heath at their own game: "when they come in they have thermocouple therometers [sic] and huge ass flashlights giving them the advantage. i went out and paid around 450.00 for a cooper thermometer and bought a shit load of big ass flashlights. each and everyday my staff must look everywhere with the flashlights for rodent shit and live bugs, you know, in corners, under tables, EVERYWHERE. then they clean it up, twice a day. the result is, no more shit or bugs b/c we also found where they were coming from and patched it all up and we still check daily...i got a 2 on my last inspection and that was 2 weeks ago...the best revenge for me, on my last inspection the inspector's flashlight broke and i lent him mine to see how clean my place is." [Eater Comments]
Serendipity Shuttered: On-Site Cover-Up/Denial Continues
Let's pick up this week where we left off last, at the DOH-shuttered Serendipity. The restaurant still hasn't provided anyone much by way of comment or explanation on how it let itself go. A few rats, mice and cockroaches are one thing, but 105 violation points and 'a live mouse, mouse droppings in multiple areas of the restaurant, fruit flies, house flies, and over 100 live cockroaches' is probably crossing the line at New York's most successful and historic dessert restaurant. On site, the cover-up/denial—above, now literally—continues. Color from the reader who snapped this photo for us: "outer doorway was put up yesterday with "closed for renovations" signs to help conceal the Commissioner of Health's signs on the original doors. BTW, there were originally 2 renovation signs on the outer doorway earlier today."
· Serendipity Shuttered: Alice's Tea Cup Rallies For Serendipity... [~E~]
· Serendipity Shuttered: Photos from the Scene [~E~]
· BREAKING: Serendipity Shutdown Confirmed; '100 Live Cockroaches' Found [~E~]
· BREAKING: Serendipty Shut Down By The Department of Health? [~E~]
Bubby's DOH'ing: '200 Live Cockroaches' Found
The Department of Health has released their preliminary statement on why they shut down Bubby's:
Bubby's restaurant failed four inspections since June 2007. Inspectors observed evidence of vermin activity at each inspection, including rat activity during two of the inspections. The restaurant was closed following an inspection on 11/14/07. Violations at that time included food contaminated with over 200 live cockroaches in four areas, evidence of rat activity in two areas, fly infestation in four areas, food kept at unsafe temperatures, bare hand contact with ready to eat food and multiple conditions contributing to vermin infestation.· Bubby's DOH'ing: Ron Silver Speaks [~E~]
· Bubby's DOH'ing Leaves a Mark; Weekend Brunch Looking Unlikely [~E~]
· EaterWire AM Edition: Bubby's Tribeca DOH'd [~E~]
Bubby's DOH'ing Leaves a Mark; Weekend Brunch Looking Unlikely
While we await word from the Health Department on the specifics of Bubby's failed inspection on Wednesday, we now bring you additional photos from the scene. As you can see below this inspection left a pretty serious mark. The dining room is in quite a state, apparently bracing for extensive clean-up and construction work throughout. This is not the look of a restaurant that is going to be ready for brunch service by tomorrow morning, so we do suggest you start making alternate plans.
An interesting side note here is that Bubby's was the target of the Department of Health's March 2007 offensive in Tribeca. At that time, Bubby's passed with flying colors, having seen the inspection coming and prepped accordingly. No doubt this time around, less than a year later, the restaurant was caught by considerable surprise.
And as a special bonus, kindly note the Department of Health inspector in the photo above. He wouldn't say a word, but it was fun talking to him nevertheless.
Bubby's as you have definitely not seen it before, up next. >>Serendipity Shuttered: Alice's Tea Cup Rallies For Serendipity, Serendipity's Customers
Posted at the DOH'd Serendipity III on East 60th Street.
Last night Serendipity's neighbor from four blocks north, Alice's Tea Cup, posted signs at Serendipity that read, "We Are sorry for our friends at serendipity iii and know that they will be back in action in no time! We adore your ambiance and food and look forward to our Next visit! Your neighbor, Alice's Tea Cup 156 East 64th Street." Oh, how nice. Though we can't help but note Alice's bit of strategery as well—the Serendipity walk-up crowd, not aware of the closure, will need a sweets alternative, after all.
· Serendipity Shuttered: Photos from the Scene [~E~]
· BREAKING: Serendipity Shutdown Confirmed; '100 Live Cockroaches' Found [~E~]
· BREAKING: Serendipty Shut Down By The Department of Health? [~E~]
EaterWire AM Edition: Bubby's Tribeca DOH'd
Bubby's, just this morning. Inspector 192, this is going to leave a mark.
TRIBECA—The Department of Health is in a rage this week. First Serendipity, then Yum Thai and now, via multiple reader reports, they've shut down Tribeca brunch favorite Bubby's. From the ground: "Walked past Bubby's this morning saw a sign in the window "Closed by Department of Health". Can't say I blame them....the service entrance side of the building is one of the funkiest smelling corners in Tribeca. They have been getting by on reputation for years now anyway." Our photographers are en route to the scene. More to come. [EaterWire]
Update: The closure of Bubby's is 100% confirmed by our staffers on the scene. Official closure date is 11/14/07, by inspector 192. Photos for your mourning and pleasure are 20 minutes out.
Update 2: Please enjoy.
Back to top
Reviewed
Closed
|
NYC Links
Utility
Add Your Own
AOL CityGuide
Citysearch
Dodgeball
Menupages
OpenTable
Savory NY
Sushi NYC
Yelp
Zagat
Print Media Online
New York
NY Daily News
NY Post
NY Sun
NY Times
TONY
Village Voice
Gastro-Communities
Chow
Chowhound
Digesty NYC
eGullet
Mouthfuls NYC
Px This Forum
ShamelessRestaurants
Shiftdrink
Food & Eating
Amateur Gourmet [rss]
Applesauce [rss]
Augieland [rss]
Bitter Waitress
Bruni Digest [rss]
CityRag Eats [rss]
Cutlets [rss]
Down By The Hipster [rss]
Gourmet's Choptalk [rss] Clublife [rss]
Jay McInerney [rss]
NYT's Diner's Journal [rss]
Eat [rss]
VV's Eat for Victory [rss]
Black Book's Eat This
Ed Levine Eats [rss]
Ext 212 [rss]
Food Writer's Diary [rss]
The Food Section [rss]
Foodite [rss]
Gaijin Girl [rss]
Gastro Chic [rss]
Gastropoda
Gridskipper NYC [rss]
Chow's The Grinder [rss]
Gothamist Food [rss]
The Gurgling Cod [rss]
A Hamburger Today [rss]
Insatiable Critic
Midtown Lunch [rss]
Lovescool [rss]
Mona's Apple [rss]
F&W's Mouthing Off [rss]
NY Journal [rss]
NYC Nosh [rss]
Off the Broiler [rss]
RestaurantGirl [rss]
Ruhlman [rss]
Salli Vates [rss]
Slice [rss]
Snack [rss]
NYer's Tables for Two
Twenty Buck a Day [rss]
Uptown Flavor [rss]
VittlesVamp [rss]
Waiter Rant [rss]
Walker New York [rss]
Newsletters
DailyCandy
MUG
Juli B
LX.TV
Rare Daily
Strongbuzz
Thrillist
Urban Daddy
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
Other Curbed Sites
New York
Curbed NY
Racked NY
The Beach (seasonal)
San Francisco
Eater SF
Curbed SF
Los Angeles
Eater LA
Curbed LA
