Manhattan: Chelsea Archives
EaterWire: Knitting Factory Sold, Marquee's First Night Back, and Replating
TRIBECA— The Real Deal reports that the Knitting Factory has sold for $12 million: "The building, which also has 18 apartments, was expected to sell for more than $15 million when it went on the market in April, 2007...Gothamist reported in February that the club might be looking at 504-508 East 14th Street...The Sun reports the club could be moving to Brooklyn..." [TRD]
CHELSEA— DBTH stopped by Marquee last night to check out their first night of business after last weekend's big police raid and Missy Eliot's b-day bash: "When we got inside, the main floor was a bit empty, but the upstairs was wall to wall. The Misses had about 6 tables roped off for her and her peeps near the DJ booth, with pink balloons everywhere because that how she rolls. Doesn't everyone? Things really picked up around 1 AM. The birthday girl rolled in around that time and the place took off." [DBTH]
How to Replate your food.>>
The Plywood Report: Pinkberry, Fatty Crab, The West Branch, and More!!
1) Midtown West: If a small restaurant closes in this town these days, it's almost inevitable that some sort of frozen yogurt chain will be moving in. This time it's Pinkberry coming to 596 9th Ave at 43rd St. [PLYWOOD]
2) Upper West Side: Here we have an exterior plywood shot of Tom Valenti's newest venture The West Branch. He says it's too early to spill the details on it now, but we're hoping for some nice interior shots once construction gets going. [PLYWOOD]
3) Upper West Side: We decided to check in on the Fatty Crab space on 77th and Broadway, and let's just say there's not much to report. The space is large, unfinished, and you can spot a kitchen in the back of the room. [PLYWOOD]
4) Murray Hill: A tipster writes in with some Murray Hill news: "Passed by the construction of the new Brother Jimmy's on 31st and Lex this afternoon…..slated to open in 2 to 3 weeks according to one worker….looks like they better start working over-time." [PLYWOOD]
Chelsea, the West Village, and More.>>The Shutter: Amy Sacco's Onetime Hotspot Bette
Chelsea: When Amy Sacco's Chelsea restaurant Bette opened almost exactly three years ago, it was deemed one of the hottest restaurants in town. There were months of pre-opening buzz and Sacco's star power packed in the celebs and their followers nightly following the debut. Then the critics came, deeming the food subpar, and after a short while the celebs found a new 'it' spot in which to get photographed. Now, after some time out of the spotlight, the place has shuttered without announcement or fanfare. The person who answered the phone there this morning confirmed but would not give any details as to why or how the shuttering came about. Any intel on the shutter or Bette's dying days are welcome.
UPDATE: We have some new intel from a reader: "At Bette last night for the closing party. I live and work in the area and dined there fairly regularly. The bartender told me that Amy Sacco sold the restaurant and gave the staff about 8 hours notice. They called around and invited the regulars from the neighborhood to come by for a glass of wine or 6..."
· The Shutter: Maremma Will Finally Close [~E~]
High Line Renderings Revealed: The Elevated Snack Bar
Today Curbed has a few big gallery reveals (here, here, and here) of the renderings of the future High Line, the third of which shows something called the 18th Street Plaza. The most important part of this section, of course, is this space age totally crazy looking elevated snack bar at 18th Street above 10th Avenue. Funding and approvals are not yet set, but insiders tell us they'd love it to become a destination unto itself. Paging Danny Meyer.
· High Line New Renderings Reveal: 18th Street Plaza [~E~]
The Plywood Mega Report (now with map!): Williamsburgh Cafe, Frankies, JoeDoe, Sweetie Pie, and More!
Ask Eater: What's Up With the Frying Pan?
Have a restaurant or nightlife question that you'd like the Eater readership to tackle? Send it in to tips@eater.com and it may just get the "Ask Eater" treatment.
We received the following email, and since we don't begin to know the answer, we're throwing it over to you fine people:
"Do you folks at Eater know what the deal is with the Frying Pan? Is it going to reopen at its new location this summer? I've walked by it and the sign still says they are waiting for approval. What's taking so long?"It is curious. Last we heard the boat was scheduled to open as early as May and at the very least by the Summer '08 party season. So, do we have any moles at the DOB or anyone in owner John Krevey inner circle willing to share the scoop?
· The Return of the Frying Pan [~E~]
· Ask Eater: Why Do They Need My Phone Number to Check Availability? [~E~]
EaterWire: Tom Valenti at Aix Space, Summer in the City, The Randolph, and Mad 46
UPPER WEST SIDE— We have some exciting rumormongering coming in from the tipline: "The spot on Broadway that used to house Aix is currently being renovated/remodeled. Tom Valenti (of Ouest) has been spotted inside on one occasion and just outside the space on another. Not sure why." Oh we can think of a few reasons. [EaterWire]
CHELSEA— Attention foodie philanthropists: City Harvest has come up with another chef-studded event to throw your money at. This one is called Summer in the City, costs $125-$200 and includes tastes from Broadway East, Butter, Ed’s Lobster Bar, Four Seasons, Landmarc, Stanton Social, The Dessert Truck and Toloache, among others. [EaterWire]
The Menu at The Randolph and another rooftop bar??>>EaterWire: A New Name Our Space Contest, Red Rock West Shuttered, Radegast Gropers, and West Side Brewery's Construction Woes
WILLIAMSBURG— Taking a cue from Kosher Villager, the new owners of the Galapagos space in Williamsburg are holding a Name Our Space contest. Previous reports that the place would be called "Natural Selection" were false, and the owners say they will give the winner a $1,000 bar tab and a year of free admission. [Name Our Space via Brownstoner]
CHELSEA— Some news on everyone's favorite cowboy-themed dingy bar, Red Rock West on West 17th and 10th Ave, from the inbox: "Just walked by and some suits are putting big orange "Seized" signs on the doors and chaining it shut." [EaterWire]
WILLIAMSBURG— One too many perverts have been groping the barstaff at Williamsburg's Radegast Beer Hall. According to TONY they are changing the uniforms so the cocktail waitresses don't look like busty trollops: "We brought in professionals from Czechoslovakia to design something different—a compromise between what the uniform once was and what it is now. We’ll debut it in about four weeks.” [The Feed]
Top Chef Spike rumors and contruction woes ahead.>>EaterWire: Snitch Closing, Franny's Open Mondays, Free Dunkin' Donuts
CHELSEA— Good Night Mr. Lewis interviews the owner of Chelsea rock club Snitch and finds out it will be closing this fall and taken over by a swanky lounge: "The new space is gonna be a unique space from the perspective that it will be an upscale lounge that will cater to the upscale social scenes of Manhattan, but I would say that customer service and operations and management will be probably greater then any place in New York. It won’t just be the talk...we’re gonna do it." [Good Night Mr. Lewis]
PROSPECT HEIGHTS— Oh boy, breaking news from Franny's in Brooklyn. From their email newsletter: After four years, franny's is pleased to announce that we are now open Monday evenings! Our garden will open for dining beginning Saturday, May 10th. Please join us this spring and summer!" [EaterWire]
Free Dunkin' Donuts coffee, ahead.>>The Shutter: Food Bar
Chelsea: Popular 8th Ave. spot Food Bar shuttered yesterday, apparently because of the typical lease woes. From the tipline: "Just a FYI, a Friend who works at the Food Bar on 8th told me he went to work today and the restaurant was closed. He knew about some lease problems but the owner was always reassuring."
· The Shutter: Kirara [~E~]
The Gatekeepers: Red Cat's Mayumi Grigsby
This is The Gatekeepers, in which Eater roams the city meeting the fine ladies and gentlemen that stand between you and some of your favorite impossible-to-get tables.
A favorite haunt for Chelsea artists, dealers, gallerists, and all manner of local residents, The Red Cat is a decade-old 10th Avenue mainstay. It won two stars from the Brunz three years ago and countless raves from the locals before and since. This means you're going to be waiting upwards of an hour here, especially during the big art seasons. The woman separating you from your table? Mayumi Grigsby, and she's going to try her best to fit you in.
Mayumi Grigsby, UMI, Service Manager: We have 85 seats in the restaurant with 13 stools at the bar. My favorite place to dine depends on what I am in the mood for: the bar has a lively atmosphere, the bartenders are lovely and most of our regular guests like to dine at the bar; for a romantic dinner, there is a corner table in the back that is quiet and gives you a great view of the entire restaurant; for a night out with a group, I want to be in the middle of all the action, I prefer the round table in the back dining room.
8 PM on a Saturday night. What's the wait for a table? It depends on the time of the year, and the fact that we are located in the heart of Chelsea near lots of famous art galleries. The wait normally ranges anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour, however, on gallery nights and during the holidays, everything can change. I try to accommodate everyone as quickly as I can, all the while being completely honest about the wait. I have recommended other restaurants in the area and suggested art galleries nearby when I know it's going to be a long wait. Is there anything I can say to make my wait shorter?
227 Tenth Ave., Chelsea; 212-242-1122
Open Daily 5:30 p.m. - 11:30, until midnight Fri - Sat
At the Red Cat every Saturday for 8 years, ahead.>>
Plywood Report Addendum: Manna Cafe, Desy's Clam Bar, Yogurtland, and More!
There was so much plywood this week, we couldn't fit it all in one report. Here is a handful of more soon-to-open spots:
1) Williamsburg: A Brooklyn correspondent takes the above shot and writes in about a space on Berry between North 7th and 8th: "The old Brooklyn Dugout is totally going to be something. I've been watching the progress and this is looking really promising. What's up with the center of the tables? More table top BBQ Korean?" [PLYWOOD]
2) West Village: Yogurtland on Bleecker looks ready to open any minute. Maybe it will compete with the Grom opening tomorrow.
3) Chelsea: And we have a shot of the progress at the space that was most recently Medina at 315 10th Ave: "This was Medina on 10th ave...It's funny to see how the online customer reviews of Medina slowly get worse and worse. I couldn't figure out quite when it finally closed." [PLYWOOD]
Williamsburg Squared, the old Buffa's space, ans an LES Noodle Bar, ahead.>>Back to top
Sign up for our email newsletter.
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
Eater Radar Editor
Kelly Dobkin
Photography
Will Femia
Noah Kalina
Daniel Krieger
Interns
Noah Adler
Caitlin Dube
Banner Design
Khoi Uong
Editors-in-Chief
Ben Leventhal
Lockhart Steele
