Manhattan: East Village Archives
The Plywood Report: Kafana, Last Licks, Alma Thai, Yoganic, and More!
1) East Village: A new Serbian spot, Kafana, is opening up on Avenue C between 8th and 9th Streets. Businesses seem to rotate out of that stretch fairly frequently but maybe it has a chance due to the novelty of the cuisine in the nabe. The owner says it will open in 10 days. [PLYWOOD]
2) Upper East Side: A reader and/or owner sends in the following tip: "Set for a 'soft opening' next week is Last Licks...A new ice cream store and sports memorabilia spot on 93rd and 2nd. A party room, a 'dugout' for interactive gaming and of course ice cream..Pending health department approval..." [PLYWOOD]
3) Harlem: Uptown Flavor has an enthusiastic update on the progress at Alma Thai on 11th Ave: "The place looks slamming! They were painting the doors black and gold when I arrived. The lions had some paint work done on them as well. I was able to look past the paper covering parts of the windows and the place looks flipping awesome! Spacious and swanky! I asked the guys who were around and they told me they were opening next week." [PLYWOOD]
FiDi, Tribeca, and Midtown East, ahead.>>
Jimmy's No. 43 Update: Reopening Tuesday
East Village: Jimmy's No. 43, the subterranean pub on East 7th Street that was closed by the DOB yesterday, will be reopening on May 20, according to the above signage (notice DOB sticker to the left). No word yet from officials at the restaurant as to which structural issue they got nailed for and how exactly they can fix the place up into something that is legal by Tuesday. Speculation in the comments hint it could be an egress issue, a problem with the bathrooms, or a much larger problem with the entire building, which includes Burp Castle.
· EaterWire: Jimmy's No 43 Closed by DOB [~E~]
Plywood Special: 2nd Ave Deli Coming to East 14th St.??
East Village: A devoted resident on 14th and C has been closely watching a development on the south side of 14th and offers evidence that, wait for it, 2nd Ave Deli may be working on a project there. From the inbox: "As I tipped before, there is something going into the old "Jack's Deli" spot on 14th Street and Ave C right next to the Auto Parts store. Trucks have been in and out of there all month, including the 2nd Ave Deli van. This morning, a grease recycle and maintenance truck, a food supply truck, a plumbing and sprinkler truck, and the aforementioned van showed up to do some work. Scaffolding in front of the place is still up, and no one working will say anything, but I'm psyched." Oh, and so are we. Developing. [PLYWOOD]
EaterWire: Jimmy's No. 43 Shuttered by DOB, Randolph's on Broome Expanding, Wolfgang Responds to Wolfgang, and More!
EAST VILLAGE— It was only a matter of time before this happened: "I just went by Jimmy's 43 on 7th Street for their "Beer and Bacon" special and it's shuttered. There's a sign from the Building Department (NOT DOH), dated May 12th, saying the building is unfit for occupancy. There's a few other buildings on the block with the same sign." [EaterWire]
NOLITA— Bottomless Dish is reporting that Randolph's on Broome is getting a makeover: "Co-owner Hari Kalyan tells us he's brought esteemed Milk & Honey mixologist Matty Gee on board as his new partner, and together they'll roll out a new and improved version of the bar that features a pro pianist churning out bebop and ragtime tunes, new seating and other interior renovations. Oh yeah, they'll also be serving up a new menu..." [Bottomless Dish]
News in the case of Wolfgang v. Wolfgang, Chestnut expands.>>Adventures in Shilling #028: De Robertis, Islero, Bowery Wine Co.
It's time for another edition of Adventures in Shilling, in which we fight shilling the best way we can, by shaming tasteless, unscrupulous shills into submission. Well, that's the plan, at least. Fight shills yourself by dropping offensive links to tips@eater.com.
This week, shilling has been kept down to a reasonable minimum and the Shilling Department hasn't had to deal with too many troublemakers. However, a few managed to sneak by, both in our comments and at the site of the serial offender, Citysearch. Here are some prime suspects from the last week:
We're not sure about the following comment touting DeRobertis over Veniero's following the great DOH shitshow last week. It seems innocuous at first, but something about it (including the misspelling of the name) is a tad sinister: "I grew up with DiRobertis and it still has the best pastry, hands down. Veniero can't compare. Their cannoli is always fresh and is true sicilian. I have never understood everyone loving Veniero EVER. I'm glad it's closed, maybe now it will straighten up. Go across the street guys and have DiRobertis teach you a thing or two!"We get into the 98% territory, next.>>
Shill Probability: 45%There's been some new suspicious activity on the good ol' Islero post from months back, or as we like to call it here in the Shilling Department, the post that keeps on giving: "ISLERO ROCKS!! The new chef Luis Gonzalez has the place under his spell. The new items on the Menu like the (whole fish) blow Chef Floyed out of the water. no pun intended lol midtown needed this place. Keep up the good work guys n gals ola'" There are three more as good if not better than this one.
Shill Probability: 82%
Two is a Trend: Self Serve Fro-YO
Upon discovering Yogurtland, the new self serve Fro-Yo spot in the West Village, we wondered if it would be the next thing to hit the heavily saturated NYC frozen yogurt market. Well, we wonder no more. Check out this reader email reagarding 16 Handles:
"I have news for you! And it deals with the Fro-Yo Wars! The spot on 2nd Avenue between 9th St. and 10th St. that used to be a Cold Stone will be a new frozen yogurt stop called 16 Handles. The lease was just signed on it. The reasoning behind the name is that it's self-serve, 16 fro-yo machines (so...16 flavors?), several dozen toppings, and then you pay by the ounce. Construction is starting very very very soon since I believe the owners (California transplants) want to have it open as early in the summer as possible."Don't even begin to think it will end here.
· TrendWatch: Will Self Serve Be the Newest Weapon in the Fro-Yo Wars? [~E~]
Week in Reviews: Eighty One Gets the Deuce
Krieger, 2/23/08
The Bruni visits Ed Brown's fancy pants Eighty One on the UWS this week. There's a lot to like, but if there's one thing Franktastic can't stand, it's fussiness (or in this case "preening"):
"Ed Brown, the chef and principal owner, is an indisputably gifted cook, and he’s put together an indisputably serious restaurant.Oh and a nota bene to all chefs out there— the Bruni doesn't like his food done "three ways": "I felt like a captive on a cruise, being hustled too quickly to too many ports of call: Acapulco! Puerto Vallarta! Mazatlán! Couldn’t I linger for just a bit?" [NYT]...But it provides an especially clear example of a kind of culinary preening — call it ego food — that may speak less to the satisfaction of customers than to the self-regard of proprietors, who want you to marvel at the effort-per-bite ratio and the variety of techniques at play.
It goes so far as to title a section of the menu in which it lists spotlighted dishes the “tasting collection.” When you see something like that, you’re less inclined to overlook a restaurant’s shortcomings."
The Richman, The Elsewhere, the Blogs, all ahead.>>
Veniero's Conquers Mice, DOH; Now Open for Business
East Village: We got a couple reports over the weekend that the shuttered Veniero's was back in business but didn't want to report without the photographic evidence. And there she is as of 10:30 a.m., apparently mouse poop and vermin-free.
· DOH Chronicles: Mice Droppings Found in Veniero's Chocolate [~E~]
· LATE BREAKING DOH Chronicles: Veniero's Gets the Yellow Sticker [~E~]
The Kosher Village Saga Ends with Free Falafel
Kosher Village, the falafel joint that was once Chickpea (but still owned by them) and that came into its new name through an uber-gimmicky naming contest, sent out the official announcement of its opening this morning. To continue with the gimmicks, they're giving away free falafel from 2-4 p.m. this Friday to "celebrate this momentous occasion."
What may be more interesting to those who have been following the contest, or "FalafelGate" as Cutlets is calling it, is the reveal of the contest winner, the prizes for the multiple winners, and the apology for the spamming episode last month:
The full announcement.>>Plywood Report: Lantern, Novo Space, Tasti D'Lite, Fu, and More!
1) Gramercy: A tipster reports: "Lantern on the corner of 18th and 2nd Ave is almost finished. The plywood is scheduled to come down for a proposed opening on Monday. From the decor and the Lantern logo it seems to be the Manhattan off-shoot of Lantern Thai in Brooklyn." [PLYWOOD]
2) Upper East Side: 78th and 2nd reports on the construction of the Upper East Side's 10th Tasti D'Lite: "Tasti D-Lite is unrolling a new location which is situated just off Lex and 86th. That is the company's tenth spot on the Upper East Side, by my count, which is now nearing Starbucks-like numbers (13 locations)." [PLYWOOD]
3) West Soho/Hudson Square: The space that was most recently Novo the wine bar and lounge (and before that Novo the restaurant) is now under construction. No word as to who's behind it or what it's to become. [PLYWOOD]
East Village and Harlem, up next.>>On the Market: Pistahan
East Village: A tipster sends in the evidence and a phone call to the restaurat confirms: year-old Filipino place Pistahan is looking for buyers. Yes upper 1st Avenue gets a lot of foot traffic, but rents are high and competition is fierce. Buyers beware. That is unless you Artichoke boys want to open a second branch. You can apparently do no wrong in this nabe. [Shutter Inbox]
Veniero's DOH Aftermath: Let the Media Frenzy Begin
East Village: We're going to go out on a limb and say chances are pretty high that you will see this Veniero's business on the evening news tonight. Spotted by a tipster—a cameraman, a reporter type, and what seems to be a member of team Veniero's trying to spin the situation. He writes: "'Veniero’s Café representatives have not yet contacted the Health Department.' But it looks like they contacted the media (or perhaps vice versa)...I overheard a spirited defense by what I assume is a family member of the construction project that they claim was imminent." A PR blitz is most definitely in order, but they really screwed the pooch on this one. It's going to be difficult to deflect attention from that doozy of a DOH report.
· DOH Chronicles: Mice Droppings Found in Veniero's Chocolate [~E~]
· LATE BREAKING DOH Chronicles: Veniero's Gets the Yellow Sticker [~E~]
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