Manhattan: Soho Archives
EaterWire: A60 Opens in One Hour
SOHO— A60, 60 Thompson's exclusive, spectacular rooftop bar opens today at 5 p.m. If you aren't a guest of the hotel or holder of an access card, you're ostensibly screwed. But, from the release we just got: "When the weather turns warm, true New Yorkers know the best place to relax and unwind is on the roof of 60 Thompson...The limited edition key card admission insures that the breathtaking space is never overcrowded and always filled with New York's movers and shakers. The 2008 season begins Wednesday, May 14th. Hours are 5:00pm -1:00am, seven days a week, weather permitting." [EaterWire]
FROG Says Hello to Year Two on the Deathwatch
Question: When the PR team for a restaurant starts focusing almost all their energy on the downstairs club and promotes the upstairs as a bar/lounge/party spot, is said restaurant officially dead? We're going to drop the hammer and say yes and declare that FROG—which PR people are now describing as a good place for a cocktail and a party (and if you get hungry a snack)— is dead. We have to hand it to the owners and the team at Steve Hall PR for learning how to adapt and for recognizing that a failure of a restaurant can be transformed into a somewhat successful lounge and club. That, friends, is how you survive a year on the Deathwatch.
That said, the operation over at 71 Spring is not leaving the hospice just yet. We're still waiting on early reports from public, but from what we could tell from the incredibly rocky launch party/press dinner last night, they aren't in the clear. Let's get to the hangover observations. (This might get dirty so we advise the folks over at Steve Hall PR to avert their eyes.)
What's wrong, what's right, at the new FROG.>>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.>>
FR.OG to Lose its Period, Retain Its Worst Restaurant Name Title
From a press release announcing the new lounge opening in FR.OG's lower level, Origine: "The period has been dropped; a new chef has been added, and now a sparkling new lounge called Origine opens on the lower level to jumpstart the second year of FROG." The release goes on to discuss the lounge, the management, the crowds it will attract, the new chef, but never returns to the big issue here: the name change. Remember, if you will, that FROG née FR.OG entered the Deathwatch list on its very first day of existence namely because of its...name. Soon after, Bruni himself called out the restaurant for its terrible nomenclature (though the period mattered little to the man):
"I mean: FROG? (I’ve omitted the period to illustrate the point.) Isn’t that a derisive nickname for the French, whose food is presumably being treated with respect here?...Once again: FROG?"But what of FROG v. FR.OG?>>
EaterWire: Guastavino's Reopening, James Murphy Joins Andrew WK Project, New Menus at Rosanjin & Spitzer's Corner, and a New Chef at Queen's Hideaway
MIDTOWN EAST— Guastavino's, a landmark event space under the 59th Street bridge, is opening on May 12 after "substantial renovations." A new executive chef John Stevenson is on board to serve classic American fare. [EaterWire]
SOHO— Cutty brings the news from Andrew WK's new project on 100 Lafayette: "LCD Soundsystem front man, James Murphy, reveals on his label's message board that he’ll be doing a little something there called Special Disco Version." [Cutlets]
LOWER EAST SIDE— Zagat gets dibs on the new menu at Spitzer's Corner: "Lower East Side gastropub Spitzer's Corner has completed a whole new menu, which had been a work-in-progress over the past two months. Consulting chef Wayne Nish (of the late Nish and March) and chef de cuisine Sung Park have dropped everything from the original menu – except the homemade pickles ($4) and the short rib burger ($10)." [Zagat]
New Chefs, another new menu, ahead.>>EaterWire: Liquor Licenses in Jeopardy at Cipriani, Socialista, Rainbow Room
NEW YORK CITY— According to reports in both the Times and the Post this morning, the SLA is threatening to revoke the liquor licenses at all Cipriani locations, the Rainbow Room, and Socialista. The SLA reports cite the owner's conviction for tax evasion last year, but it's unclear why the shitstorm is coming down now:
"The 14-page complaint focuses mainly on the October tax-evasion convictions of Giuseppe and his father, Arrigo Cipriani, in which they got no jail time and were ordered to pay back $10 million.We're guessing that, as was the case with last year's conviction, the Ciprianis will figure something out (most likely by throwing money at the problem). However, the SLA is getting tougher and might not be appeased so easily. We'll all see on June 11th.The SLA also charges that Giuseppe made his license available to people who were not permitted to use it, including his father, Arrigo, mother Carmela, and sister Giovanna.
Giuseppe has until June 11 to respond to the SLA charges."
· Booze Blues at Cipriani [NYP]
· Cipriani Empire Charged With Violating State Laws [NYT]
— photo credit
The Curious Case of Bun's 24-Hour Conversion
Soho: A sign announcing their shutter wouldn't have been incredibly surprising. A note about chef changes or a cancellation of lunch service: totally reasonable. But a sign announcing that the lackluster Soho project and one time property of Michael Huynh, Bun is converting into a 24-hour restaurant this June? We didn't see that one coming. For some reason we find the all-out nutty move....refreshing. What will those crazy cats think of next?
· EaterWire AM Edition: Michael Bao Huynh Gone at Bun, Mai House [~E~]
EaterWire: Free Coffee Alert, Hundred Acres Announces Opening, The Early Report from Franklin Park
NEW YORK CITY— Right on the heels of B&J's free cone day, Dunkin' Donuts is holding a free iced coffee day on May 15: "Customers can walk into any participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurant throughout the country and receive a free 16 oz. cup of Dunkin' Donuts' premium regular...or many other delicious flavors. Dunkin' Donuts is honoring those who serve by donating $80,000 to the National Police Athletic League (NPAL) to support its Youth Leadership Program." [EaterWire]
SOHO— We just got word that Hundred Acres, the new iteration of the now shuttered Provence, will be holding its opening party on May 19th, meaning the public opening is only two weeks out. [EaterWire]
Franklin Park, already packed, next.>>The Curious Case of Cipriani's Redecorating
What are those cagey guys at Cipriani Downtown up to? We hear from a tipster they're in the middle of some curious redecorating: "Cipriani soho as we speak is removing the pricey Peter Beard paintings and replacing them with paintings/photos of lesser quality, prints even. They are loading the Peter Beards into the truck as if they were trash, banging them up...is this a renovation or another cipriani scandal...." Any guesses as to why the big C is removing the pieces from the famous artist? Curious indeed.
· The Curious Case of Border Burrito [~E~]
Origine: FR.OG's new Downstairs Lounge
We learned from DBTH this morning that NYC club promoter Zev Norotsky is opening a lounge on the lower level of the Deathwatched Spring Street restaurant FR.OG to be called Origine. We have to say we saw this one coming. Anyone who's been to FR.OG knows the downstairs area takes up the bulk of the space, so this is a major downsize for the business. And curiously enough, they just named a new chef to produce a menu for the small upstairs portion that's left. As for Zev, he's planning on a 'semi-exlusive' setup with a doorman from one of his other clubs, Dune. Here he is with the details:
"We are undergoing renovations now, it's a beautiful space and just needed some cosmetic changes to add to the existing ambiance and make more suitable for nightlife. I ordered new tables to accommodate for bottle service and am changing the color scheme to make the room feel more intimate...We are looking at an early May soft opening...i feel like we are really tapping into a re-emerging soho restaurant and nightlife scene with places like upstairs, martignettis, la esquina and submercer bringing a lot of great people to the neighborhood...the lounge wil be semi - exclusive because of its size, renovations are ongoing and we will not be closed for business during the process."He's right about a resurgence in that Soho nightlife scene, but we have to say the choice of FR.OG is a tad curious. Tune in for the soft opening in a couple weeks.
· The Soho Scoop [DBTH]
· Deathwatch: FR.OG [~E~]
Ed's Lobster Bar Settles Suit with Pearl Oyster Bar
The lawsuit that Rebecca Charles of Pearl Oyster Bar brought against Ed McFarland of Ed's Lobster Bar last summer—the case that transfixed the entire restaurant community—was finally settled out of court yesterday according to Times. Though Charles said she would have liked to have set a legal precedent by winning the case against her former sous chef Ed McFarland in court, both sides were happy to be done with the whole ordeal.
For those who don't remember, Charles sued McFarland last summer for plagiarizing her restaurant concept and for stealing her recipes for his restaurant in Soho. The lawsuit was the first of its kind in the restaurant world, and if it went to court, it would have decided once and for all if recipes and design ideas count as intellectual property and if sous chefs have fiduciary duty to a restaurant. Restaurateurs and bloggers debated the topic left and right and wondered what the repercussions would be for future businesses and spin-offs if Charles won. But no matter. Case is closed, and the Times lays out the changes McFarland has made to the restaurant and the menu to appease Charles:
Painting the wainscotting, next.>>EaterWire: A60's Opening Date, Quhnia Closing, Happy Diner Reopens, and More!
SOHO— We just got word that the official opening date of 60 Thompson's rooftop bar A60 is May 15. You have exactly 27 days to get your membership card or find someone who has one. [EaterWire]
EAST VILLAGE— Cutty has the news on another East Village shutter: "East 1st Street suffers another casualty. Homey Eastern European–fusion spot Quhnia is open today and tomorrow and possibly Friday and Saturday of next week, but a woman who answered the phone there told us that, after four years in business, that’ll be all she wrote: 'We’re in the process of closing.'" [Cutlets]
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS— But there's always some good news to combat the bad. From the inbox: I'm the tipster who mentioned that the Happy Days Diner in Brooklyn Heights was 'closed' for renovations, and not 'closed for business.' Walked past there on my way home yesterday and noticed they are now back open, pretty quick turnaround...definately an improvement...but then again, how could it not be an improvement over how it looked before?" [EaterWire]
Smith & Mills, CPK Rewards Program, and Jean-Georges.>>Back to top
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