Manhattan: West Village Archives
FW: BIG PROBLEM AT LITTLE OWL
Thank you for visiting the Eater Complaints Department, your unedited platform for voicing poor dining experiences, gross restaurant trends, and general underhandedness. Have grievances? Operators are standing by.
From: [an eater]
Date: Friday, July 3, 2008
To: eater complaints dept.
Subject: BIG PROBLEM AT LITTLE OWL
——
ON APRIL 2ND I CALLED THE LITTLE OWL TO MAKE A RESERVATION FOR 8:00 0N MAY 2ND. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 8:15. I OF COURSE SAID THAT WOULD BE FINE. ON MAY 1ST I CALLED TO CONFIRM THE RESERVATION, AND THEY THANKED ME FOR CONFIRMING. AT 7:30 ON FRIDAY NIGHT (THE2ND) I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE LITTLE OWL TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE RUNNING LATE AND COULD NOT SEAT US UNTIL 9:00. I WAS A LITTLE UNHAPPY, BUT SAID OKAY. SHE SAID WHEN WE ARRIVE I SHOULD CHECK IN WITH HER AND PERHAPS HAVE A DRINK AT A NEARBY ESTABLISHMENT AND SHE WOULD CALL US WHEN SHE WAS READY.
Jason Neroni's Re-Debut at 10 Downing Now Slated for August
There was a call or two earlier this morning for some news about our favorite chef who never did jail time and yours, Jason Neroni. People, requests we would be pleased to accommodate include this one. First of all, go ahead and rescan the above gallery of Jason Neroni's next project, a market-driven restaurant 10 months delayed at 10 Downing Street. It'll be his first main stage gig since the bottom fell out at Porchetta. Reached via email this morning, not yet on vacation, Neroni's spokesperson Steven Hall updates, "Still no gas there but closer, looks like August opening." Neroni bit number two for you: At this moment, Mr. Neroni is at a wedding in San Francisco.
· Plywood Update: Delays Continue at 10 Downing [~E~]
· Eater Sneak Peek: 10 Downing Plywood Down [~E~]
· Jason Neroni Named Chef at 10 Downing [~E~]
· Neroni Behind Bars BREAKING UPDATE: Neroni Out of the Clink, Court Date Set [~E~]
EaterWire Early Edition: No Celebs Harmed in Scuffle at Da Silvano
Da Silvano, the longstanding West Village celeb hangout owned by playboy and Ferrari owner Silvano Marchetto, was the scene of a minor scuffle last night—and, genuine shocker, it did not involve any B-listers jockying for real estate on Page Six. Our man on the scene:
Crazy story. I am walking into my building across the street from Da Silvanos and Bar Pitti. All of the sudden two cop cars come up Six Ave. the wrong way and stop in front of Da Silvanos. The cops get out of the cars, and everyone in front of DS starts cheering. Apparently some drunk guy had been fighting with the staff, bartenders, and even old Da Silvano himself. My doorman was watching it all go down, and told me what happened: "Some dude got drunk, and started fighting with the staff. He hit the owner, and everyone started freaking out. I walked over and tried to put the guy in a cab to be nice, but he freaked out on me." The cops let the guy go, but everyone was pretty jazzed up about the fight. See the pictures attached.Waiter, another bottle of the Ott, pronto!
The Shutter: Song Chu Mei SEIZED
West Village: No frills Hudson Street Chinese joint Song Chu Mei has been seized by the Marshall's office per request of its landlord, presumably for a rent or lease issue. The windows are painted over, no signs of life inside. If the story of Osteria del Sole is any indication (now seized for three months), this could be an extended shutter.
· The Shutter: Osteria Del Sole Seized [~E~]
DOH Chronicles: What Really Happened At Cabrito?
West Village: Just before the weekend everyone's favorite goaty joint, Cabrito, was shuttered by the Department of Health. A worker said it had to do with 'improper steps', not cleanliness, interesting for a DOH shutter. And when a PR rep for the restaurant, Cameron Levkoff, contacted us Saturday morning letting us know the place was back open, she also cited structural issues: "There were a few structural repairs that needed to be taken care of. As BarFry was never informed of these infractions, the owner was not aware of any outstanding issues." But the story doesn't end there. According to the DOH report— which publicists should all remember, is in the public domain— the restaurant incurred 70 violation points, and they're not very pretty:
The rodent infestation, the flies, the grease!!!>>The Plywood Report: Boqueria, Fro-Yo, Lansky's, and News from Le Madeleine's Space
1) Soho: According to a tipster, work has begun on the new Boqueria, moving into the old Kin Khao space on 171 Spring St. They already got liquor license approval from the community board, so barring any red tape from the city, they should be good to go once renovations are complete. [PLYWOOD]
2) Midtown West: Contrary to reports that the landlord was going to tear down the old Le Madeleine space on West 43rd, it looks like it's going to reopen as Le Petits Un Deux Trois. The tipster who sends in a shot of the new awning is still none too happy with the landlord: "A liquor license request is posted on the window for a Blague Corp. Thank God, the rumors about it being torn down are untrue...The landlord (Mark Scharfman, google this winner sometime) argued in court when he evicted Le Madeleine that he was going to exercise his right to tear the building down. Le Madeleine still had 12 years left on their lease. Somebody was lying." [PLYWOOD]
What's the deal with Lanskys? Up next.>>DOH Chronicles: Cabrito Down for the Weekend
West Village: The notorious yellow stickers currently grace the doors of everyone's favorite goat-centric schmancy taco joint Cabrito. But don't worry folks, according to a staffer, via a tipster, it's not the kitchen...it's the steps:
"Cabrito is closed for the weekend apparently due to some improper 'steps' in the front of the restaurant. Walked by and saw the DOH notice on the door and spoke with a very frustrated staffer who said it had nothing to do with food prep or cleanliness...It looked like they were getting a move on fixing the steps pronto but apparently the Thursday/Friday timing means the doors will be shuttered over the weekend."Looks like it's back to Caliente Cab Co. for your margies and tacos this weekend guys.
UPDATE: This just in from Cabrito's PR: "Just wanted to let you know that after a brief DOH closure, Cabrito reopened for business last night."
· All Cabrito Coverage [~E~]
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: Maremma Will Finally Close
West Village: Maremma, Cesare Casella's failed relocating Tuscan restaurant, will finally serve its last meal this Saturday night. A commenter reported as such this morning, but we're just now taking a look at the official Cesare goodbye email. The back story: the three year old Maremma went on and off the Deathwatch list over the past two years and finally went on the market in mid-April. They announced they would be moving the restaurant to Midtown to a bigger and better location. Two weeks ago we all learned that the team behind Dell'Anima would be taking over the space, officially freeing up Casella for his move (and his plywood Salumeria). We've heard Cesare has been calling up his very best customers and sending out the following email to the rest:
Plywood Update: Delays Continue at 10 Downing
West Village: Welcome back to the curious plywood at 10 Downing, a restaurant now approaching its eighth month of crippling delays. If you can remember this far back, the project, cheffed by Jason Neroni and Katy Sparks, was set to open last November, and as far as we can tell is nowhere closer to its debut. A tipster just stopped in and reports the newest projection:
"All the windows were open (but still papered over.) Someone was sitting inside, and we spoke for a minute or two. She said they are not sure when they are opening (despite my pestering,) but they will be open before summer is over. Pictures were on the wall, and the entire interior was decorated. The bar still did not have alcohol yet. I think it could be ready to open in 2 or 3 weeks as the interior is completely done."While the interior may be done there is the not so little issue of the gas, which, as of last week had yet to be turned on. And lord knows what other red tape they're still waiting on. However long it takes, here's hoping it doesn't make it into the fall preview two years in a row.
· Eater Sneak Peek: 10 Downing Plywood Down [~E~]
Week in Reviews: One Star Each For Gottino & Terroir
The Bruni files a two-fer this week in honor of the Times annual Drinks Issue, awarding Jody Williams' Gottino and the Marco Canora/Paul Grieco project Terroir one star each. He thinks these wine bars are so good they shouldn't even be called 'wine bars':
"With stool seating, a focus on small plates under $10 and lengthy selections of wines by the glass, Terroir and Gottino are better described as wine bars, though that term, too, doesn’t fit, because the best of the food rises so far above the gussied-up sandwiches and glorified snacks with which wine bars once made do.Strangely enough, Bruni spends little of his word count on the libations. However he makes a point to say that while the food is decent, you'll never have the comforts of a real 'restaurant': "...space is tight, the mood is agitated, reservations aren’t accepted and you could easily wind up standing and waiting 45 minutes for the privilege of straddling a stool." [NYT]Terroir and Gottino exemplify a wine-bar evolution so thorough that nomenclature can’t keep up. And they reflect the increasing degree to which distinguished cooking pops up in the unconventional, informal settings that many food lovers often prefer...to force the question, are Terroir and Gottino restaurants in wine-bar drag?"
Scarpetta, Ago, and the Elsewhere, up next.>>
Resy Giveaway Aftermath: "For the Past Two Days I've Been Tearing Blood"
On Friday we gave away reservations to The Little Owl and, later, Peter Luger. We received emails from the usual suspects: jobless foodies, depressed office drones, newly single ladies, and husbands with impending anniversaries. Read though the the best of the lot to see what people will write to get a coveted reservation:
"Why do I deserve this? I just had eye surgery to correct a childhod problem, and for the past two days, my eyes have been sore, red, and I have been tearing blood much like the James Bond villain Le Chiffre. (I am really not making this up.) Needless to say, I'm not in the best of spirits and dinner at The Little Owl will cheer me up to no end."
"So i totally deserve this resy because today was the first day in the office at my new job and I literally wanted to run away screaming. I think I made a HUGE mistake and I'm hoping that an awesome dinner this weekend will calm me down and make coming back in on Monday a little more bearable. please...please...please." (winner)
"My boyfriend, who was laid off some time ago, is quite depressed, and our attempts at cooking to try to save money is not helping his general malaise...I'd love to treat him to a nice dinner out, and we've both been wanting to try The Little Owl for some time now."
"I'm currently a corporate drone.">>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
