All stories about "Bobo"
Week in Reviews: Bobo Gets the One
Kalina, 9/21/07
The Brunz, who skipped the place the first time around, and the second, finally visits Bobo just as it installs its third chef, ex-Radius man Patrick Connolly. While he whiles away much of his word count on what was wrong with the restaurant when it opened, its new star earns it a one spot:
"That star, Patrick Connolly, from the restaurant Radius, has been in charge since mid-August. And he’s given Bobo something more than its looks to be vain about.Three reviews of Double Crown, The Elsewhere.>>In fact a few of his dishes — his appetizers, at least — manage to steal attention from the votive candles lining the dark, narrow staircase up to the main dining room and that room’s droopy lighting fixtures, which bring to mind gargantuan glass jellyfish."
BruniBetting: Bobo
Kalina, 9/21/07
Tomorrow, Frank Bruni reviews Bobo, the West Village show dog that has cycled through three chefs in a year. Today, the Eater oddsmakers have set the action as follows:
Zero Stars: 4-1Bobo, now with kitchen run by Beard Award winner Patrick Connolly (award won at Boston restaurant, Radius), is a riveting case for the Bruni. As mentioned above, the restaurant has had three executive chefs in a year, which is a shit-ton of chefs for twelve months in the life of a pricey West Village restaurant. But the place is as handsome as any restaurant that has opened in this time period. Combined with its 10th Street and Seventh Avenue address, its looks have had it packed from debut. And if all this doesn't make it good enough for Story Time with Uncle Frankie Boom Boom, these chefs three have fluctuated, sometimes on one night, between awful and excellent. It's gorgeous, it's frustrating, it's intermittently intoxicating; it's very similar to that other cagey bitch, golf. But, we digress. Bobo is good enough, enough of the time to avoid the goose egg. It's too erratic for anything more than a star (although Connolly can cook; check back in a few more months). Book it: One spot for Bobo.
One Star: 3-1 √√
Two Stars: 10-1
Three Stars: 25-1
Four Stars: 25,000-1
· Bobo [NYT; after 8:00 PM]
√√ denotes the Eater bet.
Eater Maps: Hard Times Call for Recession Specials
There's been a lot of talk recently about how the dour economy will affect the restaurant industry. While many restaurateurs feign confidence that their product is so reliable and so beloved by New Yorkers that they'll survive, everyone else is wondering how the crisis will trickle down, when we'll see the first rash of shutters. But there is some good news for the consumer: a number of restaurants have already had or recently put into place special offerings that appeal to a suddenly budget-minded dining public. Take a look at some deals across the city, some more attractive (and less crass) than others:
Platt files a twofer on the new chef at Bobo (one star) and Ed Witt's fare at Bloomingdale Road (zero). He finds little to like at either restaurant: While Bobo is "a triumph of style over substance," Ed Witt's efforts are "foiled by a combination of bizarro conception and spotty technique." [NYM]
One Year In: Bobo
Carlos Suarez (above) and Patrick Connolly (below), by Krieger, 10/16/08
Bobo has probably had one of the most interesting, at least in the eyes of the media, first years in recent memory. First off, it's a beautiful space with a major following among the sceney and the trendy Manhattanites. But add in some downright disappointing early reviews, three (that's one, two, three) chefs, and a not so minor tiff with the community board, and we have quite a story. But one year in, Bobo is transforming itself into a new entity. As owner Carlos Suarez attempts to maintain the restaurant's status, he's also trying to coax in everyone else in the neighborhood (and on the island) with his new ex-Radius chef Patrick Connolly, a new, accessible, downstairs menu, and some community outreach.
Would it be fair the say this year has been a little bumpy? CS: It's been amazing, but sure it's not been...not everything I guess went to plan. But I could have never imagined the amount of fun, the challenges, the people involved, the people that I've met. Any surprises? CS: The response from the neighborhood has been amazing.
On the chef shuffles.>>From the Eater Lounge: Carlos Suarez
Throughout the Food & Wine Festival this weekend Eater welcomed bloggers, journalists and food world personalities to our lounge, The Eater Lounge, at MILK Studios. As the peeps pass through, we chatted them up and spit out the dialogue here in this business. Today we have some remainders from the Eater Lounge.
Bobo has been through many many changes. What are the biggest differences between Bobo today and Bobo three months ago? Well, we've got a new menu downstairs. It's more casual than upstairs, and we take walk-ins. Plus, we've finally tented the garden, so that'll be an area available all winter. Plus, obviously, the chef is new. Patrick Connolly! James Beard winner; he's absolutely great.
Why does Bobo keep changing? Some of this stuff has been in the works for a while, just took time. The den menu, for example, has been in the works since January. Getting it ready has been one of the difficulties we faced [before Chef Connolly came on].
Patrick's experience at Radius really helped us here. There, it was kind of a split kitchen—there was both a fine dining and more casual component, which is more or less what we're trying to do at Bobo.
On to the Bobo Burger.>>EaterWire: Ozersky's FeedBag, Bobo's new Menu, Trillin in Chinatown, and More
CUTLETS— Tonight Cutlets, a.k.a. Citysearch's new restaurant editor Josh Ozersky, is holding a party at Elettaria to announce the new developments at the Citysearch blogs. But according to some timely Google Alerts, we've discovered the new blog will be called The Feedbag, at the now password protected site http://www.the-feedbag.com/. One of the first posts: a sit down with Bobo's new chef Patrick Connelly [EaterWire]
WEST VILLAGE— Speaking of Bobo's Patrick Connelly, his new menu debuts tonight. Tasting Table takes a peek: "For cocktail-side snacking there are potato-and-bone-marrow dauphines (tater tots fit for kings) and tempura-fried cornichons with Japanese mayo and shaved bottarga...But the real star here is the St. Louis native's awe-inspiring spareribs, which he cooks in duck fat until the meat starts to slide off the bone..." [TT]
Food Network Mag, Calvin Trillin, and DOH Chronicles, ahead.>>First Word: 180 Lafayette, Gatsby's, Beatrice DENIED; McNally, Carmellini Given Final Green Light
Welcome to First Word, wherein Eater and its correspondents sit for hours at steamy community board meetings to bring back the first word of new establishments and what they're up to. Your reports from the field always encouraged to tips@eater.com.
The full community board had a lot on its plate last night, as a whole swath of applications— from committee meetings in both August and September—were up for a vote after the August vacation. The community came out in force to strigently oppose or speak out in favor of applicants, and we have the regular assortment of big winners and losers. To the results:
1) Gatsby's got its final appearance before the board last night. And as expected, more people came out the reiterate their opposition to the noisy bar. And, also as expected, the board voted unanimously to deny their request for an alteration from a service bar to a regular bar (does not mean they are in danger of losing a liquor license).
2) The board handed down a deny unless stipulations are met for Keith Mcnally's new pizza spot on Bowery and Houston. Though the wording may suggest otherwise, this is actually a win for McNally. And the board quickly approved (and noted they were excited for) Andrew Carmellini's project on Elizabeth St.
3) The Beatrice was unanimously denied for a liquor license renewal with the board citing problems with the neighborhood and accusing the bar of a "bait and switch," since they originally applied as a piano bar but now operate as a nightclub.
180 Lafayette, 47 East 8th, Bobo, and More.>>First Word: The Neighbors Rally Against Beatrice, Hanson and More at Epic CB2 Meeting
Though this month's Community Board 2 SLA Licensing meeting ran a lot more smoothly and calmly than last month's—when the chair threatened to call the police on riled up community members—a great number of people still came out to show their opposition, and in rare cases support, for some big name spaces including The Beatrice Inn, Bobo, and a project by the one and only Steve Hanson:
1) The opposition to the renewal of the Beatrice Inn's liquor license was unparalleled. Even Amy Sedaris came out to express her opposition, though she didn't voice her opinion to the board. Other, more vocal, residents complained about everything from the noise of the club goers to issues with idling taxis to problems with drugs, smoking indoors, and fire hazards. The owner said they offered all they could to do to help lower the effects of noise, but they couldn't do any renovations to the building because it is landmarked. The final decision on the renewal will be made at tomorrow's full board meeting.
2) Whereas last month neighbors brought "Say No No to Bobo!" signs to oppose the restaurant's plans to add more bar stools, after meetings with owner Carlos Suarez, two neighbors sat until 10:30 to announce their support of the proposed changes and thanked Suarez for being so flexible. The amendment to Bobo's Certificate of Occupancy to increase the occupancy, however, requires Suarez to obtain a public assembly license—but the biggest obstacle has been overcome.
Steve Hanson and an 11 year-old protestor.>>Pete Wells brings in an update from Bobo: "Patrick Connolly, who was the executive chef at Radius in Boston, is coming to New York. Mr. Connolly, who won a James Beard Award for best chef in the northeast this spring, will be the new chef at Bobo in Greenwich Village." May he last more than half a year. [Diner's Journal; previously]
EaterWire AM Edition: Jared Stafford-Hill Fired From Bobo
Kalina, 9/21/07
WEST VILLAGE— As the man Frank Bruni himself hinted at just a week ago, a major kitchen overhaul is taking place at Bobo, the second since the restaurant opened in late September. Bobo reps have confirmed that chef Jared Stafford-Hill was fired from the restaurant this week, just seven months after opening chef Nicolas Cantrel left due to "mutual differences". Looks like owner Carlos Suarez could have some management issues on his hands. We're still waiting for the full story on the circumstances of the chef's departure and who Suarez has in mind for a replacement, but a tipster fills us in on how well Stafford-Hill took the news:
Sauces filled with Ajax and disabled computers, ahead.>>Adventures in Shilling #035: Bobo, I Vandali, Williamsburger, Macondo, and More
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
The shillers have been out in force this week. It's only Tuesday and our inboxes and comment sections are filled with people either making or exposing shills. We know it's the slow season, but this is getting out of hand. On to the worst offenders, including a couple in the 90% territory:
A fellow commenter points out this Bobo rave, and we have to say, it sounds a bit suspect: "I had a really great meal at bobo after the most recent chef took over. I wasn't expecting much but the food was fantastic and very nicely presented. Service a bit clumsy but very friendly."They just get insulting, ahead.>>
Shill Probability: 31%Could be an enthusiastic diner. More likely it's a shill for I Vandali: "My experience at i vandali was great. The food was good and the prices affordable. The decor is surprisingly beautiful and the service was excellent. And yes, I did leave my mark!"
Shill Probability 48%The thread on yesterday's Williamsburger post is getting to be a riveting read. Of course there's a shill thrown in with all the bickering: "I had a burger with white cheddar and applewood bacon and that spicy mayo on the side. Came with fries and pickles and was pretty amazing. Juicy flavorful patty of nice size, sesame seed bun that was soft and kept composed even after soaking up all the juices, fries were salty crispy goodness and finished with a boylans ginger ale. The placed looked a bit unorganized but its a small operation and brand new. I myself would visit again in a heartbeat. Hope they get at least a beer wine license."
Shill Probability: 66%
Bruni stops by BoBo to see if anything has improved. His consensus: the place is beautiful (like a cheerleader) but the food is still lacking ("uneventful enough to undercut the setting"). He also engages in some fun rumormongering: "I hear murmurs that the kitchen could be in for another overhaul; these days, who knows? Gary Robins left the restaurant Sheridan Square just a month and a half after it opened in May. Bar Blanc just got a new executive chef." [Diner's Journal]
First Word: McNally's Pizza Joint, Bobo, and Beatrice Benched in Epic CB2 Meeting
Welcome to First Word, wherein Eater and its correspondents sit for hours at steamy community board meetings to bring back the first word of new establishments and what they're up to. Your reports from the field always encouraged to tips@eater.com.
Last night the beleaguered Business Committee of Community Board 2 met in front of an incensed public to review liquor license applications. The word of the night from the committee was “layover!” The complaint of the night from the public was “noise!” A number of hotly contested applicants, including The Beatrice Inn and Spread NYC were laid over until August’s meeting. The crowd considered the layovers to be an elaborate conspiracy to cheat the public out of voicing their opposition, as most of the more vocal and opinionated members of the public will be off vacationing at the time of August’s meeting. To set the tone of the meeting, committee chair Raymond Lee began with a rant about people speaking out of turn, declaring, “I am not in the mood!” Let’s begin:
1) Keith McNally’s proposal for a new pizza-centric restaurant on the corner of Bowery and Houston was met with public outcry. He requested hours of 9 am to 2 am for the 2300 sq. ft. space. McNally defended his proposal with details of his good relationships with communities and neighbors of his other restaurants. Committee chair Raymond Lee advised the members of the public that McNally’s proposal was "one of the best applications that could be in this space.” McNally agreed to layover the decision until September.
A response from a member of the public to McNally’s presentation was the quote of the night: “I find this to be a really elaborate fishing expedition.” No further explanation of this metaphor was provided.
Beatrice, R&L, and More!!!>Week in Reviews: The Harrison Gets the Deuce
The Brunz heads down to Tribeca to give a re-review to the Harrison, now with a new chef Amanda Freitag at the helm. His assessment: it's a safe but not exhilarating two star joint:
"The Harrison, in contrast, is the very definition of dependable, poised to impress you, if not quite wow you, with a hefty, juicy 'English-cut' lamb chop that might well be the famous Keens Steakhouse mutton chop just before the age of consent.And Bruntastic swears this is not a bad thing: "Faint praise? Nah. Just modulated. And, I should add, genuine." [NYT]It will give you calf’s liver done the right way, the smart way, in that it’s cut thick enough to make sure that the meat doesn’t wind up chalky or leathery...it’s a restaurant that stays true to the conservative, honorable niche it’s carved out, which is that of a contemporary American bistro where you won’t have trouble spotting something appealing on the menu, and won’t be puzzled when it arrives."
Artichoke, Wildwood Cubed, and the Elsewhere, ahead.>>
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