All stories about "Sheridan Square"
Week in Reviews: Perbacco Gets the Deuce
The Brunster checks in on small time East Village Italian spot Perbacco, realizes it has gone through a serious evolution with its most recent chef, and graces the establishment with two stars:
"Not every dish at Perbacco succeeds. But something is indeed happening here, and apparently has been for four months, since the restaurant welcomed Simone Bonelli, a 26-year-old chef brimming with ideas and ambition.And another factor adding to this home run for the Brunz? Value, of course. Almost all the pasta dishes are priced around $15 and the wine list takes you on a "tour of Italy’s regions without impoverishing you in the process." [NYT]...It opened five years ago as a less edgy restaurant and looks, from the outside, like a conventional trattoria...But it’s no longer conventional. It’s experimental, Lupa meets WD-50. Across much of the menu, Mr. Bonelli plays games."
Convivio, Kafana, and the Elsewhere, ahead.>>
EaterWire: Studio B Shuttered, E Coli Outbreaks, A Sheridan Square Discount, and a Subway Crazy
GREENPOINT— Looks like Studio B's angry neighbors are finally getting their way. According to the Brooklyn Paper, the Banker St. nightclub has been shuttered by the DOB: "'All of the concerns have been met and we’re waiting for further inspections,' said Fisher, a well-connected former city councilman. As a result of the closure, Studio B shows between July 31 and at least Aug. 19 have been relocated to different venues." [BP]
SOHO WEST— Signs of life at the Deathwatched and shuttered Dani (above right). Looks like work is ready to begin. [EaterWire]
WEST VILLAGE— Sheridan Square is offering a 20% discount from today until the 9th while new chef Franklin Becker previews his new menu. [Cutlets]
E Coli Outbreaks, a Subway 911 Call, and more.>>Week in Reviews: Szechuan Gourmet Gets the Deuce
Photo via Midtown Lunch
The Bruni throws out another wild card this week, pulls a 'Spicy & Tasty', and awards a somewhat obscure Chinese restaurant, Midtown's Szechuan Gourmet, two stars. A big highlight is when he tells Spicy & Tasty fans they don't have to trek to Flushing to find good Chinese anymore, but most of the word count is devoted to the heat:
"At Szechuan Gourmet...the heat is almost always on, and it comes at you in different ways. Sometimes it hits you full blast with your first bite of a dish and never lets up. Sometimes it starts small and builds, a late bloomer. And sometimes it lies in wait, biding its time before stating its case.And for a fun bonus at the end, the Brunz gives a little kick to the place everyone's been raving about lately, Grand Sichuan: "It paled in comparison...The sauce on the sesame noodles traded sizzle for sweetness. Szechuan Gourmet wouldn’t do that." [NYT]It’s fickle, tricky, fierce. It can light a match to your tongue, numb your lips, snap you to attention and do a job on your stomach that lasts a good long while...Sichuan’s inimitable heat is a big part — for me, the main part — of what makes this cuisine such a riveting adventure."
Matsugen, The Elsewhere, the Blogs, up next.>>
The RG files a poorly timed review on Sherdian Square, just a week after chef Gary Robins' departure. She gives it two stars: "On a busy night, a waiter can be hard to find. But on a quiet night, servers cluster around your table as if they were lonely...At the Russian Tea Room there wasn't a wood-burning oven, but there is at Sheridan Square. And nearly everything that comes out of it is wonderful." [NYDN]
Sheridan Square's new chef Franklin Becker is in the comments discussing price point and BCC'ing: "Our prices will be extremely approachable, our menu will be user friendly and the dining room staff accommodating...I will succeed in making Sheridan Square a success. You can take that to the bank...By the way, I mailed 6000 people and bcc'd 5500 of them but obviously forgot the last 500 in the thread. Either way, I look forward to the added business and welcome any and all to see what we are doing." [Eater Comments]
Sheridan Square Watch: Franklin Becker's New Menu
This morning, Franklin Becker, the new executive chef to replace Gary Robins at the deathwatched Sheridan Square emails over one hundred of his closest industry friends (Frankie: BCC'ing was probably the better move here), to let us all know about his new menu at the floundering West Village giant. Let's see what he's got planned:
...I began on July 15th and hope to debut my new menu on August 11th. Expect items such as Cherry wood grilled Octopus with shaved fennel, orange and mint; Satur Farms Baby Field Greens with Jasper Hill Blue 'croutons' and crisp ham. We will also take full advantage of Sheridan Square's beautiful wood burning grill...For dessert expect to see plays on American classics such as our "Flying Saucers" with macadamia brittle...and Brown butter Pain Perdue with bananas 'foster' and ovaltine ice cream. Sheridan Square will be a peanut free environment and we will respect and care for those with dietary restrictions, aversions and allergies.We can't say our hearts are racing, but with the right price point and early positive feedback, Becker might have a chance in that unfortunate space. File under, wait and see. Deathwatch status: unchanged.
· Deathwatch Update: Franklin Becker Replaces Robins at Sheridan Square [~E~]
· Deathwatch: Sheridan Square a Goner Without Robins [~E~]
Deathwatch Update: Franklin Becker Replaces Robins at Sheridan Square
A quick little update on the Deathwatched and doomed Sheridan Square, from their team over at KBHall: "The deal is that Gary is out for personal reasons. Franklin Becker is taking his place. Franklin will change the menu slowly and keep anything that has become a signature item." You may remember Becker as the chef at Brasserie (and many restaurants before), which he departed this March in order to open Bedford Falls. Of course, we haven't heard anything about his new place since then, so perhaps we can assume things fell through. Regardless, until we see Becker filling those seats, Sheridan Square remains firmly on the DW.
· Deathwatch: Sheridan Square A Goner Without Robins [~E~]
Deathwatch: Sheridan Square A Goner Without Robins
Mr. Cutlets is reporting that Gary Robins the head chef, big name, and go-to man behind the doomed project Sheridan Square has left the restaurant. A few important things to note at this juncture. The restaurant just opened May 29. Minus six, carry the two, yup: that's less than 50 nights of service between debut and chef exit. Also, the space is officially cursed. It languished for almost as year as the plywooded (and never opened) Central Kitchen and took a good long while to finally open its doors as Sheridan Square. Recently the owners announced their expansion into the large Tasca space next door, over-extending an already strained operation. If there's anything about this opening that hasn't been botched, we're all ears. Sheridan Square, say hello to the Eater Hospice.
· Breaking: Gary Robins Out at Sheridan Square [Cutlets]
· All Sheridan Square Coverage [~E~]
Rumors Confirmed: Sheridan Square Takes Over Tasca
West Village: No one ever really thought that the shuttered Tasca was "renovating" or believed their signs that they would "reopen soon." The only question was, what was to become of it. Since we've been hearing since December that Sheridan Square (once the carcass of Central Kitchen) and Tasca would be combined by Gary Robins, we assumed he would take over the restaurant. But when Sheridan Square opened las month without any mention of Tasca, we assumed Robins was satisfied with his own space. Not so! Per the Zagat:
"Sheridan Square is less than a month old, and already it needs more space. So, Gary Robins' New American is taking over the site next door that housed the erstwhile Tasca, and will be using it as a private dining room. This new addition, which can seat up to 40 people, should be ready to roll by early July."Oh Robins, you sneaky weasel. You nearly had us.
· Sheridan Square Annexes Old Tasca Space [Zagat]
· The Shutter: Tasca Renovating or Closing for Good? [~E~]
Adventures in Shilling #032: Frogurt, Panca, Sheridan Square, 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
It has been an incredibly shilly week, and we've got suspicious reviews from our comments, other blogs' comments, Citysearch, Savory Cities, and elsewhere. They think that because the foodie community has been partying so much at awards shows and at foodie events in Aspen they can sneak one by us. Not happening.
Midtown Lunch lets us in on some suspected shilling on a fro-yo post of theirs. The following two comments come from the same IP address: "I think that Printon 56 and Froguurt is amazing" and "I eat at Printon 56 everyday and love it. The brand is called FROGURT notfroyo. Try the coffee it is great."We get to 100% ahead!>>
Shill Probability: 46%There are two scenarios with the following suspicious Sheridan Square reviews: either someone liked their meal so much they decided to post duplicate reviews on both Citysearch and Savory Cities, or this is a skilled shiller. Here's the review, found more or less verbatim on both sites: "found this place to be dining experience that far exceeded my expectations. The service was first rate and the staff paid attenton to all the little details that made for a great dining experience. The food was amazing, I highly recommend the foi grois ravioli for an appetizer, as well as the zucchini flower stuffed with crab meat. I had the veal, and my wife the Halibut, both were presented perfectly, and tasty as hell. The desserts were just so fresh and original that the place reminded me a little of Danube, but half the price."
Shill Probability: 57%
Good News/ Bad News Sheridan Square
Sheridan Square, Gary Robins' new giant West Village space opened one and a half weeks ago, and, naturally, a number of internet-savvy foodies have found the time to dine there and file their reviews. We've found some shills here and there, and almost everyone has some caveats to their positive reviews (including the fact that the restaurant is always empty), but for the most part, the people just seem to like the place. So of course, we have some good news and we have some bad news. Let's get to the good.
1) The Good News: A number of Chowhounders are on the Robins train, including this one: "...the food was great. But, the place was EMPTY and it was their 4th night open. odd. The shrimp app was stellar (with a white bean salad and artichokes), the pasta special (with braised veal) was flavorful and a very big portion. The seafood dish (clams, shrimp, mussels, calamari and scallops in a tomato broth) was also really great. The service was overzealous, but since the dining room was empty, I suppose they were just bored." [CH]
1) The Not Great News: NY Journal likes it too, but notices some misplays: "...Long Island Duck Breast ($27) was very good, though it was undercut by the gloppy plating of creamed cauliflower, braised fava beans and spring peas. Rack of Lamb is one of two dishes appearing on the menu with “m.p.” instead of a price, and diners may be surprised to find that it costs $42. It is a larger portion than it needs to be: my girlfriend couldn’t finish five hefty ribs. However, it is an excellent dish...There are some glitches to be worked out, but so far it seems to us that Sheridan Square is one of this year’s better additions..." [NY Journal]
Some bad news, ahead.>>The Week in Eater: 9th Street Market Shuttered, Chefs on the Move, a West VIllage Red Alert, a Double Deathwatch and More!
This week's stories: 9th Street Market BLOCKBUSTER Shutter, RED ALERT: DOB and DOH on West Village Sweep, Double Deathwatch: Beer Table and Burger Shoppe, Eater Inside: Sheridan Square, Early Word on Surf Lodge, DOB Shutters Employees Only, and Jody Williams OUT at Morandi.
Eater Inside: Sheridan Square
Krieger, 5/28/08
This little number above with the funny red lamps and the schmancy table settings is the West Village's newest addition, Sheridan Square. From Biltmore Room chef Gary Robins, this place has been long in the making and has been a point of curiosity for folks in the neighborhood for quite awhile. The space, next to the shuttered/"renovating" Tasca, sat in plywood stages for the better part of a year when it was set to debut as Central Kitchen. Luckily its newest iteration has actually served some customers and holds its god honest official opening tonight (it's been in previews for a week).
So what's on the menu? The specialty here is supposedly the meats and whole fish cooked in Robins' cherrywood-burning oven and his grill outfitted with "antique wood chips". Hate to say it, but the price point ($24-39 for entrees and apps hovering in the high teens) here makes us want to Deathwatch this sucker ASAP. But we'll be patient. We're sure the amateurs will be filing reports in no time and one or two critics might stop by because of Robins' background and the saga of the space itself. Until then, further reading here and here.
Gary Robins, "Progressive American"
138 Seventh Ave. S; West Village; 212-352-2237
Open nightly for dinner
Tuesday Opening Report: Sheridan Square, Kafana, Talay, Papasitos and More
This is the Tuesday Opening Report, a regular feature that provides the precise status of venues. As per standard operating procedure around here, your contributions are so very welcome.
1) West Village: The long-plywooded Sheridan Square in the former Central Kitchen space was reported open this week by NYMag, and a Friday afternoon walk-by confirmed open status. Here’s the deal: “With the new kitchen talent comes a new dining-room design, featuring a cherrywood-burning oven and grill that Robins intends to use for various cuts of crowd-pleasing meat and whole fish" Status: Certified Soft Open. Official opening is Thursday.138 7th Avenue; 212-352-2237. [NYM]
2) East Village: NYMag reports this week that Serbian eatery Kafana is open on Avenue C, albeit without a liquor license. Here’s the lowdown: "Kafana’s menu is immersed in the stuff [pork], from the rinds that garnish a mixed-meat meze platter to the bacon that wraps walnut-stuffed prunes. And then, of course, there’s cevapi the region’s signature beef-pork-and-lamb sausages; a slew of vegetable salads; and variously stuffed pies, akin to layered bureks but, to Ocokoljic’s mind, better.” Status: Certified Open. 116 Avenue C; 212-353-8000. [NYM]
Harlem, Astoria, and more right this way>>The Shutter: Tasca Renovating or Closing for Good?
Not a good sign for Tasca
West Village: Tasca, a tapas/"Spanish Regional" restaurant at the corner of Seventh Ave South and W10th St., is, per the above note, closed for renovations. However we're going to hazard a guess that the place is actually closed for good. Tasca hasn't really shined since it opened early last year, and the botched opening of Central Kitchen (the 'Restaurant to End all Restaurants' and owned by the same team) certainly didn't help things along. Most importantly word has been for awhile now that the place was going to merge with the carcass of Central Kitchen to become the new restaurant, chef Gary Robins' Sheridan Square. Even back when Central Kitchen was still something people thought would open, it was meant to be somewhat linked to Tasca. This may be the chance for that plan to finally come into fruition. The latest plywood on Sheridan shows it's pretty far along already, but that doesn't mean they won't still expand the space.
· Plywood Report: Sheridan Square
· Adventures in Public Relations: The Case of Central Kitchen
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