Freddy's Bar to Reopen February 4th

An Atlantic Yards protest outside the old Freddy's. (No Land Grab's Flickr)

The beloved old Prospect Heights diveFreddy's Bar&Backroom, a Prohibition-era bar that became an unofficial headquarters for the anti-Atlantic Yards protests, has announced that it will reopen on February 4th atits Brooklyn new locationon 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets. A few of Freddy’s former employees have taken the reins, and they declare that although it's not the old Freddy's, many items"did make the long journey from demolition to re-birth, including the original prohibition era red mahogany bar, the old booths and tables, and a few special items as well."They also tell us the bar is environmentally friendly:

The entire bar has been created almost exclusively out of re-cycled, found or hand made objects, with next to nothing being purchased“New,” Thus we are“Green.” We have been built by the community, thus we are for the community... The“Chains of Justice” will still grace our bar as a reminder of our fight against eminent domain abuse and the power of the community bond.

The decor is unique and vibrant, a mixture of old and new, antique Hollywood Regency chandeliers, steam punk accents, vintage wallpaper as well as handmade erotic wall-paper and permanent art installations from local art stars like Nancy Drew and Steve Pauley. The stamp of co-owner/artistDonald O'Finnis evident almost everywhere you look, from the fish tank sunk into a wall with giant albino frogs to the barn wood wall constructions and oversized gothic frame mounted to a flatscreen TV.

Sounds like quite a sight to behold. The opening night party, which kicks off at 5 p.m., will feature performances by faux-French pop starsLes Sans Culottes,Brute Forceand"eclectic world roots band"The Magpie. Meanwhile, the WCBS helicoptergot some aerial photosof the controversialAtlantic Yards project, where construction has begun on theBarclays Center. As you can see, it was all worth it.

Source

The Lunch Quadrant: Columbus Circle

NEXT»

 

It happens all the time. For whatever reason you've found yourself heading out of your home/office zone and need to get something to eat. Enter the Lunch Quadrant, in which we offer you four options around one train station: Affordable and standing, fancy and standing, affordable and sitting, and fancy and sitting. In this case we're looking at your options around the Columbus Circle station. Got a subway station you'd like Quadrant-ed? Shoot us an e-mail attips@gothamist.com.

Source

Benjamin Shih, Owner of Hotel Chantelle, Royal Oak, Sweet Ups

Lisa-Thi Beskar

Last month a seductive, shadowy new cocktail lounge opened on Ludlow Street, just south of Delancey. It's calledHotel Chantelle, but like Hotel Delmano and Hotel Griffou before it, there's no turn down service here, just drinking and, eventually, eating. Owner Benjamin Shih, who's succeeded with a slightly more rakish lounge aesthetic at Brooklyn bars Sweet Ups and Royal Oak, plans to expand the operation to serve French colonial cuisine on the ground floor and up on the roof, which will be open year-round. (The establishment is named after a French World War II safe house.) During a recent interview, Shih told us he's just waiting for the permit papers to clear before he can move forward with all that—hopefully the city will give him the green light before he gets shipped off to Afghanistan!

Part of Hotel Chantelle is open, but there's a lot more to come, right?We're waiting for inspections for the kitchen floor to open, as well as the roof deck.

Now you just have the ground floor bar?Correct. In the future, we'll open a large rooftop that's enclosed in a giant greenhouse which rolls open for the spring/summer, so we can do brunches and late night dinners out in the fresh air. In the fall/winter it will be sealed shut, so it's a heated rooftop, a heated jungle. So it's actually a 365-day-a-year rooftop with views of the Williamsburg Bridge.

What was the building before you moved in?It was a Chinese medical doctor's office.

What kind of food are you going to be serving?We're serving seasonal French colonial, which basically means we follow French ships where they put into port. Let's say it's a hot weather month or season, like the summer. For that quarter or three-month period we will be serving food inspired by where the French ships used to put into hot weather ports. For example: French Polynesia, Tahiti, Northern Africa, Nigeria, Tunisia etc. If it is a wet-weather month, we have a lot of choices: French Indochina, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and so on. Some of my favorites are the cold-weather months though, because I'm a big fan of French Montreal, French Canadian food as well as Shanghai.

It seems like you're kind of a history buff.Oh yeah, that was actually one of my majors when I was an undergraduate.

What else did you major in?I also have a degree in history of art, chemistry and I also have a J.D.

So, how did you get into this industry?When I was seventeen, an undergraduate, I got a scholarship to go to school. But it only covered tuition, your standards: room and board, books, etc. So I needed to work on campus to support myself. I found work/study jobs were both difficult to get and low-paying. So, before freshman year started I paid attention to what my brother said, because he had gone to the same school before, and I got there a week and a half early and just started canvassing around for jobs. Actually the first place I went to, I got a job, and it was as a bar back.

What college was this?It was the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It was in Fall of '89 when I started my bar career.

The first place you opened was in Williamsburg, and that's Sweet Ups. There's a big jump from working at a bar to owning one, is this something you always wanted to do?Oh no, I always wanted to be president or go to the moon. {Laughs} After either growing up, as people call it, or sometimes I think creatively,"growing down"I gave up those shotless hopes. If you put me in a time machine now and took me back to when I was five years old and ask five-year-old-me"Well, what would you want to do with your life?"I'd say"Go to the moon!"or"Run for office!"but growing up in Detroit, or growing down, we get more practical with age and I had to face the necessity of having to help support my family in Detroit and make money. So no, restaurants and bars were not my first choice, but as far as choices go, it's one I love.

How long has Hotel Chantelle been in development?Well, we first signed the lease in 2008.

What's the significance of the name?One of the many jobs I've had, besides working at a bar, was working at the Graduate School library in the reference department. While there I came across this book about a member of the French Resistance in World War II. And it told the story—I remember, it was only a paragraph long, but it stuck in my head—and it talks about how the French Resistance would pick up downed pilots from the RAF and the allies. And they'd bring them to an underground railroad of safe houses to stay, where they'd get on British subs and go back to the U.K. These safe houses were codenamed after fictional hotels."Hotel Chantelle"was one of them. That name always stuck in my head, probably because I loved the idea of the speakeasy, but a speakeasy plus because, it's speakeasy but also the French Resistance. As opposed to trying to steer clear of the taxman, IRS, and the Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco in Prohibition, it was steering clear of the Germans. A lot of these safe houses, I guess they used to stow like little bars or little kitchens in them, so when the pilots came in they'd get a bottle of wine or some fine food. I loved that part of the story too. The French just did it with style.

Are you going to have a private club in the basement?Yeah, most of the stuff in the basement got scratched. We're going to expand the kitchen or make it larger. Originally we were going to invite people from the industry who worked in the neighborhood and lived in the neighborhood to have a floor you could just hang out in that was more on that private side. Not private as in a members club where you pay or private in that clipboard or a door guy who judges you. But private in a sense that you're from the surrounding neighborhood and maybe it's a little too nutty on the ground floor or upstairs. An extension of your living room. Unfortunately, word got out on that and our idea of giving our good friends, our co-workers, people in the industry keys and all that, it's been ditched.

Are you still going do some kind of partnership with the veterans?Yes. Instead we're going to stick with the original game plan, and we're going to keep that ground floor open for veterans. We've partnered up with a non-profit that brings back recent returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who are coming back to New York City and coming off the military. Servicemen and servicewomen. Or doing the remaining two years in their Reserve Component Unit. We'll provide civilian job skills at civilian market wages six, 12 and 18-month cycles. The harder the job, the longer the cycle. So we'll be bringing men and women through back-office activities, such as the event sales, event planning, event management, accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, we'll be bringing people through the kitchen, short order, prep, pastry, the full kit and caboodle. We'll be bringing people through the back bar, where all the service jobs are, and the floor jobs, floor management and service itself.

What's amazing about this program is that so many of the men and women that from Iraq and Afghanistan have a hard time assimilating into the civilian world. Jobs in the military are some of the most dangerous jobs you can have. If you work in a gun crew on the artillery beat, there's really no translation for that in the civilian world. So how do we take these men and women who have done such a great service to this country and find a way to get them up and running in the civilian world?

And you yourself have military experience?Yes, yes, in the reserve component. I'm a 13th box forward observer, with the 69th infantry.

Can I ask you what forward observer is?A forward observer team is comprised of two individuals, a forward observer and an RTO, his partner. RTO stands for radio telephone operator. When you're out on the field, the forward observers and RTO's are the people who are the direct eyes on the target. So you're the instrument to call in indirect fire, like as artillery and mortars and naval gunfire, and direct fire: helicopter gun shifts, munitions dropped from the air or fired from the air, either naval or air force. A lot of people don't realize that with newsreels they see on TV showing the technology we have, the smart weapons, etc., it still requires two people on the ground to find the target, lase it, and call it in.

When you say"lase,"do you mean, point a laser at it?Yes, there are many tools, from naked eyeballs to hitting things with lasers. You can see a target with your naked eye and direct a call for fire in on that target. You can also use equipment, for example a laser designator. That paints the target with an invisible blinking dot that allows munitions to either fire from the ground or from the air to hone in on that target.

So are you going to be going into the field overseas?There is a deployment with Charlie company for my unit for 2011 in Afghanistan, but we don't know where in Afghanistan.

Does that mean you're definitely going?Until I get a warning order in my hand, no. The warning order is what gives you an idea of what's going to happen and then your activation order brings you to Title 10 status. Title 10 means no longer civilian, but full-time active. So until those pieces of paper are in your hand, it's never official.

Well, for now you're here. So let's talk about the cocktails at Hotel Chantelle.Let's see, the drink menu is split up into three parts, wine and beer, unique liquors, and variations on classics. Our actual cocktail-cocktail list. I believe strongly, John, that the cocktail Renaissance in New York has also had a big push-back. And I experienced that a lot in my Williamsburg venues. People are returning to classic cocktails and also to unique liquors, and that's what we try for here. The cocktails are variations on classics. And in keeping with the downtown New York City sensibility, our portions are very generous. All cocktails here are doubles and triples in size. So you actually get more.

Who did the cocktail menu?I did.

So you're someone who does a lot of experimenting with different cocktails?Yes. I've pulled from cocktails I know from living abroad, and also cocktails that I made on my own. This is my 22nd year behind the bar, so spirits, and beer are definitely areas I feel very comfortable with. I'm lucky that when I was in London I got a chance to work with Dick Bradsell, who is the godfather of modern cocktails in the UK. Really, he is an amazing, outstanding individual.

Do you have a favorite on this menu?Oh, hands down, it would be the Gibson. We have a take on the classic Gibson, but it's made with Russian Standard, which is amazing, amazing vodka from actual Russia. A lot of people go with Stoli, which isn't even made in Russia. The Russian Standard is the real deal. It's also made with carpano antica, which is amazing old-school vermouth. It's definitely the Cadillac of vermouth. It's the standard that all vermouths should be compared to. It's made with whole roasted peppercorns.

That sounds great right about now.{Laughs} I know!

Source

Eat Cetera: DIY Lamb, Free Grimaldi's, BBQ Cooking Class

The lamb shoulder and pickled onion at Back Forty

Lamb Demo:East Village farm-to-table restaurantBack Fortyis really bringing the farm to your table on Saturday, when Chef Shanna Pacifico will conduct a lamb butchering demo. You'll not only learn the probably useless (but you never know) ways in which you can butcher a lamb, but Pacifico will also share lots of tips on how best to prepare different cuts. Once the class is over, students will repair to the dining room to enjoy a four-course, family-style dinner featuring dishes such as Lamb Kibbe Tartare, Smoked Lamb Croquettes, Ancho Pepper Roasted Lamb Shoulder and Herb Marinated Bone-In Leg of Lamb.

The demonstration starts at 3:30 p.m. and lasts until 6 p.m., with the"feast"lasting until 8. The whole thing costs $130 and includes food, beverages, tax and tip.

190 Avenue B, at 12th Street; call (212) 388-1990 for reservations.

NEXT»

 

Click on the photos for the scoop on this week's random foodstuffs, which include a lamb preparation class and feast at Back Forty, free samples of Grimaldi's pizza at the Limelight Marketplace, and smoked pork butt class and consumption at Wildwood Barbecue.

Source

Taco Truck Towed While Protesting Taco Truck Fines

Via

Patty's Taco Truck, a popular spot usually parked on the Upper East Side, was towed yesterday. Unfortunately, Patty and company were in the middle of a rally against the city's street vendor fines when it happened. Cops charged them for selling merchandise in front of a parking meter, which yes, is illegal {pdf} and towed the truck away from about 20 protesters who had gathered. Truck co-owner Alberto Loeratold the Post,"It's unfair, the cops will give you a ticket for anything."Protesters reportedly chanted,"We're hungry for justice"as the truck was hauled away, but they were also probably hungry for lunch.

Source

NYC Doesn't Have The Best Chinese Food In America?

Chinese food is as belovedas Christmas Dayin New York, so we're feeling a bit snubbed that we only have two restaurants in this top ten list ofAmerica's best Chinese restaurants. And while we could maybe be content losing the #1 spot to somewhere in San Francisco, we have to play fourth-fiddle to Yang Ming Restaurant in Bryn Mawr, PA. Foodie Ed Schoenfeld complainedto the Post,"We have some wonderful restaurants in New York that were left off. It's simply wrong—not that there can't be great Chinese restaurants in Tennessee or Alabama but come on..."

Flushing's Szechuan Gourmet came in fourth place on the list, withone reviewer sayingit's the only Chinese restaurant he'll frequent in New York:"There are just so few Chinese restaurants that are this good in this city. The heat isn't for wimps in this food."Congee Villageon Allen Street also came in ninth place, where one reviewer says,"They definitely have issue with serving anyone who is not Chinese."

One Chinatown diner said,"I'm surprised. I never heard of the place. I wouldn't make a special trip out there."Take that, Bryn Mawr! Oh, and Barnard totally kicks your school's ass.

Source

Grimaldi's Owes Millions For Not Opening Manhattan Space

Oh Grimaldi's, Grimaldi's, Grimaldi's. As if the famed pizzeria didn't have enough on its plate with therent disputeat its DUMBO home, a judge has ordered the pizzeria to cough up$2.3 million for defaultingon a 15 year lease for a space at 135 John St. Whoops! Meanwhile the restaurant's much-delayed24-hourlocation inthe old Limelighthas no opening in sight. When we called the mothership to ask about its opening we got the honest-sounding reply:"we have no idea."

Source

Old Village Speakeasy Fedora Reopens Under Gabe Stulman

(Katie Sokoler/Gothamist)

NEXT»

 

West Village Italian restaurant Fedora first did business as a speakeasy starting in 1917 under the ownership of Charles Dorato, who, after Prohibition ended, started serving food and called it Charlie's Garden. In 1952, Charles's son Henry and his wife Fedora—who,the Villager reports, is named not for the hat but for the opera by Umberto Giordano—took over and changed the name. At the time, it was one of just two restaurants in the neighborhood that was patronized by heterosexuals but also welcomed same-sex patrons. Popular with local regulars and a small subsection of fashionable artsy types, Fedora stayed under the Dorato family's control until last summer, when Fedora retired at the age of 90. (Her husband Henry passed away in 1997.)

But in a happy turn of events, the spirit of Fedora lives on under new operator Gabriel Stulman, who has enjoyed great success with his charming atavistic West Village establishmentsJoseph Leonard and Jeffrey’s Grocery. He's kept the original flooring intact, as well as the long, mahogany bar, but has given the rest of the space a face-lift, with leather banquettes, white ceiling tiles, and a mix of new marble and wood tables. Stulman brought in chef Mehdi Brunet-Benkritly from Montreal to work the kitchen; his menu is faintly French-influenced, and includes such items as Sweetbreads and Octopus with roasted lettuce and red butter ($28); a Cornish Hen&Quail for two that comes with eggplant, panko-egg and arugula salad ($58); and a Warm Beef Sandwich, pomme-paille, horseradish aioli and sriracha ($19).

Joseph Leonard bartender Brian Bartels is rocking the seasonal cocktail menu (seen here); at the moment you can sip such concoctions as a Black Squirrel Old-Fashioned with Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Citrus, Maple Wash and House Pecan Bitters. Fedora seats 42 and is open nightly for dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., with a special late night menu until 2 a.m. The restaurant accepts same-day reservations for parties of four or more only.

239 West 4th Street, near Charles Street; (646) 449-9336

Source

Four Loko Sleeve: For The Fake Alcoholic In Your Family

Going through Four Loko withdrawal? You may only be able to find the stuff inselect East Village delis, but noweBay is offeringthe equivalent of a Four Loko nicotine patch to ease your shakes. Behold, the Four Loko cover sleeve! Just slip it on any 24 oz. canned beverage for that instant Four Loko look and feel. One seller advertises,"Piss your teachers off. Drink it at the skate park. Drink it at the mall. Show this off to people and become the popular funny person, or don't reveal the secret so everyone just thinks you're bad."

The Four Loko offerings on eBay range fromearringstot-shirtsto, well,actual Four Loko. And that's pissing off state Sen. Jeff Klein. You see, he's already made Craigslist pull any ads for the banned beverage, and said,"Their decision to remove ads for these dangerous drinks goes a long way in helping save our teens from potentially devastating consequences to their health and their lives."But eBay has yet to respond to his letter asking them to remove any Four Loko listings.

eBaytold the Daily News,"eBay doesn't allow the sale of alcoholic beverages on its U.S. website, with very few exceptions. Listings of unopened containers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages are not allowed on eBay's site."However, we found at least two listings like this on the site.

Like eBay, Craigslist said selling alcoholic beverages on its site is prohibited, but that it's not responsible for"third-party"content. The listings will most likely get taken down soon, but until then you can buy it now for $3.99! (Plus $4.50 expedited shipping from Ohio.)

Source

Cook Gets 15 Days in Jail for Making Cop a Pube Sandwich

The thought bubble here?"I made a pig eat my pubes. And it was WORTH IT."

People always talk about getting back at cops for enforcing all those oppressivelaws, but nobody ever puts down theHomer Simpson bongand does anything about it. Well, meet Ryan Burke, a hero to anyone who's ever dreamed of sticking it to the Man in a truly vile way. Burke's going up the river (for 15 days, served on weekends) for his deeds, but he gave a New Jersey police officer a mouthful he'll never forget.

The unidentified officer had stopped into theGood Foods to Go(formerly located in Marlton, New Jersey)last February to pick up lunch. The cop may not have remembered the shifty young man behind the counter, but Burke certainly remembered him—the officer had written him a traffic ticket a year earlier. Burke apparently lives by the maxim that revenge is a dish best served cold, and garnished with body hair, and so he added some special ingredients to the cop's turkey, egg and cheese bagel sandwich: hairs from his chest and groin area.

The Courier Post reportsthat the officer ate half the sandwich before realizing he'd been punk'd, and sent the remaining half to a state police lab for analysis. After Burke was arrested and his DNA obtained, tests confirmed that the hairs were his, and he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and retaliation for a past official action. He was sentenced this week, and will soon begin spending his weekends in jail, thinkinggloatingabout what he's done. We believe he'll be sharing a cell withPukemonandJim Anchower.

Source

Gramercy Tavern Clarifies Its Health Inspection

Yesterday, it wasreported by many(including us) that the city's most popular restaurant, Gramercy Tavern,didn't do so wellon their last Heath Department inspection. They scored 35 points for violations like live roaches and flies, which falls in toC grade territory. However, the restaurant wants to stress that they didn't actually receive a C grade, because (as we pointed out yesterday) they have not yet received a second inspection:

In response to recent news stories about the Department of Health Letter Grade System, we want to clarify some facts regarding the inspection process and also to correct some misleading information in the story regarding Gramercy Tavern. Gramercy Tavern's preliminary inspection, under the new DOH Letter Grade System, was conducted on December 8th, 2010. We have addressed and corrected each of the issues raised, and are now awaiting the secondary inspection, the results of which will determine our letter grade. While we were extremely disappointed with our preliminary inspection results, it is erroneous to report that the restaurant is now fighting a C grade, as it has not yet had its second inspection, and therefore has not received any letter grade. Our team has worked diligently to address any issues noted in the preliminary inspection, and we are confident that with recent adjustments made to our systems and procedures, we will not only meet, but exceed, the DOH requirements. Maintaining the cleanliness of Gramercy Tavern has been and will always be a top priority and nonnegotiable aspect of our business.

Spokeswoman Michelle Lehmann also clarified that grades are awarded from the points given after the second inspection, and given that Gramercy Tavern scored a 10 on their April inspection they should be able to get their score back up. But whether it's a final C or"Grade Pending,"their last inspection still showed flies, live roaches and cold food items held at warmer temperatures. Which sounds like the scene in pretty much every restaurant kitchen in New York City.

Source

Still Got It: Frankies 457

In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say"sustainable locavore burger."And even though there aregreat new additionsto the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals long after the buzz has faded—or, in this case, when it could just as easily coast on the hype.

Frankies 457 Spuntino has been a hit in Carroll Gardens for years, but since owners Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo openedPrime Meatsnext door, the little Italian restaurant has been a little overshadowed. We stopped by on a frigid night last week to check in for our recurring feature on well-regarded restaurants that have been around the block a few times. It had been over two and a half yearsince our last visit. Had standards slipped?

Not on our watch. If anythingFrankies 457is more packed than ever, because the no-reservation policy at Prime Meats provides ample spillover. Nevertheless, we immediately scored a seat at the bar around 7 p.m. on a Thursday night with no wait (those who filed in after 7:30 weren't so lucky). Frankies 457 specializes in the lighter side of Italian fare; there is a wide variety of salads in the $10 range, and a semi-rotating list of specials like the House-Made Gnocchi Marinara&Fresh Ricotta ($13), and House-Made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage&Browned Sage Butter ($15).

We pulled the trigger on the Escarole&Canellini Bean soup ($6.50), which came in a big bowl with a side of bread and was just what the doctor ordered on such a chilly night. We followed this up with an excellent sandwich made with Sicilian Tuna, Arugula, Tomato&Red Onion ($10). All the ingredients at Frankies are impeccably fresh, and that includes the bread, which is Grandaisy Bakery's Rosemary Bread. For just $12, you can pair all this with a full quartino of the Frankies House Red, a Ca’ Del Doge‘06 Montepulciano-Abruzzo. It's totally quaffable and a good deal at that price, but do note, you'll need cash to pay for all this. (No credit cards accepted.)

The bar is an ideal place to eat at Frankies because they've left ample elbow room between seats—even though they could squeeze in a couple more chairs. We never felt rushed during our ninety minutes there, and the bartender and front of house staff were disarmingly friendly and relaxed, despite having a packed house and dozen plates in the air. Maybe there's something to thisHaute Stoner"trend"after all? And for those too DIY to dine in, there's a store down the street, The Prime Meats Delicat-Essen and Provisions, where you can purchasethe Frankies cookbook and many of the great ingredientscalled for in the book, including fresh pasta, olive oil, meatballs, braciole, olives, as well as dry-aged meats or charcuterie.

Frankies 457 Sputino// 457 Court Street, Brooklyn // (718) 403-0033

Source

Gramercy Tavern Among 574 Restaurants Stalling"C"Grades

In accordance with the relatively new restaurant grades, restaurants with grades lower than a B do not have to immediatelypost their score. They are allowed a chance to improve their conditions, and the Health Department generally returns to check on them within a month. However, there are more loopholes! Loopholes which are allowing 88% of the 650 Manhattan restaurants with C grades to keep that"Grade Pending"sign posted proudly in their windows. Among the sneaksis Gramercy Tavern, the city'smost popular restaurant.

Gramercy Tavern scoreda whopping 35 points on their inspection (anything over 28 is a C grade), with violations for things like personal cleanliness,"filth flies"and"Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas."Their last inspection was conducted in early December; they scored a sanitary 10 on their previous inspection in April. Their second inspection should be coming up shortly, but many of Manhattan's other low-scorers are continuing to stall their demise. If the second inspection still isn't A material, the restaurant can appeal to the department's Administrative Tribunal, which can take upwards of five months.

Lawyer Robert Bookman says the inspections are useless to consumers, calling them"snapshots in time"and arguing that restaurants shouldn't be held accountable if inspectors happen to come on a bad night. We've contacted Gramercy Tavern to see what they're doing to bring up their grades so the DOH will let them borrow the car Friday night.

Source

Winter Restaurant Week Reservation Lines Open

Decoding the menu at the Carlyle (viaRachel Citron's flickr)

Fans of fine dining, pick up your phones. New York'sWinter RestaurantFortnightWeekis back. Which means from January 24 through February 6 (and, if history is any guide, even later) hundreds of New York City eateries are offering three-course lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35. The full list of participating restaurants isnow liveand reservations are being taken.

Aroundsince 1992, Restaurant Week certainly has its ups and downs. While it gives diners a chance to check out famous spots they normally wouldn't try (21 Club, anyone?) it also gives restaurateurs an easy way to fleece unsuspecting eaters (one time we went to a spot, which will remain nameless, and, well, let's just say one of the three courses was edible). The trick is doing a little research first. If you're thinking of trying a restaurant you don't really know anything about, look at the regular menu and compare it to the Restaurant Week menu (many of which areavailable here), read a few reviews and ask around. Be careful. Some great places, like Jean Georges, already offer a Restaurant Week-style prix fixe year-round.

If you are looking to dine at one of the"hotter"spots on the list we'd still recommend doing that research...just after you've made your reservation. Those things can go quick! And you probably want to take it into account that many of those restaurants (i.e. The Breslin and Maialino) are only doing lunch deals this go-round.

One other important thing to remember? While Restaurant Week is great for restaurants and can be great for diners it is a real pain for one important part of the equation: the staff. Restaurant Week brings in way more tables of people to be fed, but doesn't necessarily bring more tips because of those lower bills. So when you go out this Restaurant Week, remember the people who are feeding you!

Are you going to take advantage of Restaurant Week this winter? Where are you looking to go?

Source

Pizza Wars II: 99 Cent Fresh Pizza vs. Ray's Pizza

Coke vs. Pepsi. Ali vs. Frazier. Yankees vs. Red Sox. And now, 99 Cent Fresh Pizza vs. Ray's Pizza. The two neighboring midtownpizzaplaces have been engaged in an italian ice-cold war whichescalated recentlywhen Ray's slashed the price of a slice from $2.75 to just 75 cents.

Ray's workers deny any grudge, but 99 Cent manager Imran Ahmed thinks this is a calculated attack:"They're trying to fight with us almost, showing attitude. It's kinda stupid. They were trying to block our customers, screaming, 'Don't go there!' Ray's alsointroduceda 99 cent menu featuring burgers, pasta, and more, further enraging Ahmed:"We were here first, so who's making war? Not us! I never put somebody over there to bother them. The flyer guy goes everywhere."This is certainly the most heated pizza war since the classicJoe's Pizza vs. Joe's Pizzawar of last week.

Source

When Was The Last Time You Dined And Dashed?

According to NYPD data from last year, New Yorkers are either a bunch of cheapskates or they're just getting worse at being sneaky. Arrests for"theft of service,"or running out on your restaurant tab,jumped 20%from 315 arrests in 2009 to 376 in 2010. And no, it's not just jackass teenagers. Some of the crooks have bowties! Or kids!Chef Jehangir Mehtasaid,“People think it’s the young who cheat— {but} I feel like half the time it’s people with a little more savvy."

Chefs list a few different tactics used to get a free meal, including people leaving for a cigarette or"better cell service,"parents using their kids as a distraction, or even people demanding free food because it's their birthday. Tara Rizzi of Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto said,"Granted, I’ve only been working in New York City for 3½ years, but I feel like {such incidents} have definitely increased.It’s always bizarre to see full-grown adults trying to argue with us about the charges of the food. The price is on the menu."

Even though many restaurateurs see this as just a hazard of the business and are generous enough to compensate servers for any lost tips, it doesn't mean the"trend"is any more justified. One server recalled a rich customer walking out and telling the owner,“You know what? When I’m done with my meal and I’m ready to go, I walk out. And if the server isn’t paying attention, I walk away. If they’re interested in me or my money, they’ll pay attention."And you know you've cheated a really first-class restaurant when they send New York's Finest to drop the check.

Source

Brooklyn Brewery Is Now 14 Times Bigger

Brooklyn Brewery, the Williamsburg-based beer purveyor that has been faulted by some forproducing a majority of its product in Utica, has significantly expanded its local facilities. The new space, located next door to its existing complex on North 11th Street, makes the brewery 14 times larger, and will now enable the company to produce most of its beer in Brooklyn. The facility also features a new brewing system that will make the finished product"tastier,"according to brewmaster Garrett Oliver, whotells the Brooklyn Paperthat some of the draught-only seasonal ales he formerly produced in small batches will now be widely distributed in bottles, thuscausing and solving even more of life's problems.

Source

What Food Best Represents NY?

viaI Can Has Cheezburger

Cat photo aficionados I Can Has Cheezburger took some time out of their busy schedule of posting pictures ofsemi-incomprehensiblelolcats to postFood By State, a picture-graphic tutorial that gives each state an edible representation. Some of them make sense (California=Grapes), some are bizarre (Utah=Green Jell-o), and some are too true (Nevada=Buffets). NY was represented by pizza, and although Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia would probablyagree withtheir assessment,othersmight ask,"but what about ourchicken wings, or ourall organicbodegas? Shouldn't we have a rainbow-colored flag ofdifferent ethnic foods?"But it comes down to the triangle: do you think pizza is reallythequintessential NY food?

Source

Restaurants Making Lists, Checking Them Twice

Is yourrestaurant spying on you? The Post wants to know. The answer? Of course they are. Especially if you are going to high-end eateries and using online reservation systems like OpenTable. But a) this really shouldn't surprise you in the least and b) it isn't necessarily a bad thing.

To start with, restaurants have been spying on their customers for a very long time. Some people even call it customer service! Back in the day a good maitre d' could always recognize the regulars and remember what they like. That required paying close attention to guests on their visits and watching out for them outside of the restaurant. Now, thanks to the magics of technology, even bad hostesses should be able to offer the same tricks: the ever-popular (and expensive for restaurants) reservation system OpenTable allows for notes to be kept on clients—think"bad tipper,"your birthday or your favorite dishes—and we think we all know about Google and Facebook at this point.

Now yes, sometimes one man's good service can be another's stalking, but it isn't like most of us areUma Thurman. And if we were Lesley Stahl and we hated lemon in our Diet Coke we'd want our regular restaurants to remember that too (though we probably wouldn't want them talking about it with the media). If a restaurant is going out of their way to look up upcoming guests' Twitter feeds and Facebook profiles, and it gets them a better experience, what's the harm? As long as they are keeping what they learn to themselves, that is.

Source

Max Fish Will Live To See Another Year

Flickr userVivienne Gucwa

Afternews hit last monththat beloved LES art bar Max Fish would be closing by the end of January, droves of New Yorkers (including us) rushed to the bar for as many farewell drinks as they could fit in before they had to say goodbye for good. We're not sure whether the influx of patrons has anything to do withPaper Magazine's reportthat owner Uli Rimkus has convinced landlords to let the bar stay open another year, but we're fine with taking the credit.

Rimkus has reportedly negotiated to stay open at the current location for another year, after which she will need to find another location. In the most speculative of speculations,Eater says,"It seems safe to assume that Max Fish's subtenant, the Pink Pony, is also safe for an additional year."But a Pink Pony waitress (who wished to remain anonymous) told us only this:"We will not be closing at the end of the month."

Source

Pizza Wars: The Case of Joe's Pizza v Joe's Pizza

The original Joe's Pizza (viaMichelle Rick's flickr).

What's in a pizzeria's name? Money. While we seem to be past the days of having Famous Original Ray's, Ray's and/or Ray Bari Pizzas on every other corner that doesn't mean there aren't still fights over pizzeria naming rights. Just look at the battle currently goingdown in courtover the name Joe's Pizza. It's got everything you could want in a pizza tale: marriage, divorce, pizza and outposts in la-la-land.

This can get a little confusing, so we'll try and keep this simple: Joe's Pizza is a well-known pizza parlor at 7 Carmine Street off Bleecker owned by Pino Pozzuoli. Pozzuoli also used to own another Joe's Pizza at 233 Bleecker Streetwhich he closed in 2004. You've probably been drunk in the Village at some point and had one of their slices. Anyway, in 1981 Pozzuoli hired a pizzaiolo named Giuseppe Vitale and in 1985 Vitale married Pozzuoli's daughter Theresa. They remained married until 2004. Got that? Good, because here is where things get interesting.

Before the divorce Vitale went and opened another pizza joint without his father-in-law, this one was in Park Slope and called Joe's Pizza of Bleecker Street (not to be confused ofJohn's Pizzeria of Bleecker Street!). In 2005 he sold his interest in that operation but openedanotherJoe's Pizza of Bleecker Street, this one on King's Highway. Then in 2007 and 2009 he opened two more, in Santa Monica and West Hollywood. In 2007 he also filed to trademark both"Joe's Pizza"and"Joe's Pizza of Bleecker Street"(both were approved). In his application Vitale even went so far as to claim he had founded the original, now closed, Joe's Pizza of Bleecker Street (which he did not, it opened in 1974 before he got to the original Joe's). Worse, Vitale also has been using pictures and reviews of the original"famous"Joe's Pizza on his restaurantwebsitesand marketing materials. Seriously, try and googleJoe's Pizzaand see if you can tell which Joe is which.

So naturally, Pozzuoli is suing. And, initially, he is winning! In a preliminary injunction late last month the court ordered Vitale's Joe's to basically stop pretending in any materials online or elsewhere that they are connected to the original restaurant (they seem to be taking their time). They can continue to use the name, however, for the time being.

Inotherpizzeria naming news, perhaps you've noticed the curiously named"Mario Bros Pizza"with the familiar plumbers on its sign on Houston Street? Folks have been wondering for awhile when Nintendo would get around to shutting the place down, and as Bowery Boogie is reporting that thejoint has yet to reopenfrom a"holiday break"and doesn't look like it ever will. The disconnected phone certainly helps that argument.

Source

Elaine Leaves Elaine's To Diane

After the death of Elaine Kaufmanlast monthmany wondered what would happen to the"first woman mafia don's"eponymous UES restaurant. And now we know: Seems that Kaufmanleft her restaurant and much of her estateto Diane Becker, a longtime manager at the restaurant. Becker plans to use Kaufman's apartment and its contents to deal with estate taxes while keeping things the same at the restaurant.“The staff is still here, and we’re going to try to run it as usual,” she told the Times.“The only missing link is Elaine.”

Source

Luke's Lobster Arrives at Foodshed Market in Boerum Hill

The Foodshed

Brooklyn-based lovers ofLuke's Lobsterdon't need to cross the East River to enjoy what is arguably the greatest lobster roll in this fair city. On every Sunday in January, the popular little crustacean purveyor will be operating a stall atthe Foodshed, an indoor farmers’ market on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill. Also in the house: National Crab with their tasty crabcakes, vegan soup fromCorey Belle, Dimples Dumplings, Pure Goodies toffee, Swoon Sweets and Savories, and Beyond Kombucha. And that's not all! Lacto-ferment demonstration, anyone?

We're told the event will feature free tastings, live folk music, andthreelacto-ferment demonstrations to show you how to preserve"a beautiful ceramic crock full of winter vegetables."And of course the Foodshed will also feature all the usual local farmers' market offerings, from veggies to fish and duck. The goal of the market, which started in September, is to supportThe Commons, a community and education center that runs in the space the rest of the week and strives to"make a connection between consumers and regional producers in the hopes of creating a more just and sustainable food system."

388 Atlantic Avenue, between Hoyt and Bond streets // Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Source

City's Longest Bar To Become a Chipotle

(via).

After 22 years Gonzalez y Gonzalez, the constantly happy hour-ing Mexican on Broadway with the giant sombrero, is shutting its doors after losing its lease, according to itswebsite. The spot stretches from Broadway to Mercer and boasted the longest bar in the city. Nachos NY is reporting the space will soonbecome a Chipotle. Which raises the question, who has the city's longest bar now?

Source

Williamsburg Bodega Goes All Organic!

Photo taken on Havemeyer Street byRyan Griffin

Good news Williamsburg: you arefinallygetting some authentic all-organic food! Next time you need to buy a"callind card,"be sure to pick up one of these organic cheese steaks, or organic buffalo wings, or organic french toast slathered in butter! Wash it down with a fresh organic Mountain Dew, and you're good to go... over toDuane Readeto fill up your growler with organic beer.

Source

Starbucks Takes A Minute And A Half To Explain New Logo

It's a new year, and even though Starbucks will still be serving up the same burnt coffee to anyonewilling to use their ridiculous lingo, they've decided to spruce up their image. But just to show they're not being hasty, they walk possibly traumatized consumers through the change in a minute and a half long videoon their website. It turns out the new logo is just their old logo, except without their name emblazoned around it. Yay or Nay? And how long until a Starbucks LogoTwitter account gets set up?

Source

Rum House Reopening in Edison Hotel Under New Ownership

BunBun the Terrible's Flickr

There were some long faces in September when the Rum House, an affordable, old school Theater District piano bar located in The Edison Hotel, closed. After 37 years in businesses, the original owner's grandson was still working the bar, andVanishing New York visitedbefore it closed, describing it as"dark and dingy... brown all over, in that way that bars used to be brown, as if the air itself had turned the color of tea."One bartendertold Fork in the Roadthe hotel was not willing to renew the Rum House's lease, predicting they wanted to turn it into"a fancier wine bar or something. There are rumors that they're going to gut the place and make it shiny, and update it and brighten it up."Now it turns out the rumors are true, but the new Rum Room might not be a travesty

Diner's Journal reportsthat the new proprietors, who operate the cocktail lounge Ward III, will offer an"extensive collection"of whiskey and rum, plus classic and specialty cocktails. And the interior design will preserve some of the original nautical theme,"including the immense circular lighting fixture over the bar itself."Even better, there will still be live performance at least five nights a week at the new Rum House, which doubled as a piano bar until last May, when the owners were forced to dismiss longtime house pianist Karen Brown.

Source

Polar Brrrger Club Convening at Shake Shack Today

CourtesyBurger Conquest

If you loveShake Shackand"craaazy"snow day activities, here's a good one. The second ever meeting of the Polar Brrrger Club will take place at 1:30 p.m. today at the Madison Square Park Shake Shack. From the press release:"All fun-loving burger fanatics are encouraged to dress up in their best Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses and brave the snow to join together to eat a delicious burger."The first Polar Brrrger Club meetingconvenedat the flagship Shake Shack during the February 26th snow storm; it's the brainchild ofBurger Conquestfounder Rev Ciancio, who says:

The lines at the Shake Shack are always ridiculously long but when the weather gets worse, the lines get shorter. I’m from Detroit and was raised in the snow so for me, a blizzard is the best time to get one of those delectable Danny Meyer fresh made burgers from Pat LaFrieda beef! I can’t think of a better way to warm up then with a hot juicy hamburger!

Of course, youcouldenjoy Shake Shack's burgers from within the warm confines of theUpper West SideorTimes Squarelocations, but where's the comradery in that? Look for The Rev standing just in front of theShake Shackin a white camouflaged sun visor and sun glasses.

Source

170-Calorie Pizza: What's The Point?

Would you mistake this pizza for being 170-calories a slice?

We realize that people want to be healthy. We also realize that"organic"and"healthy"ingredients like vegetables and whole grains do really taste good, and when combined with cheese could make for an excellent pizza. And yet, there is something about a 170-calorie slice that is making us uncomfortable. Especially whenthe Post describesit as"skinny jeans friendly."

Revd Up Pi(can 2011 be the year we stop randomly dropping vowels from words?) in Murray Hill is now boasting that they have the lowest-calorie pizza in the city, made with low-fat mozzarella, a 16-grain crust and lots of local tomatoes. Owner Alex Melamedov of Bensonhurst said,"It's as revolutionary as it gets, but it's still authentic. It still tastes really, really good."AndYelp generally agrees, though criticisms include"cardboard-y"crust and"not enough sauce/cheese."We're not sure if we're ready to give up boatloads of cheese in the name of health, but let's take a moment to appreciate the American ingenuity that now lets us eat pizza on a diet. Adios, sacrifice!

Source

"New York-Style"Restaurants Invade Hong Kong

A rendering of New York-style Hong Kong restaurant Lily and Bloom.

What makes a New Yorker a New Yorker? The eternal question is of such importance that they even debate it half-way around the world in Hong Kong.

The Journal took a lookat a few New York-style restaurantsthat are opening up in the city and finds that even so far from home claiming to be an authentic New Yorker counts for something. While one restaurant owner they talk to claims to be a New Yorker through-and-through (he emigrated when he was 2 and lived in every borough but Staten Island before moving to Hong Kong in '07) another pair of owners disagree, throwing down the gauntlet that“you’re only a New Yorker if you were born there,"which both of them were. And here we thought you just needed towalk quickly on the right side of the street?

Wondering what it takes to make a New York-style restaurant in Hong Kong, well, New York-style? It sounds to us like the trick is copying semi-recent trends: The piece talks about a restaurant that mimics Momofuku, a restaurant that mimics Blue Ribbon and a restaurant designed by New York-based design team AvroKO (who just didBeauty& Essex here). Also, tile work is apparently important. If all else fails though, just sell bagels and pizza.

Source