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Grub Street

Edited by Josh Ozersky with Daniel Maurer

All Posts Tagged: ‘chinatown’

Neighborhood Watch 

7/21/08

3:10 PM

Cataloguing Midtown’s Meat-Over-Rice Carts; You Can Dance If Want to in Chinatown

Chinatown: Santos' Party House is already a dancing nirvana. [Bottomless Dish/Citysearch]
Greenwich Village: Even concierge services find making reservations at Babbo to be a big pain. [Diner's Journal/NYT]
Midtown: This tasting guide to the hood's thirteen meat-on-rice carts includes a photo for each spot's serving. [Midtown Lunch]
Related: Cartography
Park Slope: Corner Burger has just opened at 381 Fifth Avenue in a space where at least three other restaurants have failed, but their onion rings are off to a yummy start. [A Hamburger Today via Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn]
Red Hook: Coal-oven pizzeria Anselmo's was supposed to open by the Fourth of July, but the storefront is still under construction. [Slice]
Union Square: Tristar-strawberry season won't putter out until September, and until then you can find the teeny berries at the Berried Treasures stand on Wednesdays and Fridays. [Restaurant Girl]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »ans, babbo, chinatown, corner burger, food cart, greenwich village, midtown, park slope, red hook, sant, union square greenmarket

NewsFeed 

7/ 3/08

3:00 PM

Chatham Restaurant Felled by Health Department

chatham restaurant

The dread yellow stickers.Photo: Daniel Maurer

A reader tells us that Chatham Restaurant (no relationship to adjacent Chatham Square Restaurant, which remains open) has been temporarily shuttered by the Department of Health. Strangely, no violations were recorded during a January inspection, which might explain why Just an hour ago, employees were milling around in what you might call a state of “sticker shock.” They might want to jump on one of the Atlantic City buses outside, to make back whatever tip money they’re going to lose while management puts its house in order.

Update: A few hours after this post the stickers were down and a sign on the door indicated the restaurant would reopen on Saturday, July 5.

More: NewsFeed  »chatham square restaurant, chinatown, department of health

NewsFeed 

6/30/08

1:30 PM

Is Yoberry ‘Single White Fro-Yoing’ Pinkberry?

yoberry and pinkberry

No photographing your dog.Photos: Daniel Maurer

First rule of fro-yo: Ban something from the store. A window curtain similar to Pinkberry’s prevented us from seeing the interior of Chinatown newcomer Yoberry the day before it opens, but the “no dogs” sign on the window definitely reminded us of a certain “no cameras” sign. To paraphrase Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Cigar,” “By the way, which one’s Pinkberry?”

Earlier: Yoberry Enters Fro-Yo Fray in Chinatown

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, frozen yogurt, pinkberry, yoberry

Openings 

6/17/08

11:30 AM

Yoberry Enters Fro-Yo Fray in Chinatown

Yoberry

Will Yoberry start an East Coast–West Coast rivalry?Photo: Daniel Maurer

This fro-yo shop, opening soon at 48 Mulberry Street, near Bayard, seemingly compounded the names of Yolato and Pinkberry (the interior totally resembles the latter) to come up with the name Yoberry, and yet it has boldly put a trademark next to its name, so that nobody opens a store called, say, Red Yoberry. It remains to be seen whether the place is related to the Yoberry in San Jose, California — that store has a different logo, but also claims a trademark. We predict a last-second Santa's–Santos' Party House–type switcheroo in Chinatown, home of the knockoff.
More: Openings  »chinatown, frozen yogurt, yoberry

NewsFeed 

5/29/08

11:00 AM

Spam Is No Longer Just for Your Junk-Mail Folder

spam

Courtesy of Hormel Foods

Monty Python called it — the AP says that sales of Spam, and deli meats in general, are up, presumably due to higher food prices (despite the fact that the price of Spam has risen by 17 cents since last year — something we had somehow failed to notice). Assuming Spam’s newfound respectability moves you to try the stuff, here are some local spots that have been trafficking in it all along.

Green Tea Café — Spam and a fried egg over rice — $4.50
Happy 16 Diner — Spam macaroni with soup, egg sandwich, and coffee — $2.75
Hong Kong Station — Spam sandwich — $1.25; Spam and egg — $1.75
Yummy Station Café — Pancakes with eggs and Spam — $2.75
M Star Café — Ham-and-Spam fried rice — $4.75
L and L Hawaiian Barbecue — Spam with ramen, soba, or udon noodles and crabmeat — $7.95
Sim Café — Spam omelette — $2.75

Sales of Spam rise as consumers trim food costs [AP]

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, Green Tea Cafe, Happy 16 Diner, Hong Kong Station, L and L Hawaiian Barbecue, spam, Yummy Station

NewsFeed 

5/20/08

2:05 PM

New Shabu-shabu Joint Serves Wagyu in Chinatown

daniel gross

Not too shabby-shabby.Photo: Daniel Maurer

Emperor Japanese Tapas Shabu Restaurant (now there’s a mouthful!) has been open for a few weeks now in the old Almond Flower space (the owner, Robbin Mui, was a partner), and yet it has somehow completely eluded reviewers and bloggers, despite being one hell of a novelty — a Chinese-owned, Japanese-style shabu-shabu joint where, in addition to the usual soups that you can prepare at your table, you can order a few Almond Flower carryovers such as panfried goose liver in red-wine sauce.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »almond flower, chinatown, emperor japanese shabu tapas, shabu shabu

NewsFeed 

5/14/08

11:20 AM

Mei Lei Wah Closed, for Serious

It's been an emotional week for the Mei Lei Wah Coffee House. First Eric Asimov wrote a touching tribute to the old place, which he thought was closing. But Eater posted a hopeful picture yesterday indicating that Mei Lei Wah would reopen after renovations, cheering us (and, presumably, Asimov). But an Eater tipster reports the cruel truth this morning: "The real story is the owner is waiting to sell it. He's currently paying rent on it. Some renovations are occurring to entice a new owner. His kids are grown up and have no interest in running the business any more."

Mei Lai Wah False Alarm [Eater]

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, mei lai wah coffee house

Openings 

5/14/08

9:00 AM

Santos' Party House Actually Houses a Party

santas sign

This means you.Jason Wishnow

We got late word yesterday that Andrew W.K.’s club Santa’s Party House a.k.a. 100 Lafayette a.k.a. (and ultimately named) Santos’ Party House was soft-opening with a party featuring D.J.'s Lee Douglas, Alex from Tokyo, and Spun. We won’t share whatever video footage we may have taken because as you can see here, absolutely no photography is allowed, but know this: Though the downstairs isn’t quite as spacious as we had imagined it after three years of construction (décor equals disco balls), it’s a long overdue throwback to the days of bare-bones box clubs (think Shelter at Hubert Street), and a godsend for anyone who has ever danced in the basement of 205 thinking the experience could benefit from a little more space and a much sicker sound system. Drinks at the basic bar were $8. D.J.'s casing the joint last night included Prince Language, Tommie Sunshine, and A Touch of Class— expect the nightly lineup to follow suit. The upstairs, according to A.W.K. himself, is opening soon — till then it’s time to shut up and dance.

Santos' Party House, 100 Lafayette St., nr. Walker St.; santospartyhouse.com

More: Openings  »100 lafayette, andrew w.k., chinatown, nightlife, santa's party house, santos' party house

NewsFeed 

5/13/08

12:30 PM

Did Asimov Raise His Beloved Pork Buns From the Dead?

What kind of tale would An American Tragedy be if nobody had died? Or Hamlet, if the prince kept on sulking around into middle age? Such is the literary problem facing the Times' Eric Asimov today. His beloved Mei Lai Wah Coffee House, for which he wrote a moving elegy, may actually reopen, Eater reports. The coffeehouse will live to see another day, “No Spitting” sign and all. New York may be losing its soul, but it won’t give up the ghost overnight.

EaterWire AM Edition: Mei Lai Wah to Rise from the Dead?? [Eater]
Related: Elegy for a Chinatown Coffeehouse

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, eric asimov, mei lai wah coffee house

NewsFeed 

5/ 9/08

9:20 AM

Elegy for a Chinatown Coffeehouse

Meh Lai Wah coffee house

The people have spoken!Photo: New York Times

We have to admit that we saw news of the Meh Lai Wah Coffee House's closing with a kind of frigid indifference. Another Chinatown bun shop we've never been to shutters; who cares? But now, after reading Eric Asimov's eloquent post at the Pour, we see the folly of our way. For Asimov, the closing of Meh Lai Wah is a huge loss, a place of irreplaceable character and personality that also happened to have pork buns that were "glossy and pliable, with a savory, slightly sweet filling, and you could get three for $2." The brand-new, Philippe Starck–designed cafés and lounges can stand up to any amount of Health Department attention, but it's the small, ancient niches — the Meh Lai Wahs, the Di Faras, the Eisenbergs — that actually contain the city's vestigial soul. The Health Department, in its way, is as dangerous to New York as inflation and far more so than any stray microbe that might be floating around the kitchen at Veniero's. Such draconian precautions make it hardly even worthwhile to be healthy. Kudos to Eric Asimov for his stirring defense of dirt, character, and char siu bao.

Farewell, My Love Pork Buns [Pour/NYT]

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, eric asimov, health department, meh lai weh coffee house

Neighborhood Watch 

4/22/08

3:00 PM

Picnic Club Debuts in Central Park; Manhattan's Better With Rye

Central Park: The Picnic Club's first picnic is this Sunday, at 1 p.m., in Sheep Meadow. [Picnic Club via Down by the Hipster]
Chinatown: Try pairing Tribeca Film Festival flicks with not-inconvenient, quasi-relevant meals, like going to the Peking Duck House before checking out Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, in which "three ancient Chinese kingdoms battle for control of the country." You and your date can fight over the crispiest skin. [Zagat]
Dumbo: It's comedy night at Water Street Restaurant, and in honor of Earth Day the comedians will try to make facial hair funny. There's no cover, though. [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: Arlo & Esme might actually succeed at being a "coffee geek's cafe/'speakeasy' bar." [Eater]
Midtown West: If you think a Manhattan cocktail is too sweet, try swapping the bourbon for rye, as suggested by the expert bartender at Keens. It's thought to be the original recipe, and it's damn good. [Diner's Journal/NYT]
Nolita: Former Country chef Doug Psaltis is behind the menu at the new small-plate spot Elizabeth in the old Rialto space, which also features a large garden with a retractable roof. [TONY]
Upper West Side: El Malecon's rotisserie could win a chicken competition any day. There were no actual other chickens to which to compare the tasty bird, but "anytime you can walk right into a restaurant without a reservation or a wait, and find spectacularly delicious food, cheap prices, and on-the-ball service despite a full house—that's a very happy, very rare night in NYC." [Mouthing Off/Food & Wine]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »arlo and esme, central park, chinatown, country doug psaltis, dumbo, east village, el malecon, elizabeth restaurant, midtown west, nolita, peking duck house, picnic club, rotisserie chicken, tribeca film festival, upper west side, water street restaurant

NewsFeed 

4/22/08

12:20 PM

Red Egg Gets Red Light From Buildings Department

red egg

The rendering, at least, is fit for habitation.Rendering courtesy of Openshop Studio.

Soon after we brought you first word on Chinese-Peruvian dim-sum spot Red Egg, Urbandaddy chipped in with promises of eighty-eight light bulbs hanging from the ceiling. Now owner Darren Wan e-mails to let us know that instead of opening for lunch service this Monday as planned, he’s been shut out of his own restaurant.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »buildings department, chinatown, darren wan, red egg

Neighborhood Watch 

4/ 9/08

3:00 PM

Old Singapore Will Live Again, in Chinatown; Breakfast at Centro Starts Today

Chinatown: Continuing the nightlife blast on the Bowery, mixologist Albert Trummer will open an "old Singapore"–style bar called Apotheke this summer, on the Chinatown end at 9 Doyers Street. [NYT]
Times Square: China Club will close this Friday and reopen on Saturday as the club Opera, with a fancy "new look for the dance floor." Because sanding the floor brings in the revelers. [Zagat]
Tribeca: Mai House is serving a $59 tasting menu by cook Spike Mendelsohn "based on the food he cooked on Top Chef." [NYS]
West Village: Centro Vinoteca started doing breakfast today. It includes dishes like baked eggs with sausage-and-bean ragout; breakfast pizzetta with egg, taleggio, and speck; and Nutella-filled crespelle. Free Wi-Fi comes with it. [Grub Street]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »albert trummer, anne burrell, apotheke, bear street wearhouse, centro vinoteca, china club, chinatown, mai house, opera club, red hook wine, spike mendelsohn, times square, top chef, tribeca

NewsFeed 

4/ 9/08

12:05 PM

Coming Soon: Chinese-Latin Dim Sum and Another Frederick's

red egg

Red EggRendering courtesy of Openshop Studio.

Last night’s Community Board 2 business-committee meeting revealed that Frederick Lesort is planning to open — in May or early July — his third Frederick’s, at 184 Prince Street near Sullivan, formerly Café Tina. According to Lesort, the focus will be on wine, small plates, and a “bohemian-chic” vibe.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »cafe tina, chinatown, dragon palace, frederick lesort, frederick's, red egg

Neighborhood Watch 

2/19/08

3:00 PM

Bubbles in Your Vodka a Good Thing on the Upper East Side; House-Made Charcuterie Hits Cobble Hill

Chinatown: A stellar Chinese dessert discovery: “[F]laky green pastries that resembled caterpillars” flavored with durian fruit “came to the table piping hot filled with a bright yellow pudding.” Find them at Chatham Square (6 Chatham Square). [Gothamist]
Clinton Hill: The food at Restaurant New Orleans is good, but the entire operation seems completely haphazard. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Cobble Hill: The Red Deli at 264 Clinton Street near Verandah Place opens this week with “house-made charcuterie along with grab-and-go items like fried chicken.” [TONY]
Dumbo: The D Space offering an Indian buffet is actually called Marrakesh Express, and the food is worth a try. [Dumbo NYC]
Nolita: This list of spots to drink up free or cheap wine includes Le Jardin Bistro, where on Monday and Tuesday nights $12 adds all-you-can drink Bordeaux to your dinner. [Bottomless Dish/Citysearch]
Upper East Side: A new sparkling vodka called Camitz is for sale at Sherry-Lehmann, Astor Wines, and, in the near future, at Morrell’s, but you can try it in a cocktail at Park Avenue Winter among a few other restaurants around town. [Strong Buzz]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »bar boulud, camitz, charcuterie, chatham square restaurant, chinatown, clinton hill, cobble hill, danyelle freeman, dumbo, durian, le jardin bistro, marrakesh express, nolita, park avenue winter, red deli, restaurant new orleans, sparkling vodka, upper east side, upper west side

NewsFeed 

1/28/08

2:00 PM

Blechtacular! Chinatown Fish-Parts Collector Unveils His Masterwork

This is a little outside our field of coverage and well outside the bounds of good taste, but we’ve mentioned rogue taxidermist Nate Hill’s Chinatown garbage tours before. Last Friday, after a year of work, he unveiled his magnum opus, A.D.A.M. (A Dead Animal Man) — a reproduction of a human being he made by stitching together restaurant refuse and other animal parts. The piece is for sale but no longer on public display (Hill is moving into a studio apartment with it — “It’s going to be in a room with me while I sleep”), so we thought we’d give you a first look. Trust us, this thing is more disturbing than the Cloverfield monster and the Teeth monster sewn together.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »a dead animal man, chinatown, nate hill, taxidermy

VideoFeed 

1/15/08

11:30 AM

Thought Shake Shack Was Bad? Try Waiting 40 Minutes for Cream Cakes

The wait for the griddle man, seen from Quickly's not so quick line.Photo: Daniel Maurer

When bubble-tea chain Quickly installed a fancy-dancy “delimanjoo” (a custard-filled Korean interpretation of a Chinese cake) machine outside its Chinatown store last week, we worried about the fate of the griddle man who normally does business on the block. Turns out he can rest easy — yesterday afternoon, as many as a dozen loyalists at a time lined up for the griddle man while half as many customers in line for Quickly’s machine voiced exasperation for what turned out to be, in our case, a 40-minute wait.

Read more»

More: VideoFeed  »chinatown, delimanjoo, quickly

NewsFeed 

1/10/08

4:30 PM

Never Mind an MTA Fare Hike: Price of Vietnamese Sandwiches Escalates!

Pardon the tear stains on this photo.Photo: Daniel Maurer

As if losing the bánh mì counter in the Tú Quynm Pharmacy wasn’t bad enough, there’s still more reason to worry about the state of the Vietnamese sandwich, an institution that Jonathan Lethem told us is “as vital to keeping working artists in the city as are affordable rents.” Cheap Eats favorite Bánh Mì Saigon Bakery celebrated the New Year by raising its prices by 50 cents across the board, bumping certain sandwiches to an unheard of $5.50 (they say the cost of product went up). And just yesterday, Saigon Vietnamese Sandwich (formerly known as Viet-Nam Banh Mi and no relation to Bánh Mì Saigon) upped its prices to as high as $4.25. Employees were apologetically offering sandwiches at the old prices (we were charged $3.50 instead of the new $3.95 for the house special of grilled pork, Vietnamese salami, and sliced pork), but that’s small consolation. This is easily the most disturbing price hike since a Gray’s Papaya dog went to $1.25.

Earlier: Chinatown Pharmacy Is No Longer in the Pork-Sandwich Business

More: NewsFeed  »banh mi saigon, chinatown, saigon vietnamese sandwich, tu quynm pharmacy

Neighborhood Watch 

1/ 9/08

3:00 PM

The Hidden History of Starbucks; Café Carlyle Still Bumpin'

Astor Place: The building that houses Starbucks has such interesting history (saw a bloody theater riot in 1849 at what was once the Astor Place Opera House; held a barber shop where mobster Albert Anastasia got slaughtered while sitting in his chair) that Lost City has decided to target "kudzu-like chains" around town and attempt to uncover their past incarnations. [Lost City]
Chinatown: Dumpling House has reopened and the renovations include tables and chairs! [Eater]
East Village: Bar Veloce is returning to the space it once occupied before transforming into now deceased Room 4 Dessert. [Eater]
Tribeca: Harrison Tavern has already closed after a July opening. Clearly, offering ranch-chicken pizza did not bring in herds. [Grub Street]
Upper East Side: Café Carlyle has added a D.J.-hosted soirée Thursday through Saturday from midnight to 3 a.m. to its cabaret-night repertoire, and a new cocktail menu comes from the mixologist at Bemelmans Bar. [Zagat]
West Village: Pichet Ong is renaming his dessert bar P*ong & Batch at the end of the month when he’ll be expanding the space to include a retail bakery. [Zagat]
Williamsburg: Breakfast mecca egg (it's too cool to have a capital letter) deigns to open for dinner. [TONY]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »astor place, bar veloce, bemelmans bar, cafe carlyle, chinatown, dumpling house, harrison tavern, pichet ong, pong, pong and batch, room 4 dessert, starbucks, tribeca, upper east side, west village

NewsFeed 

1/ 9/08

1:00 PM

Behold!!!! The Cream-Cake Machine of Chinatown

Hot off the griddle. Or whatever this thing is.Photo: Daniel Maurer

A Chinatown eatery has put something on the sidewalk that’s much more exciting than the usual bag of fish: the cream-cake machine! Unveiled for a test run yesterday outside of Quickly, a trendy bubble-tea and shabu shabu spot, the Korean contraption is just one of three in the city, said manager Patrick Chu. (The other two are at Quickly's Flushing and Sunset Park locations.) The thumb-size cream cakes cost $2 for eight and $5 for 24. Considering the machine churns out two dozen cakes every five minutes, we wonder if this means the end for the humble griddle man.

Quickly, 237 Grand St., nr. Bowery; 212-431-0998; 41-40 Kissena Blvd., nr. Barclay Ave., Flushing; 718-358-1835; 5924 Eighth Ave., nr. 59th St., Sunset Park, Brooklyn; 718-567-8189.

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, quickly, street food

NewsFeed 

1/ 7/08

2:15 PM

Chinatown Pharmacy Is No Longer in the Pork-Sandwich Business

The doctor is no longer in.Photo: Daniel Maurer

We’re with Jonathan Lethem when he says that bánh mìs — the cheap Vietnamese baguette sandwiches usually stuffed with pork, pork, pork, and some veggies for good measure — are as vital to keeping working artists in the city as affordable rents. Which is why we’re sad to report the removal of the bánh mì counter in the Tú Quynm Pharmacy (also a CD shop) on the corner of Grand Street and Bowery — certainly the most bizarrely situated one if you discount Báhn Mì Saigon, located in the back of a nearby jewelry store. If this was your pâté chã go-to, know there are other sandwich fixes within a few blocks — namely Saigon, Viet-Nam Banh Mi So 1, and Paris Sandwich, which also serves waffles! But really, we’ll miss being able to fill a prescription for our heart meds while loading up on pork.

Related: Jonathan Lethem Fuels His Writing With ‘White Trash’ Sandwiches

More: NewsFeed  »banh mi, banh mi saigon, chinatown, jonathan lethem, paris sandwich, tu quynm pharmacy, vietnam banh mi so 1

Openings 

1/ 2/08

2:15 PM

Popeyes Brings Chicken and Biscuits Shrine to Chinatown

Popeyes

These floral arrangements scream "fried chicken joint."Photo: Daniel Maurer

We’re not sure whether the Popeyes that opened three days ago right across from the mouth of the Manhattan Bridge (that’s right, the first thing motorists now see when entering the island is a Popeyes) has to do with the Bowery location that closed over the summer. But we do know from this floral arrangement festooned with ribbons and cards reading “Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits” that it's Chinese run, and enthusiastically so. Yesterday found the manager offering patrons free refills and giving away free chicken to everyone in the restaurant at closing time (might want to try your luck tonight around midnight). Says a friend of Grub who lives in the hood, “I’m overjoyed.” No kidding! Now he doesn’t have to trek to the Waverly for biscuits...
More: Openings  »chinatown, popeyes, waverly inn

NewsFeed 

12/ 6/07

3:15 PM

Good World Closing, But Owners Will Open New Spot Shortly

Yesterday we speculated that Good World didn’t have long for this world, and sadly it turns out to be true. But there are a couple of pieces of hope: Good World won’t close until fall, and owner Annika Sundvick is looking for a new location. Plus, she’s got another Swedish spot that will soon open its doors.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »annika sundvick, chinatown, good world, lower east side, white slab palace

NewsFeed 

12/ 5/07

2:44 PM

Breaking: Hotel to Take Over Good World?

Good World

Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown.Photo: Shanna Ravindra

Richie Rich and Jenna Jameson may be opening a yet-to-be-named Chinatown bar in a former brothel, but the true original is rumored to be on its way out. A source close to Good World says the bar has lost its lease and its days are numbered. That source has heard that Ian Schrager is buying the block and will erect a W Hotel there — easily the most disturbing rumor since the one about the Bulgarian Bar being replaced by a Best Western. Good World GM Anna Ahlin firmly denies it, saying, “They sold the building we’re located in, and that has been a big misconception for some people.” Ahlin told us she can’t recall the term of Good World’s lease, but drinkers are safe for the foreseeable future.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »chinatown, good world, ian schrager, w hotel

Mediavore 

11/30/07

10:00 AM

Jenna Jameson Does Chinatown; Nobu's Fish Not That Exclusive

Jenna “ex-porn honey-turned-businesswoman” Jameson and Heatherette designer Richie Rich plan to open a nightclub/clothing shop in Chinatown next year called the General Store. [NYP]

Part-owner of the Waverly Inn and Maritime Hotel Eric Goode enjoys retreating to small-town Ojai in California. [NYT]

Nobu executive chef Mark Edwards reveals not only that the restaurant’s infamous black cod is actually sablefish (which is so not endangered), but also that he can’t stand the dish anymore after tasting it day after day. [Bloomberg]

Read more»

More: Mediavore  »black cod, chinatown, eric goode, jacques torres, jenna jameson, maritime hotel, mark edwards, nobu, richie rich, sucelt coffee shop, the general store, waverly inn

NewsFeed 

11/29/07

3:30 PM

128 Billiards Becomes Tropical 128: What a Difference a New Sign Makes

Bobby Van's

128 Billiards has left the building.Photo: Daniel Maurer

The guys at Thrillist outed a favorite spot of ours today — Tropical 128 — and to make matters worse for those of us who wanted to keep it a secret between us and the Chinatown pool sharks, they hype the place like it was just remodeled to acquire its over-the-top tropical décor (causing Eater to call it an “opening”). Sorry, dudes, those fake trees have been there forever.

Read more»

More: NewsFeed  »128 billiards, chinatown, eater, la esquina, tropical 128

Neighborhood Watch 

11/27/07

3:00 PM

American Grill Rejected by the E.V.; Second Ave. Deli to Open in January

Astoria: The “Sophia Loren” pie at Michael Angelo’s II on 23rd Avenue near 29th Street is said to blow away the neighborhood’s pizza competitors, and with the not-so-innovative toppings of mozzarella, tomato, basil, and sauce. [Joey in Astoria]
Carroll Gardens: Lucali overwhelmingly won an albeit mini-poll for the hood’s best pizza parlor. [Bergen Carroll]
Chinatown: The owners of new restaurant U-Choose Express on Mott Street have decided to decorate their space with an old sign from fifties diner Lonnie’s Coffee Shoppe that was uncovered during renovation. [NYT via Lost City]
East Village: After only five months American Grill is giving up the ghost. Did its blintzes really fail to lure 4 a.m. drunks away from Odessa, was it flat-screen overdose, or just the constant reminder of Kiev’s death by gentrification that did the mod diner in? [Eater]
Hell’s Kitchen: Artisanal Premium Cheese Center is hosting a sake and cheese tasting on December 5 to “showcase the lovely synergies that superior Sakes and exquisite (Artisanal Premium) Cheeses share.” [Artisanal Cheese]
Midtown East: They may be hoisting their sign today, but the 2nd Avenue Deli probably won’t open until January. [Eater]
Midtown West: Bruni’s first impression of Brasserie 44 (after, he notes, Rob and Robin’s) : It looks Scandinavian. [Diner’s Journal/NYT] Sangria 46 at 338 West 46th Street will feature a different sangria each day for the twelve days before Christmas starting on December 13 with three-berry rosé. [Grub Street]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »2nd avenue deli, american grill, artisanal premium cheese center, astoria, brasserie, carroll gardens, chinatown, east village, hell's kitchen, kiev, lonnie's coffee shoppe, lucali, michael angelo's ii pizza, midtown east, midtown west, sake, sangria 46, sophia loren pizza, u-choose express

Back of the House 

11/15/07

9:30 AM

Jennifer 8. Lee Tackles Fortune Cookies

To the Flushing Mall Food Court!Photo courtesy Jennifer 8. Lee

The galleys for the The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee’s forthcoming book about Chinese food and restaurants, have flooded the city, and people are getting hungry. Since the mysterious, crowded world of Chinese food is something about which we can never get enough intel, a quick chat with Jennifer was in order.

Read more»

More: Back of the House  »chinatown, chinese, flushing, jennifer 8. lee, wakiya

Neighborhood Watch 

11/ 7/07

3:00 PM

Danny Meyer Appoints Female Sommelier at the Modern; Pichet Ong Will Show You His Moves in the West Village

Brighton Beach: Brooklyn firefighter Jeffrey Scotto won the sixth-annual World Cares Center Iron Skillet Cook Off this week with this recipe for boneless rib-eye braciola and escarole salad. [NYDN]
Chinatown: Zagat might recommend the soup dumplings at Goodies, but you’re in for a treat if you opt for something the staff is eating like “winter melon soup and a plate of stir-fried pork liver and stomach.” [VV]
Midtown West: Danny Meyer has appointed a new executive sommelier, Belinda Chang, to oversee the wine program at the Modern and his restaurants in the Met. [NYS]
Tribeca: Apparently Craig Béro has opened a Tribeca Time Machine called the Cosmopolitan Cafe around the corner from his other restaurant, the Soda Shop. [NYT]
Union Square: From Quattro’s Game Farm’s stand at the Union Square Greenmarket on Saturdays, “you can place an order, leave a deposit, and pick up your fresh bird on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.” [NYS]
Upper West Side: Danny Abrams's second outlet of the East Village’s Mermaid Inn has opened on 568 Amsterdam Avenue near 88th Street, and you get a free cup of puddin’ with dinner. [NYT]
West Village: Pichet Ong will give a demonstration at the next 4foodies, tasting on November 19. [4foodies]

More: Neighborhood Watch  »4foodies, belinda change, brighton beach, chinatown, cosmopolitan cafe, craig bero, danny abrams, danny meyer, goodies, iron skillet cook off, jeffrey scotto, mermaid inn, midtown west, pichet ong, thanksgiving turkeys, the modern, the soda shop, tribeca, union square, west village

Openings 

9/10/07

3:31 PM

Prepare Yourself for ‘Upscale Professionals’ and Prince Night

If you build it, the upscale professionals will come.Photo: Courtesy of Randolph at Broome

In this week’s magazine, an Intel piece delves into the controversy behind Forty Deuce, but Ivan Kane’s club isn’t the only banker bait coming to Chinatown/Little Italy. As the photo above indicates, the notorious porno wallpaper in M Bar’s bathrooms is being torn down. In its place, come September 24, will be the Randolph at Broome. Look for a “West Indies speakeasy” motif and expect “upscale professionals who love to get down.” That means people who’ve graduated from cheap Bud pitchers to $30 to $40 pitchers of beer and a vodka cocktail called the “Michael Derry.”