Florent Morellet got almost $50,000 from auctioning off his restaurant’s wall memorabilia on eBay, and he plans to divide the money among his 30 or so employees. He tells Eater, “My shrink told me to move on, so I'm moving on.…I'm just very happy everyone will get a good bon voyage.” Questions remain: Who will get Florent’s disconnected (212) phone number? And, more important, will R&L get the diner’s liquor license? (An R&L employee answering the phone today predicted it would take two months.)
All Posts Tagged: ‘meatpacking district’
An Empty House and Bon Jovi at the Former Florent
We can only assume this is because Florent’s liquor license hasn’t yet been approved for transfer, but with a convenience store around the corner and a lenient BYOB policy, perhaps that shouldn't be a problem. Either way, with no hope of people-watching, all we could do was listen to the tunes playing from the night manager’s laptop. They were as follows.
Country Club Replaces Dirty Disco Next Week
What to make of the Country Club, the lounge that Guest of a Guest reports will open next Wednesday in the short-lived Dirty Disco’s space at 248 W. 14th Street? According to a press release, it’ll be a “contemporary interpretation of classic clubhouse lounges found in early 20th century country clubs throughout the United States and Great Britain.” Designer Jeanie Ziering says she was inspired by a vision of “the Rolling Stones recording an album at a traditional English Manor and the environment that would be left upon the album’s completion.” There will indeed be live music at the venue, as well as D.J.'s, of course. The menu, meanwhile, will consist of Truffled Grilled Cheese, “Pigs in a Blanket” Lollipops, and a variety of flavored popcorn such as Sweet Georgia Pecan and Chocolate Chunk & Caramel. Gourmet popcorn aside, this place sounds like a replay of Manor nearby, but we’ll wait to see how it comes together. When we peeked in earlier this week it was still under construction.
The Country Club Of New York Almost Ready To Open [Guest of a Guest]
Don’t Fear the Tomato; Blais’s Burger Coming to New York
• The FDA deems tomatoes safe to eat again, but beware the potentially salmonella-laden jalapeño and serrano peppers. [WSJ]
• Ben & Jerry’s has unveiled a new ice cream inspired by Elton John called Goodbye, Yellow Brickle Road. It contains a lot of things that probably shouldn’t be eaten together in good conscience, like chocolate ice cream, peanut-butter cookie dough, butter "brickle," and white-chocolate chunks. [Serious Eats]
• Finally, a book on cannibalism clears up that huge misunderstanding about human flesh tasting like pork; it actually tastes like beef, but better. [NYS]
Marcus Samuelsson Out at Merkato 55?
Eater reports that Merkato 55 chef Marcus Samuelsson has left the restaurant. There’s no official confirmation, but the evidence is good: The chef’s name is now missing both from the restaurant's Website, and the restaurant is absent from Samuelsson's Townhouse Restaurant Group list. Conventional food wisdom also suggests the space will soon morph into a nightclub, giving Samuelsson no reason to stay.
Marcus Samuelsson Divorces Merkato 55, Ends Epic Charade [Eater]
El Cid Closes As Other Spanish Joints Open
Hasta la vista, El Cid.Photo: Robert K. Chin
Related: Ilan Hall to Be Chef at Spanish Meatpacking-District Venture?
Tapas to Settle Into Chelsea and Williamsburg
Ilan Hall to Be Chef at Spanish Meatpacking-District Venture?
Ilan Hall: employed at last!Photo: Getty Images
Will Bijoux’s Mime Save Nightlife?
Mimes, the new drag queens.Photo: Getty Images
ICRAVE's Lionel Ohayon — Mr. Meatpacking District?
"We were really just trying to pick up girls."Photo: Patrick McMullan
Prime Mover: Lionel Ohayon, Design’s Dark Magician [BlackBook]
Florent’s Chef Stayed On at R&L Restaurant
Landlord turned restaurateur Joanne Lucas appeared before Community Board 2 last night to put Florent's liquor license in her eatery's name, R&L Restaurant. Lucas assured the board there were no significant changes to the restaurant, except for a couple of specials and desserts. Talking to us after the meeting, Lucas said she preferred to leave details about the food to chef Michael Manhertz, the former Florent chef. (Manhertz, alas, was not there to explain his additions to the menu.) Lucas wouldn't reveal who was after Florent's space, but she did say all the offers came from restaurants, not boutiques. Will her eleventh-hour decision to operate the restaurant herself be a lasting one? “I hope so,” was all Lucas would say. —Randi Eichenbaum
Earlier: On the Matter of Florent: Joanne Lucas, What’s Your Deal?
A First Look at the Brass Monkey’s Roof Deck
Up on the roof.Photo: Daniel Maurer
Meatpacking in Flux: Changes at Florent, Brass Monkey, and Merkato 55
The meatpacking district is buzzing — yesterday brought news that Kyky and Unik, the team behind the defunct club PM, opened Bijoux underneath the restaurant they had a hand in, Merkato 55. (To score a table, we’re told, you should e-mail the lounge manager, Nathaniel, at rsvp@bijouxlounge.com. Note that being fiscally able to afford the requisite bottle service isn't enough to gain entry.) And today, Eater checks in with Florent and finds that landlord turned owner Joanne Lucas has removed the restaurant’s logo as she readies to reopen at 8 a.m. tomorrow with the same wait staff, a new name (R&L), and a new telephone number (212-989-3863). UrbanDaddy also informs that the Brass Monkey, a reliable alternative to the surrounding hype (and after the Hog Pit closes in December, pretty much the only alternative), has opened a characteristically low-key rooftop, where films will be screened. You’re up on your meatpacking news for the next time you’re talking about it while drinking far, far across town.
Vital R&L Update: Florent Excised, Opening Tomorrow! [Eater]
Brass Tacks [UrbanDaddy]
Bijoux Emerges From the Shadows
Earlier today Down by the Hipster brought news of Bijoux, the lounge below Merkato 55 that, like all hot spots these days, is accessed through a “private” door and a service hallway (after which you crawl into a manhole and give your name to a mole person — kidding, kidding). Now UrbanDaddy has a sexy interior shot and some description.
The Secret Lounge Under Merkato 55; New Amsterdam Market Represents
Clinton Hill: Bar Olivino has opened at 899 Fulton Street, making it a good stop for a glass of wine when you get off the C train. Plus, they've been giving away cheese plates while they ready a larger menu. [Clinton Hill Blog]
East Village: Arlo and Esme seems to have found a winning formula: "Come during the day and you'll savor strong coffee and plenty of space to sprawl out; after dark, you'll sip expertly prepared classic cocktails and dance until the wee hours." Though some nights are crazy fun, others can be strangely slow. [Bottomless Dish/Citysearch]
Flushing: Max & Mina’s Ice Cream, at 7126 Main Street, is known for eccentric flavors like lox, potato-chip fudge, and beer and nuts.
Greenpoint: Lomzynianka is the Polish pick in this list of the nabe's diverse, cheap restaurants. [NYT]
Meatpacking District: The former Sascha space at 55 Gansevoort is now home to Merkato 55, but one of the restaurant's club-inclined partners just opened a secret lounge downstairs called Bijou. [Down by the Hipster]
South Street Seaport: Sunday's New Amsterdam Market featured delicious, artisanal bites like "pistachio rhubarb bread from Bouchon Bakery, birch beer from Heartland Brewery, sauerkraut sourdough-esque bread from AQ Cafe, sweet basil ice cream from The Bent Spoon," and frozen rhubarb pops from a start-up called People's Popsicle. [Serious Eats]
Tribeca: The opening of Le Pain Quotidien on West Broadway at Murray Street seems imminent; pastries and bread have been put on display, but staff was still in training on Saturday. [Grub Street]
West Village: The new Corrado Bread shop on Christopher Street opens July 1. [Grub Street]
Inside Florent’s Friends-and-Family Farewell
Florent, fin.Photo: Kevin Cooley
Florent’s Last Supper
Florent celebrated its final night of service on Saturday (last night was a friends-and-family party), and the evening was a wakelike mix of joy and sorrow. In talking with regulars and floor staff, New York's Tim Murphy learned that some didn't know of Florent's quasi-resurrection next week (same menu and staff, claims landlord Joanne Lucas) and one employee said no one had approached the kitchen crew about staying on. But Saturday considered the past, not an uncertain future. There was food, there was music, and there was unfeigned adoration of Florent Morellet.
What happened at Sunday's friends-and-family night? New York's David Amsden was there.
Earlier: On the Matter of Florent: Joanne Lucas, What’s Your Deal?
The 25th Hour of Florent Morellet [NYM]
On the Matter of Florent: Joanne Lucas, What’s Your Deal?
Quit playing games with our heart.Photo: Noah Kalina
But, as we all now know, Lucas didn't get that high-end retailer as a tenant. She didn't get any tenant, it would seem, as it has been reported that after Florent shuts its doors for good on Sunday night, Lucas will reopen the joint on Tuesday as R&L Restaurant, the diner that Florent replaced many years ago (and which was once owned by Lucas's father). Even better, R&L will have the same staff and menu as Florent. So besides a name change and the removal of a quaint neon sign, we're guessing the only real, quantifiable difference will be the absence of the inimitable Mr. Morellet. And that's a big difference, of course — but still, we can't help feeling a little duped here.
Merkato 55 Has a Notable Fan; Get a Look at Artichoke Pizza’s Crab-Dip Slice
Astoria: It's reassuring to know that even new restaurants in the hood are still "gimmicky with Mediterranean tchotkes and cheesy lighting." [Foodista]
Cobble Hill: The former Red Deli space has finally been reopened as Ted & Honey by a resident who "learned her trade at a Danny Meyer Manhattan restaurant." Mysterious. [Bergen Carroll]
East Village: Thankfully, this close-up of Artichoke Pizza's new crab-dip slice looks better than it sounded, though the taster admitted, "It's gross." [Slice]
Greenwich Village: Mario Batali worked in the kitchen of Rocco's on Thompson Street, but on recent nights "oldsters helped people the place." [Eater] Il Mulino has taken a moment from its daily rounds to share its recipe for pappardelle with tomato and basil. [Restaurant Girl]
Meatpacking District: Former Times food critic Mimi Sheraton not only likes Merkato 55 and the flavors it's introducing to modern tastes, she believes "Marcus Samuelsson may well go down in gastronomic history as the father of the new African cuisine in America." [Word of Mouth via Eater]
Florent to Reopen As Florent-Type Restaurant
Everything old is new again.Photo: Noah Kalina
Update: Eater gets Florent's reaction, and he's pleased (and not surprised) that Lucas is reopening the space as a restaurant, since her family has an emotional attachment to it. "I was curious to see what would happen when push came to shove with Joanne when the big bucks came to the door," Florent tells Eater. "It would have meant tearing down the inside...This was not a decision based on capitalism."
BLOCKBUSTER Exclusive: Florent to Re-Open as R & L Restaurant on Tuesday!! [Eater]
John Varvatos Exploits Pays Tribute to Florent
Crocodile tears?Photo courtesy of John Varvatos
Varvatos continues desperate NYC cool grab [Copyranter]
Want a Last Meal at Florent? Try Breakfast
Tenjune Explored via ‘The Art of Human Aesthetics’
Very Important Place.Photo courtesy of Tenjune
Dark Design: Tenjune [BlackBook]
Salmonella Source Could Remain a Mystery; Chipotle Gets Locavore-ish
• According to the FDA, we may never find out where the salmonella-laden tomatoes came from, since all of their leads have fallen apart. [NYT]
• At Matsugen, you can get a sea-urchin bukkake. Okay, please make that thought go away now. [Eater]
• A businessman from Virginia who’s lost 60 pounds since December on a McDonald’s-only diet has got be the fast-food chain’s favorite customer ever. [WSJ]
New York Wine & Food Festival Tickets Are Now on Sale
Photo courtesy Karlitz and Company
New York Wine and Food Festival [Official Site]
Lotus Closes After Liquor License Suspended
Under new management.Photo: Carmen E. Lopez
Lotus to Close This Sunday After Eight Years
The writing is on the wall.Carmen E. Lopez
Restaurant Tour: Inside Scarpetta
Scott Conant’s Scarpetta has only been open a few weeks, but is winning praise for its food and already-mobbed meatpacking-district space. Conant gives us a tour of his restaurant (and opens the retractable roof!) in the latest Grub Street video.
Restaurant Openings: Hundred Acres, Scarpetta, and Curry-Ya [NYM]
The Man Who Invented the Meatpacking District
Florent Morellet says, “People are so very dramatic,
aren’t they?"Photo: Kevin Cooley
Frank Bruni Mourns Florent, and the End of an Era
Coming soon to Terminal A?Photo: Noah Kalina
Genre-Bending Hangout Takes Its Final Bows [NYT]
Complete Grub Street Coverage of Florent
Oven-Equipped Food Truck for Sale; Scarpetta Off to Strong Start
East Village: Telephone Bar & Grill is hosting a benefit for the children of Nepal on Sunday, June 1. [Grub Street]
Hell's Kitchen: Soho's Mooncake Foods has opened a second, much larger location at 263 West 30th Street. [Flickr]
Lower East Side: Good luck re-creating wd~50's recipe for almond-ice-cream "rocks," which calls for twenty grams of dextrose and bitter foam, among other ingredients. [Restaurant Girl]
Meatpacking District: Scarpetta's off to a strong start. Even if someone steals a slice of steak from you. [Eater]
Midtown East: The Pranzo pizza truck is missing, because it's up for sale. [Midtown Lunch]
Midtown West: On Monday, a theater company will perform bits from its upcoming adaptation of Molière's Monsieur de Pourceaugnac at D'Or, in the Dream Hotel. [Zagat Buzz]
Nolita: The bartenders at the reincarnated Randolph, which will open at 319 Broome Street this weekend, have a Milk & Honey pedigree and the best in specialty ice, which is made to melt slower, so your drink stays colder (and less watery) longer. [Grub Street]
Tribeca: West Broadway's getting a Le Pain Quotidien; this could fill the void of the Chambers Street Ceci-Cela, which closed late last year due to rising rents. [Eater]
West Village: Pichet Ong serves serves house-made ginger, passion fruit, and calamansi sodas at P*Ong. [Grub Street]
Meatpacking District Loses Another Link to Meatpacking Past
Old-time meat purveyor Walmir has closed, leaving future generations one step closer to total confusion about the meatpacking district's name. Walmir, a major source of meat for the likes of Peter Luger, was one of the last of the butchers who still brought meat in “on the rail,” as whole hindquarters of beef. It was a wildly expensive and inefficient system, which is one reason Walmir went under. (The company, in a statement, blamed rising meat costs for the closure.) But the practice was universal for most of the area's history, until, bit by bit, Walmir was left as the only business keeping it alive. Another neighborhood meat man, Pat La Frieda Sr., says there is no replacement for the likes of Walmir. “You go and try to find guys to move a 180-pound hindquarter. That’s not how people work today, ” he laments. “The trucks aren’t equipped for it. We have it done at the slaughterhouse. The meat business here doesn’t work the way it used to.”
Details Bubble Up About New York Wine & Food Festival
Not everyone is behind the New York version of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, occurring October 9–12 (you’ll recall local restaurateurs had mixed reactions), but Eater brings news of events that may get more people behind it: In addition to Rachael Ray’s previously announced burger bash in Dumbo, there’ll be a multi-restaurant wine tasting in the meatpacking district; a wine seminar hosted by