Momofuku Ko Hoping to Open in Two Weeks; No Malice Palace PrevailsDuring last night’s CB3 meeting, partner Andrew Salmon would reveal only that Momofuku Ko will hit capacity at fourteen, with no waiters and with fixed menus changing daily. “You sit directly across from the cook,” Salmon told the board. He kept the “vaguely Asian” food quiet, conceding only that it would include “all local ingredients … all sustainable development.” Unfortunately, he didn’t take the time to make sure a petition was including in the application, so no motion could be passed. Projected opening date: two weeks’ time!
Neighborhood Watch
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]
grub street
‘Dutchman’ Flames On at Carlyle
The Carlyle is an institution, and so, by now, is Per Se; still, glaring at each other diagonally across the park, they seem to belong to slightly different universes. No more! Brian Van Flandern, a former head mixologist at Per Se, is bringing his bag of tricks to the Carlyle’s Bemelmans Bar. Van Flandern’s signature, career-making, in no way autobiographical “Flaming Dutchman” (key ingredients: cognac, sherry, gin, and a lot of publicity) will be reborn at its new home with a slight twist. No word on whether Per Se’s notorious “Tonic With Gin” concoction, which involved brewing small batches of homemade tonic water from imported quinine, will be reprised as well. Our Grub Street brethren have the rest of the scoop.
Per Se Mixologist to Light a Flaming Lemon Peel Under Bemelmans’ Ass [Grub Street]
