Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Team behind Avenue B's Pardon My French eyeing 2 spaces on 4th Street

Mario Carta and Guilherme Barreto, the proprietors of Pardon My French at 103 Avenue B near Seventh Street, have designs on new ventures in two currently vacant restaurant spaces on Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, according to documents on file for this month's CB3 SLA committee meeting on Monday.

Before Pardon My French debuted in March 2015, Carta ran the bistro Casimir in the space for 16 years. Barreto came on as the chef for the new venture.

235 E. Fourth St.



The applicants are proposing a restaurant serving French tapas called Nobody Is Perfect for No. 235.

The public questionnaire (PDF!) at the CB3 website shows proposed hours of 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday-Friday, with opening hours at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The paperwork shows 30 tables with seats for 70 diners... and two small bars seating 12 people in total.

The previous restaurant, B4, closed in June after nearly three years in business.

No. 235 has been a challenging spot in recent years for restaurants — Piccola Positano, Tonda and E.U. have all come and gone.

212 E. Fourth St.



A French-Mediterranean restaurant called Bazar is being proposed for No. 212.

The public questionnaire (PDF!) at the CB3 website shows proposed hours of 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. Monday-Friday, with opening hours at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

There are 18 tables for 36 diners here ... along with a six-seat bar.

The applicants are hoping for an upgrade from beer-wine to a full liquor license, per the documents.

After 13 years of serving Italian fare, In Vino closed here back in May.

This month's SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

No tables for four? What's up with that?

Anonymous said...

Do we really need restaurants open to 4 AM? Why would any resident nearby want to listen to intoxicated customers of this or any restaurant on the sidewalks at that time of night? I get it, rents are really high for any new restaurants so the more alcohol you sell the better chance you have of keep your place open and protecting your investment. But you are also asking your neighbors who are likely paying rent which is too high to suffer for you.

Anonymous said...

2+2 .. Slide them together?

Anonymous said...

I agree with the last commenter. Restaurants open till 4 am? This isn't Barcelona, where patrons don't begin dinner until 11. That said, I've passed PMF numerous times. It looks fun, sexy, and a little pretentious to be honest. I get the impression they are trying a bit too hard. Perhaps that is just me? I think they're trying to cater to those in their 20s and 30s, who are not only beautiful and popular, but who have unlimited amounts of money and power. Not the best neighborhood place for those of us regular folks in our 40's who aren't as glamorous or important.

blue glass said...

perhaps the tourists are looking for a place to eat at 3am
and the drunks that are not satisfied with a quick slice or taco

what time is the kitchen open until?

Anonymous said...

I live at his neighborhood for 15 years and my dream was to have something near my house open late night. I usually get off work around midnight so I scramble to eat something healthy usually takes me another hour. Thank you I'll be there for the opening.

Anonymous said...

I used to eat at blue ribbon after working until 4am. Was a beautiful and relaxing place to unwind and eat delicious food. Wo hop and 7A too. If the restaurant does it right let them do it. Plenty of late nighters out there that aren't just looking to throw up on your doorsteps.

Anonymous said...

Hey BG, don't knock the tourists. I find they are friendly, courteous, curious, and love this city. They spend money here, and then (wait for it) they GO HOME.
I'll take them any day of the week over the people who are "moving into" this neighborhood.

cmarrtyy said...

The neighborhood is asked to endure drunks until 4am because a business can't pay the rent by closing at 12:00... Why close at all? What nerve. Pardon My French... but NO F'ING WAY... The Community Board lets businesses turn tenants into victims. What kind of people are on the Board?! We elect a Borough President to help the community not appoint people to a Board to destroy us slowly but surely because of selfish/political/toadies she appoints!! GET HER OUT OF THERE!

Anonymous said...

I think a good question raised by "blue glass" was what time does the kitchen close? Most likely kitchen staff are gone by midnight which means this place will turn into a bar (club?) for those 4 early morning hours. Going forward the EV will continue to by a nite-life neighborhood, sending alcohol tax $ to Albany at the expense of our quality of life.

Anonymous said...

"I think they're trying to cater to those in their 20s and 30s, who are not only beautiful and popular, but who have unlimited amounts of money and power."

Is that a serious comment or a joke?

Bank opens? Bitching.
Chain opens? Bitching.
Neighborhood restaurant opens? Bitching.
Ice cream shop opens? Bitching.

The city changes - always will and always has. Get over it.

Anonymous said...

Most likely. You jump to conclusions.

Anonymous said...

Landlords turn businesses into victims first. Where's their support and help? We have decades-old small businesses closing daily. The ones adapting (i.e. Casmir) should not be considered the root of the problem.

Anonymous said...

Cmarrty-
Landlords turn businesses into victims first. Where's their support and help? We have decades-old small businesses closing daily. The ones adapting (i.e. Casmir) should not be considered the root of the problem.

Anonymous said...

When bike lanes appeared, people said "We're not Amsterdam!" When restaurants stay open late, people say "We're not Barcelona!" Why not just cut to the chase? "We're not cosmopolitan! We're provincial!"

Anonymous said...

Yikes. So many negative and catty comments on here. Why can't we agree to disagree and try to get along and remain respectful? I do agree that if another place is open till 4am, it will change the neighborhood in a bad way. It already feels like bro land on the weekends, which is more than enough. If this goes through, it will suck for the neighbors who have to contend with the noise and drunks. Oh well. Money is everything to everyone in this city.

Anonymous said...

It is within 200 feet of the church AND the school - Cornelia Connelly Center is across the street.
I'm cool with these guys in general but 2 bars you can walk up to and french tapas til 4am?
C'mon son, this area is residential and the noise is already unbearable and that's a huge space and the two bars and 4am closing is not a good sign...

Anonymous said...

Yu're going to open 2 restaurants at once, on the same block? WTF.

Anonymous said...

12:48 PM: According to application they will serve food until an hr. before closing.

Anonymous said...

really? complaints about a 4am closing? wow. never thought Id see that. I guess the population has really changed. You moved here from some flyover zone dump where everything closes at 9pm and expect the same in the city that never sleeps? Should the subway shut down at midnight? Bars should close by midnight too? Disgraceful.

cmarrtyy said...

1:35

The business doesn't have to sign a lease they can't afford. It's the first big mistake a business makes. The second is that the business is under financed. It takes a long tome to get a business going and to keep it going forward. The landlord and a bad lease is only one stumbling block.

Anonymous said...

"Pardon My French" opens sister Tuscan inspired café called: "I Got Your Italian Right Heee..."?

Anonymous said...

I've been to PMF. It's cool, but it felt like a place for wannabes and hipsters alike. Not my scene. But more power to the owners. I just hope they have common sense and respect for their fellow neighbors.

Unknown said...

Then tell me kind sir , what is the difference between the " tourists" and the people who are " moving into " this neighborhood ??,,, aren't they pretty much the same ?!!,, like the roach motels -- they move in but don't move out !!

Anonymous said...

Hang around a restaurant til 3am'ish crowd is 300x better than the 13th Stepper / 2nd Ave / omg im so cool on Ave C?!! mob. Be happy all, not another blight spot of vacancy, and it will be yummy food from guys that have respected the neighborhood for years.

Anonymous said...

I would just like to take a moment and point out how stupid "Pardon my French" is as a name. That place used to be called "Casimir" - which I really liked as a name - it had style, and was easy to remember. But I guess it didn't attract the pun loving crowd.

"PMF" is just a really really dumb name. Apparently it's working for them though.

Michael Ivan said...

The half empty sleepy bistro casimir on B worked for patrons, but not for covering the gargantuan rent. The re-brand and renovation worked and the food is still very, very good.

Anonymous said...

I live a block away and see who patronizes this place when I walk past it. I've been there a few times. Its good, but not revolutionary. Yelp has several reviews, which describe PMF as "pretentious" and "horrible service." Many of the waiters there are hot, but arrogant, and tend to think they are demigods. They are more concerned with picking up hot girls at the bar, than doing their jobs. Also, when you ask for something, they seem put out, like they're doing you a favor. There is undoubtedly a pretentious vibe there. Who would have thought having a croque masseur would be so important and cool?

I hope this new location will offer a more enhanced level of customer service that isn't surly or snide. I also hope the nose level is manageable.

Anonymous said...

Michael Ivan is right! Food is still the draw.

The only thing I don't like about Casimir/PMF (besides the awful name, which given time could become 'beloved', just watch) is the acoustics of the main room. A few tables of shrieking brunchettes practically sent me flying out of there on a recent Sunday with my fingers in my ears.


Anonymous said...

The food is tasty at PMF. The music is awful though. I feel like I am in a club when there. I went for a date and couldn't hear myself think let alone the man I was out with. We had to scream at one another during the first and second courses. Perhaps if they took it down a notch and played something more subtle? And yes, the waitstaff have a lot of attitude. Don't know why. It's a French restaurant. Not the pentagon or NASA.

Anonymous said...

Can't see any rationale for this community board to approve any 4am license on that block. They will also deny the upgrade from Beer and wine for the old In Vino space. Wonder what the SLA will do.