Hummus Place will not be reopening on St. Mark's Place

[Photo from Feb. 2]

Hummus Place closed after business on Feb. 2, as we noted here. Signs on the door at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue pointed to a renovation as the cause of the closure. The space has looked awfully quiet for any kind of renovation.

An EVG reader sent us the following last evening: "Called the Hummus Place on St. Mark's and my call was forwarded to the Seventh Avenue location. Man on the phone said St. Mark's was closed for good and all calls were being forwarded to his location."

Meanwhile, the East Village location has already been scrubbed off the Hummus Place website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Hummus Place closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place

Here's what's coming to the former Hummus Place space on St. Mark's

Last Thursday, we noted that a new tenant was in line to take over the recently shuttered Hummus Place at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Eater has more details on what's coming soon here: Ori Apple, who owns the Hummus Place mini-chain, is opening a restaurant called Timna NYC in the space.

Amir Nathan, one of the partners in the new venture, described Timna NYC as "a casual but elegant Mediterranean place."

There are plans for Yemenite kubaneh bread, tacos made with Jerusalem's signature mixed grill of sweetbreads, preserved lemon, and tahini, and sea bass sashimi with tabouli and tzatziki. Nathan says the team is a couple of weeks from a soft opening.

Hummus Place closed for renovations in early February, never to reopen (at least as Hummus Place).

Hummus Place expanding on St. Mark's Place?

Yesterday morning, I noted that Sympathy for the Kettle had closed at 109 St. Mark's Place.



Hummus Place shares the address on the west side of the building. Word on the street is that Hummus Place is taking over the former Kettle space. Which is one reason why Hummus Place on St. Mark's was closed today and workers were coming in and out of the space. There's an outgoing phone message at the St. Mark's store stating that all the NYC Hummus Place locations (four in total) will be closed for the holiday from April 8-17. Sounds like a good time for an expansion.

Have you tried Timna yet?

Timna is now in soft-open mode at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The space previously housed Hummus Place. However, as Eater first noted, Hummus Place owner Ori Apple decided to upgrade the space and offer more menu choices.

Per Eater:

There are plans for Yemenite kubaneh bread, tacos made with Jerusalem's signature mixed grill of sweetbreads, preserved lemon, and tahini, and sea bass sashimi with tabouli and tzatziki.

To date we've heard several positive comments about the space and food. (Yelp is quiet though — just one review.)

@evgrieve Timna (used to be hummus place) opens tonight at 109 st marks. Menu looks good! pic.twitter.com/5PpZUI9qp3

— Nicholas G. (@TheRealNGA) April 23, 2015

Hummus Place closed for renovations in early February, never to reopen again (at least as Hummus Place).

Taking the Hummus Place off St.Mark's Place

On Tuesday, workers stripped the signage off the recently shuttered Hummus Place at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. The restaurant closed for renovations in early February, never to reopen.

Perhaps the space won't be vacant for too long. There's an applicant on this month's CB3/SLA committee agenda for a new beer-wine license for the space. CB3 hasn't filed the questionnaire online with more information on the applicant just yet.

Hummus Place closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place

The chickpea specialists at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue closed yesterday ... the sign on the door notes they are closing for renovations...



There isn't any mention of a temporary closure on their website or social media properties. A call to the restaurant yields a "voice mailbox full" message.

Hummus Place expanded into the adjacent storefront back in April 2009.

St. Hummus Place?

As my tipster suggested, Hummus Place is expanding into the empty Sympathy for the Kettle space at 109 St. Mark's Place.



And was the matching sign above the door to the apartment building really necessary?

Timna announces April 14 closing date on St. Mark's Place

Timna, the Israeli-Mediterranean restaurant at 109 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, is closing after service on April 14.

Chef Nir Mesika shared the news on the restaurant's Instagram page Friday:

Four years ago, I‘ve had an idea to cook modern Israeli food, to open a small place with a small but dedicated staff.

We have invested all our energy in cooking and hospitality, bringing the Israeli essence and character to the plate, here in NYC. Timna was created out of thin air, built with our own hands. We’ve always kept our modesty and our feet on the ground. I promised myself and my clients that everything will be at the highest standards, to best of my ability (and budget), whether it's the food, our attitude toward the customers, and the employees who work with us.

Unfortunately, after four amazing but undoubtfully challenging years, we are forced to close Timna.

The restaurant will remain open until April 14th — so come and celebrate with us the years that we’ve had, and those that still await all of us.

This is undeniably a very difficult decision, which I did not really want to make but was really forced to make. Financial issues and all sort of disagreements have led me to deal with running the restaurant without support, to such extent that it can no longer be sustained.

I know that many people will miss Timna, I certainly will, but I choose to remember all the good things, embrace and learn from the bad, and realize that there is no choice but to move on to the next big thing.

I would like to thank my beloved staff who accompanied me all these years, each of you have added character and color to this place called Timna, and of course a huge thanks to our customers, coming from afar or from across the street. Each and every one of you who walked into the restaurant in these past four years would make me excited every day that you’ve chosen to dine at Timna.

Timna opened in April 2015 in space that was formerly an outpost of the mini-chain of Hummus Place restaurants.

H/T Vinny & O!

Week in Grieview

[Tompkins Square Park the other morning]

Here's a look at the new condos coming to East First Street (Monday)

Black Seed bringing bagels to the former DeRobertis space on First Avenue (Wednesday, 43 comments)

Hummus Place closed for renovations on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Union Square box cutter attacks (Wednesday)

Oh! Thanks Ben Shaoul! The future of East Houston and Orchard will look like this (Friday)

Out and About with Adrianna Grezak (Wednesday)

Unidentified Flying Chickens isn't apparently long for this East Village world (Monday)

Little Joe's Pizza is now Little Gio's on First Avenue (Monday)

Icon Realty new owner of 57 Second Ave. (Tuesday)

The 4th annual Poetic License is underway at the Wild Project (Thursday)

A backyard with a hammock (Thursday)

Destination Bar has closed on Avenue A, will reopen as new bar from owners of 2 Ludlow Street mainstays (Monday)

The $1.50 2 Bros. on St. Mark's Place has apparently closed (Friday)

Full Snow Moon (Tuesday)

What's taking the former Cafe Cambodge/Arcane space on Avenue C (Tuesday)

Former Terroir space quickly converted into Fifty Paces on East 12th Street (Wednesday)

Nike building a pop-up shop/something on the Bowery for the NBA All-Star game (Wednesday)

Hanjoo closes on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

State seizes B.A.D. Burger on Avenue A for nonpayment of taxes (Thursday)

The Met Foods on 3rd Avenue in Gramercy Park is closing (Friday)

… and the new live nativity scene is up at The Church of St. Stanislaus on East Seventh Street…


[Photo by Derek Berg]

Happy Hummus Day!

Hummus Day is actually tomorrow. And it appears that you will be able to celebrate on Astor Place today. As these early-morning pics by EVG reader Liz S. show, crews are setting up some hummus-related tasting tables on Astor Place...



This is sponsored by Sabra Dipping Company...


[Another reader-submitted pic]

Updated 1 p.m.

Here are a few pics from Steven showing the Hummus Day in action...





There are also Hummus Goody Bags for the taking...

Looking at the boring September CB3/SLA docket

Community Board 3 released its monthly meetings docket yesterday. Not too many blockbusters. Or any. Which is just fine. Many of the items are for bars-restaurants south of Houston... and a few familiar names are back on the agenda... we'll hopefully know more as CB3 releases the applications for the, uh, applicants.

And the SLA & DCA Licensing Committee meets on Sept. 10 at the usual place — JASA/Green Residence, 200 East 5th Street at Bowery.

Renewal with Complaint History
• Nublu, 62 Ave C (wb)

• L'azzo Pizza, 107 1st Ave (wb)

Applications within Resolution Areas

[EVG reader Kat]

• Vella Market Inc, 56-58 Ave B (wb)

This is the organic market that is taking over the former Kate's Joint space at East Fourth Street.

• 106 on the LES LLC, 106 Rivington St (op)

• Gallery Bar (MMS Group LLC), 120 Orchard St (op)

• Subject (PMMR LLC), 188 Suffolk St (op)

• Caffe Buon Gusto (Ave B Caffe Buon Gusto Inc), 545 E 5th St (aka 76 Ave B) (wb)

They've been featuring a bring your own bottle policy since opening...

Alterations
• Nom Wah Tea Parlor (Nom Wah Dim Sum Parlor Inc), 13 Doyers St (alt/wb/change of hours)

• The Bowery Diner (241 Bowery Corp), 241 Bowery (alt/op/extend hours)

New Liquor License Applications

• Lobster Joint (LJ East Houston LLC), 201 E Houston St (op)

It appears that the former Lina Frey space will be home to an outpost of the Williamsburg-based Lobster Joint.

• To be Determined, 266 Broome St (op)

• To be Determined (Silkstone), 22 Orchard St (wb)

• Jujomukti Tea Lounge (Jujomukti Inc), 211 E 4th St (wb)

• Hummus Place (Edo Food LLC), 109 St Marks Pl (op)

• Mario San Inc, 36 Ludlow St (wb)

• Congee Village Inc, 100 Allen St (op)

• To be Determined, 224 E 10th St (wb)

Was originally on the August agenda. This was the address for Merciel, the boutique that sold wedding dresses... they recently closed, and something booze-related hopes to take its place.

• Paulaner Brauhaus Restaurant LLC, 265-267 Bowery (op)

• Feast (Two Guize LLC), 102 3rd Ave (op)

Also a holdover from August: The New York Central Framing Annex has moved around the corner to East 12th Street... and a restaurant-bar is in the works for the old space...

• Nevada Smith (92 Nunswalk Inc), 100 3rd Ave (op)

• Souvlaki Gr LES (Uber Caffe LLC), 116 Stanton St (op)

• To be Determined, 127 4th Ave (op)

Current home of Forum, which often seems to need a new front door after the weekend.

Corporate Change (not heard at committee)
• The Cock (Red Rooster 29 LLC), 29 2nd Ave (op)

Paprika hasn't been open lately on St. Mark's Place

Meanwhile, nearly directly across from the former Hummus Place on St. Mark's Place, Paprika has remained shuttered in recent weeks (at least three).

Calls to the restaurant are forwarded to a full voice mailbox. There isn't any mention of a closure on the restaurant's website or social media properties. In fact, Paprika, which specializes in Northern Italian cuisine, had been actively posting various menu items on Instagram as late as March 7.

Anyone know what's happening with the space?

Updated: There is a listing for the space on Loop Net, per a reader... the listing was last updated a year ago. It's currently listed as "off market." The asking monthly rent is/was $8,524.

Farewell to Holyland Market on St. Mark's Place

Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy 

Holyland Market is now certified closed. 

As we first reported on March 14, the Israeli grocery at 122 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue was closing at the end of this month after 18 years in business. 

Moving forward, owner Eran Hileli (pictured below) will focus his time and attention on his blossoming hummus business — the 4-year-old Holy Hummus, now available at 700-plus stores in the United States, including locally at Westside Market and Union Market. He said he is introducing 12 new products/flavors, including spicy w/red s'chüg, roasted pepper, roasted garlic, za'atar flavored and green s'chüg.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the shuttered shop yesterday ... as Hileli continued to clean out the space...

In a previous interview with Stacie, Hileli said he had challenges finding help and felt burned out after working through the pandemic. He was also unable to find a buyer for the market. 

While we're happy that Hileli has found success with his hummus (and it is delicious), we hate to lose yet another unique shop in the neighborhood — and in NYC. 

As The Times of Israel recently noted: 

Expats could score their favorite products from home at Holyland, down to lavender-scented Pinuk hair conditioner and the Friday edition of the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, in a store that felt like it could be located in Tel Aviv or Ashkelon — a Middle Eastern parallel to New York City’s beloved bodegas.

Holyland Market is closing on St. Mark's Place; owner to focus on hummus biz

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Holyland Market, the Israeli grocery at 122 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, closes at the end of the month after 18 years in business. 

Moving forward, owner Eran Hileli (pictured above and below) will focus his time and attention on his blossoming hummus business — the 4-year-old Holy Hummus, now available at 700-plus stores in the United States, including locally at Westside Market, Union Market — and Holyland Market. (He said he has 12 new products/flavors on the horizon, including spicy w/red s'chüg, roasted pepper, roasted garlic, za'atar flavored and green s'chüg.)

In an interview with EVG contributor Stacie Joy, Hileli said that he was having challenges finding help and felt burned out after working through the pandemic. (He was also unable to find a buyer for the market.)

From Friday, here's a look around the shop, stocked almost entirely with Israeli products ... 

Hileli first opened a record store — House of Trance — at this location in 1998 before pivoting to the market. 

As he told The Times of Israel in an August 2020 feature: 

"The industry was changing. People weren’t really buying music anymore," he lamented, saying customers would enter the store, listen to music and then go home to purchase it on the computer. "But you can’t download Bamba," he joked, explaining his decision to start selling the peanut butter-flavored puffed corn snack along with the hundreds of other Israeli products that line Holyland's shelves.

Week in Grieview

[Photo from Friday on East 10th by Michael Sean Edwards]

Arrest made in the shooting death of a man outside the Lillian Wald Houses (Monday)

Rosie Mendez co-sponsors proposed new city legislation cracking down on Airbnb (Friday)

Benny's to-go closes on Avenue A (Friday, 29 comments)

Condos now for former Mary Help of Christians property (Thursday)

Hummus Place not reopening on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Black Seed owners reiterate commitment to preserving the former DeRobertis space (Friday)

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks opens on East Second Street (Tuesday)

East Village Cheese hopes to move somewhere else in the East Village (Wednesday)

Out and About part 2 with Sheila Rothenberg (Wednesday)

West Village-based jeweler Lori McLean relocating to East 11th Street (Tuesday)

Buildings on East Ninth Street getting taller (Tuesday)

NYPD searching for knife-wielding suspect wanted for six store robberies, including on East Seventh Street (Wednesday)

Verdigreen vintage furnishings boutique coming to East Seventh Street (Monday)

Construction watch: 76 E. Houston St. (Monday)

A penthouse for "50 Shades of Grey" fans? (Tuesday)

Met Foods space is now for rent on Third Avenue in Gramercy Park (Wednesday)

Why the subway is late and crowded a lot (Tuesday, 35 comments)

Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches hasn't been open lately on East Second Street (Monday)

After just 2 months, Matty's is closed for now on Avenue B (Wednesday)

Expanded lobby on the way at Eleventh and Third (Monday)

About the "equipment malfunction" at the Con Ed plant (Tuesday)

A few details about the Tompkins Square Park igloo quinzhee (Monday)

Transformation of Louis 649 to Mace continues on East Ninth Street (Thursday)

… and people are pretty much giving up on spring already…


[9th and A this morning via William Klayer]

Au Za'atar officially opens today

We noted last Tuesday that Tarik Fallous, the owner of Table 12, had changed concepts, converting the cafe-bistro on Avenue A and East 12th Street into Au Za'atar.

Here's the restaurant's description via Facebook:

Au Za'atar is a Middle Eastern restaurant with a French twist. Our menu offers everything from Lebanon's national dish (Kibbe Kras) to classical Parisian fare with influences spreading from the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean Sea.

At the time of our post, the restaurant was still in soft-opening mode … and the menu we posted from the Au Za'atar website hadn't been finalized. (You can find the menus now at the website.)

According to a restaurant representative, there was an official soft opening at Au Za'atar this past weekend… and today is the official opening day… they also supplied us with photos of the interior, which was designed by local resident Frank Linkoff, who's an artist and filmmaker/producer.







Fork in the Road had a preview Friday:

"I always looked for a place where we could have these kinds of dishes the same way we had them back home," Fallous says. He craved lamb shank and lamb chops sprinkled with za'atar and roasted, tabbouleh at every meal, hummus and fresh babaghanoush, and escargot cooked with herbs and white wine (there is a lot of French influence in the culinary traditions of these countries, Fallous explains).

Au Za'atar offers all of those dishes, divided into small mezze plates and larger platters, as well as a number of daily specials, spicy stuffed fish, different kinds of kebabs, and kebbe kras, a blend of bulgur wheat and beef that is Lebanon's national dish. "We're trying to make it a place where people will come to have a meal once or twice a week," he says.

-----

Meanwhile, aside from the concept change at Table 12, Kool Bloo, the fast-food takeout specialist that shared the back of the space, has also disappeared in recent weeks with the renovation…

On the hunt for a dive bar with "interesting beers on draft, low-key/friendly crowd, passable pub grub"

Speaking of bars... Someone poses a question to the folks at T Magazine at the Times.

Dear Concierge,

I’m looking for a good dive bar. In Manhattan, dive bars are either too div-y (bikers, professional boozers) or too sporty (yellers, Buckhunters). I live downtown, but I’ll go anywhere a Metrocard can get me. Things I’d like: interesting beers on draft, low-key/friendly crowd, passable pub grub, not too crowded/discovered and a general feeling of authenticity. Thank you!

Among the input provided:

Eric Asimov, The Pour columnist for the Dining section and a connoisseur of spirits high and low, weighed in with his favorites: East Village Tavern on Avenue C — a year-old craft-beer place that updates its cask and tap lists daily on its Web site — and Rattle ‘N’ Hum, another new craft-beer spot a pint’s throw from Madison Square Garden that serves food like Rattle ‘N’ Hummus.

Anyway. The usual suspects are trotted out.

The Brooklyn Icehouse, 318 Van Brunt Street, Brooklyn; (718) 222-1865.
The Brooklyn Inn, 148 Hoyt Street, Brooklyn; (718) 625-9741.
Daddy’s, 435 Graham Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 609-6388.
East River Bar, 97 South 6th Street, Brooklyn; (718) 302-0511.
East Village Tavern, 158 Avenue C; (212) 253-8400.
Freddy’s Bar & Backroom, 485 Dean Street, Brooklyn; (718) 622-7035.
Hank’s Saloon, 46 Third Avenue, Brooklyn; (718) 625-8003.
Mars Bar, 25 East 1st Street; (212) 473-9842.
Mona’s, 224 Avenue B; (212) 353-3780.
Nancy Whiskey Pub, 1 Lispenard Street; (212) 226-9943.
Rattle n Hum, 14-16 East 33rd Street; (212) 481-1586.
Russian Vodka Room, 265 West 52nd Street; (212) 307-5835.
The Scratcher, 209 East 5th Street; (212) 477-0030.
Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Avenue, (718) 963-4140.
St. Dymphna’s, 118 St. Mark’s Place; (212) 254-6636.

Michal Gamily’s 'Mashawsha to go' from an East Village fire escape

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

During the COVID-19 PAUSE this spring, Michal Gamily got creative and launched an old-school "mashawsha to go" business from her fire escape.

"You will find it a very unique East Village experience," Gamily says. Indeed.

I recently texted her to make an appointment and meet neighbors Roni and Peddy Pery there when they were picking up their mashawsha (hummus in the Israeli and Palestinian style). The homemade vegan treat is sold by weight — a medium-size container (you bring your own) is $10.







She started the side business while temporarily out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is an actor, series director and curator at LaMama.

Gamily makes it fresh every day and sells it from her Avenue C fire escape via basket — a contact-free experience. It’s a traditional Middle-Eastern treat made here with organic chickpeas, garlic, homemade tahini, olive oil, cumin, lemon, parsley, and other spices plus the soaking liquid from the chickpeas. She recommends serving it with pita bread, but says it’s also great with pickles, vegetables, falafel, in a lafa (wrap) or served with hard-boiled egg.





Roni and Peddy, who, like Gamily, originally hail from Israel, tell me that the mashawsha "really respects the bean, that she lets the chickpeas speak and be celebrated." Mashawsha or msabbaha means both to mix and swimming in Arabic, and in this style the whole chickpeas are swimming in the hummus.

Gamily asks for a 24-hour order notice, and you can place your order by text at 646.221.5082 or email at gamilym@icloud.com.

She reminds me that she only sells mashawsha, nothing else. And classic style, "No fava bean or one made with pine nuts. The real deal only."