Work continues on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street … where the still newish Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill (that name about covers everything) is being divided up … and now the signage is up for the new business — Apna Masala …
At this point we don't know anything about the new proprietors.
The corner space was previously home to Banjara, which moved to share space with its sister restaurant Haveli on Second Avenue last November.
I've gone by Figaro 4 or 5 times in the past few months, and have never once seen a single patron in there. Surprised they're even hanging on to half the space.
ReplyDeleteGreat, we need to keep our Indian restaurants alive. Our neighborhood and Curry Hill are the two spots listed for Indian cuisine. It's good inexpensive food and a part of East Village cultural history.
ReplyDeleteGood thing. There aren't nearly enough Indian restaurants in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness, we need a return of Indian restuarants if 6th Street is to retain it's formerly delicious Indian flavor.
ReplyDeleteTake another one off the Deathwatch list, I had this spot on there from day 1, and putting it on the list was a no-brainer: an Italian restaurant in Little India run by Indians? Figaro was always dead. I guess the Ricotta Samosas and Tandoori Raviolis never caught on. I just hope they make more authentic Indian than some of the others, but anything is an improvement.
With all the college students around it's surprising 6th street is not as popular anymore, but these places need to look at the fast food Indian spots like Desi Gali and Indikitch which really amp up the spice levels to taste and are more authentic than the sit-down places. Get a Kati roll with both the hot green chilis and the hot sauce on top at Desi Galli and try not to cry, it's delicious.
On another note Banjara taking over Haveli was not an improvement, they need to work on the menu and bring back the spicy freshenss of the old menu if they are hoping to survive. How hard is it to put a little lemon zest or juice on the channa masala?
new name, same horrible font
ReplyDeleteI live in the building & got the scoop...
ReplyDeleteThe guy who took this place over is Indian & owned an Italian joint on bleeker (tourist will eat anything) he thought it would work here, nope. I saw way too many things on the menu) looks like its all boil-in-bag or nuked. So his new idea is to keep the 1st ave side Italian & make the 6th st side Indian. All in the same kitchen. Hmmm, let's see.