[The current front entrance of Momofuku Ko at 8 Extra Place]
Not too many businesses have had any success in Extra Place, the pedestrian walkway off of First Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue.
Red Hook Lobster Pound was the most recent casualty in this former alley that ran behind CBGB. (Read about the history of Extra Place dating to 1800 here.)
That is with the exception of David Chang's Momofuku Ko, which relocated to 8 Extra Place from First Avenue in November 2014.
Things have been going so well here, apparently, at the critically acclaimed Ko, where the tasting menu is $195 per person, that they are expanding.
Chang and company are on this month's CB3-SLA docket for an alteration of an existing liquor license. According to the paperwork on file at the CB3 website, they are creating a new waiting/dining area with 6-7 tables and 14 seats for a kitchen counter/bar. (You can read their questionnaire/PDF here.)
Here's a diagram at the CB3 website with what the expanded Ko will look like...
[Click for a better look]
The paperwork appears on the doorway of 12 Extra Place, which will be the new entrance...
The sign for the now-closed boutique Inventory remains above the doorway.
The space looks to be in use as an office right now...
So a quick Extra Place business recap: The Japanese housewares boutique Nalata Nalata has the corner space at No. 2. Momofuku Ko will take up No. 4 through 12 (or 14). No. 16 was the Red Hook Lobster Pound. No. 18 is a prep kitchen for Daniel Boulud.
Moving forward Momofuku Place might be a better name for Extra Place.
The May SLA committee meeting is next Monday (the 15th!) at 6:30 p.m. Location: Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Previously on EV Grieve:
With new restaurant opening, will Extra Place finally become a dining destination?
Extra Place now officially a Dead End
Extra Place and Heidi currently 'closed for renovation' in Extra Place
Red Hook Lobster Pound in the works for Extra Place
A few more details on Momofuku Ko (aka, TBD) coming to Extra Place
It makes perfect sense for a foodie business to go to the Bowery with all the other tourists and posers hang out. Now if they would only close the place on 1st Ave and something for the locals could take that space.......
ReplyDeleteHe lost me a while ago and his fried chicken spot refusing to take cash is insulting in my opinion
ReplyDelete9:01 RENTS are too high for low key businesses. that is just the way it is. noodle bar is not the problem.
ReplyDeleteAren't y'all a little fatigued of this guy by now? Ok so he makes a decent bowl of noodles. it's not like he has cornered the market on good tasting food like a lot people behave as if.
ReplyDeleteI hope they got a big fat discount on the rent since almost no other businesses have been able to survive here. Momofuku has a following that will go anywhere to eat their food, including the dreaded Extra Place off of the Bowery. No doubt area landlords will try to use Momofuku's success to lure other unsuspecting retail tenants into the trap.
ReplyDeleteHe could open a restaurant on the Moon and he would have a crowd. Very happy that he started it all and received his Michelin stars in the EV. Imagine an adult business in the EV. Wow!
ReplyDeleteLooks like not everything Favid Chang touches turns to gold. Maple, the food delivery app he was backing, shut down today and is laying off most of their staff so the founders can move to London and try to make money off another more successful food app. Too many good apps out there, and someday Anazon will probably put everyone else out of business
ReplyDeleteI liked going there around 2002-3 but not forget about it, I won't wait 15 minutes to sit on a rock hard stool to wolf down his noodles. It's a tourist foodie trap, so it's over for New Yorkers.
ReplyDeleteMaple was good at the beginning, then they kept raising prices and switch to basically only serving rice bowls. Delete it a while ago.
ReplyDeleteThey should bring back McGurk's Suicide Hall!
ReplyDeleteGiovanni, he now how his own food delivery service, Ando, which is better funded and has better infrastructure than Maple. Google it.
ReplyDelete