The for lease sign arrived late last week at 104 Second Ave. at Sixth Street, where Wall 88 last conducted bar-restaurant business.
This officially brings an end to Wall 88, whose gates closed for good in late October. However, there was never any official closing announcement ... and the agency Wall 88's owners hired to do their social media apparently never got the news... generic happy hour and brunch messages continue to populate Wall 88's Facebook...
The restaurant serving pub fare opened back in March. There was a quick turnaround here after Lions BeerStore closed following 16 months in operation.
P.S.
Bring back Bamboo House to this corner (because someone always brings this up)!
[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]
13 comments:
"P.S.
Bring back Bamboo House to this corner (because someone always brings this up)!"
Thanks for the picture. You just managed to bring a tear to my eye.
Bamboo House and Polonia - two examples of low-key places that people really liked and where the upscaled replacements ran themselves into the ground.
Bring Back Bamboo House would make a pretty good band name. We should also bring back India Row, starting with MitalI, and keep Haveli where it is right now, and bring back our favorite old Polish restaurants like Kiev, Neptune and Christine‘s, and bring back Dojo”s on St. Mark’s Place, and Life Cafe, and Angelica’s Kitchen, and de Robertis bakery, and The Black Hound, and St. Mark’s Pizza, and Saints Alp Teahouse, and The Dugout bar on Third Avenue, and Pomme Frites, Sivlver Spurs Diner, and the Stage Restaurant. ... Who knew it woud be so hard to find a nice comfy affordable place to eat these days? I guess the landlords knew, taht’s why they don’t live here anymore either.
Bring back Orchidia!
I LOVED THE BAMBOO HOUSE. Best Hot-n-Sour Soup in the city. I still feel that way. And most of the places Giovanni mentioned (Esp Kiev!)
Yes. Loss of Mitali was the end for Little India. Loved that place.
As for the Polish / Ukrainian; I just want Theresa's back (pref ver. 1)
And as to Bamboo House; while it sure hits the nostalgia button, the food was not really great. Definitely cool place though.
I very much like Giovanni's list. One place that I loved but that rarely ever gets mentioned was "Sugar Reef", a West Indian place between 5th & 6th Streets on the West side of 2nd Avenue. One night while I was eating there, Don Cherry (trumpet player) and violinist Billy Bang came in and walked around the restaurant playing music.
Does anybody remember a place on First Street between 1st & 2nd called "Elephant", serving Thai Food? I used to go there to regain my "footing" after spending too much time at "First on First", sampling American Spirits. "First on First" was located on the West corner of First Street & First Avenue (duh). To this very day, it was THE most integrated bar I've ever been to, anywhere. Both ethnically and socioeconomically.
I definitely owe a huge shout-out to http://www.nysonglines.com/ It's a site I often visit to refresh fading memories.
Walter:
The Elephant was great! Fun with delicious food. It was the same space that house Casanis which was an excellent restaurant as well.
@Walter Sugar Reef was a fun place, and one of the few that served Roti, ackee and other Jamaican foods. It was down the block from Global 33, which served tapas and had some of the DJs from Save the Robots. The early 90s was back when the big clubs from the 80s were all closing down and smaller bars and restaurants (like Bob on Eldridge St.) with DJs and good music were opening up during the early 90s recession. NY was a quieter, calmer place back then, especially at night, having just survived the crack wars. In the 80’s you couldn’t walk down the street without seeing crack vials in the sidewalk cracks. So the early 90s were like a breath of fresh air from all that turmoil. I also remember First on First, which was followed by a Brazilian place that served caprinhas and mojitos that were way too strong, but NY was ready for a nice strong drink. And then it was over to Lucky Chengs for a drink and a drag show.
Loved Bamboo House and I've yet to find a better Hot & Sour Soup - a staple when I had a cold. And what about La Foccacharia on First Avenue? I still dream about their mussels marinara. Fond memories of drinking rum at Sugar Reef too! And the prix fixe at Neptune (5-7). Wine, soup or salad, entree (hu-u-u-uge) dessert and coffee for $19.95.
The original 103 Second Avenue, open 24 hours ,great food and slanted tables is still missed. Bring back all of the above and Cafe Orlan too. So glad I was here back then. Fun city indeed. Could not wear high heels because you need to be able to run at a moments notice.
Oops forgot Sushi Park - destroyed by the gas explosion on Second Avenue. Really fresh ingredients (the place was always packed) at reasonable prices. Have yet to find a replacement.
Walter, god bless you for mentioning Elephant and First on First. YES, I remember elephant well - a place I could afford when I could afford little else, and treat the girl I liked (and later married) to the kind of food she deserved. This was the EV as intended.
Likewise First on First. What made it stand out for me was the bartender, David Marsden. Great cocktails were still a mystery to most then, but Dave was different, a master. I've often hoped to find him again. If a reader knows his whereabouts, please shout out.
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