Proprietors offer more details about proposed Vietnamese restaurant for St. Mark's Place

A Vietnamese restaurant is in the works for the old Luca Bar space at 119 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue, as we first reported.

The three principals, who will appear before CB3's SLA committee on April 18 in hopes of securing a full liquor license, have posted letters on adjacent buildings.

The letters offer a few more details about what's in store for No. 119...



In part:

"Our restaurant will feature creative, classic and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine featuring dishes like a Green Papaya Salad with Prawns, Whole Bass grilled in a banana leaf, Lemongrass Pork Chops...

We will be applying for a liquor license so that we may complement our cuisine with Vietnamese-inspired cocktails containing unique Southeast Asian fruits and juices, and beverages that will otherwise pair well with food."

Their proposed hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday; until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

According to the questionnaire (a 30-page PDF) on file at the CB3 website, two of the proprietors have worked for Stephen Starr's Starr Restaurants, whose NYC establishments include Upland, El Vez, The Clocktower, Morimoto and Buddakan.

Luca Bar closed in April 2015.

The CB3 SLA committee meeting is April 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

There's a Vietnamese restaurant proposed for the former Luca Bar on St. Mark's Place

[EVG photo from Tuesday]

The former Luca Bar space at 119 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue looks to have another suitor.

A comprehensive questionnaire (a 30-page PDF) is on file for public inspection at the CB3 website ahead of the April SLA committee meeting.

According to the paperwork, the proposed Vietnamese restaurant (no name yet) would have 15 tables seating 42 as well as a bar with 12 seats. In addition, the proposed hours are 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday-Wednesday; until 2 a.m. Thursday-Sunday. The applicants are applying for a full liquor license.

While the three principals have never been licensed before, they have had experience managing-operating restaurants, per the documents. Two of the proprietors have worked for Stephen Starr's Starr Restaurants, whose NYC establishments include Upland, El Vez, The Clocktower, Morimoto and Buddakan.

Here's a sample menu that accompanied the CB3 materials...


[Click to go big]

Previously, the owners of Sweethaus Cupcake Cafe — with locations in Charlottesville, Va., and Williamsburg (Brooklyn, not Virginia) — were looking to open a cafe at No. 119. However, those plans never materialized.

Luca Bar closed in April 2015.

The CB3 SLA committee meeting is April 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the CB3 office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.