New signage era for Temakase on 2nd Avenue

Saturday saw the arrival of new signage at Temakase, the Japanese restaurant specializing in handrolls at 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (Thanks to Steven for the photos!) 

Gone is the more minimalist storefront... and in — a colorful red and yellow crab...

Temakase opened in the summer of 2020. Haven't heard any reader reports on this place since then.

Temakase Hand Roll Bar coming soon to 2nd Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

Signage arrived this past weekend for Temakase Hand Roll Bar, the next tenant for 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Don't know anything about the proprietors at the moment.

As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Previous restaurants here in the past five years include Savor Por Favor ... Yuan ... Biang! ... and Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder.

A new tenant for 157 2nd Ave.?

[Photo by Steven]

There are hints of activity at the rather beleaguered restaurant space at 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

The for rent sign has been removed... and paper now covers the front windows. We haven't heard any info on a new tenant just yet.

As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time.

Last August, the Marshal seized Savor Por Favor, the Mexican restaurant-bar that opened in October 2018. The previous tenant, Yuan, which shut down in July 2018, also didn't make it to a 1-year anniversary.

Before Yuan, Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business.

The previous tenant, Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, called it quits after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015. (There was a rumored rent increase, per Eater.) Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

Would be nice if the new venture lasted more than a few months...

157 2nd Ave.is for rent

[Photo Friday by Steven]

The rather beleaguered restaurant space at 157 Second Ave. is back on the rental market.

In late August, the Marshal seized Savor Por Favor, the Mexican restaurant-bar opened here between Ninth Street and 10th Street last October. The previous tenant, Yuan, which shut down in July 2018, also didn't make it to a 1-year anniversary.

As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Before Yuan, Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business.

The previous tenant, Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, called it quits after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015. (There was a rumored rent increase, per Eater.) Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

In previous posts, some commenters have questioned the landlord's role in these closures.

No sign of a listing for No. 157 just yet.

The Marshal has seized Savor Por Favor on 2nd Avenue

Another restaurant has not been able to make 157 Second Ave. work.

This past Thursday, the Marshal seized Savor Por Favor, putting the retail space here between Ninth Street and 10th Street back into the legal possession of the landlord. (Thanks to blog friend Nick Solares for the photos and tip!)



The Mexican restaurant-bar opened last October. If this closure turns out to be permanent, then they didn't last quite as long as the previous tenant, Yuan, which shut down in July 2018 after a year in business.

As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Before Yuan, Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business. The previous tenant, Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, called it quits after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015. Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

Also as noted before, if Wang and Dufresne, given their other successes, couldn't make the space work ... not sure who can.

[Updated] Mexican restaurant opening on 2nd Avenue called Savor Por Favor

Updated 10/26 — the restaurant is now open.

The signage is in the window at 157 Second Ave. for the new Mexican restaurant opening in this space between Ninth Street and 10th Street ... welcome Savor Por Favor...



In May, applicants from Butter Midtown — doing business as E&Y Hospitality LLC — received CB3's OK for a new liquor license at the address.

While interior renovations continue at No. 157 ... the owners have set up a Facebook account...



... and Instagram...

View this post on Instagram

#lego #eastvillagenyc #mexicanfood #cocktails #comingsoon #threeamigos @sulleylife @eco823 @chef_michael_jenkins

A post shared by Mexican American & Cocktails (@savorporfavor) on Sep 13, 2018 at 6:51am PDT

So Savor Por Favor is in the works... as for the past, Yuan shut down in July after a year in business. As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business. The previous tenant, Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, called it quits after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015. Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

Updated 10/26

Savor Por Favor is now open...


[Photo by Steven]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Yuan Noodle may be yielding to a Mexican restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Mexican restaurant back on for 157 2nd Ave.?

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

A for-rent sign remains on display in the front window at 157 Second Ave., which was most recently Yuan Noodle.

And for a few days, there was a notice from the State Liquor Authority (SLA) about a new applicant seeking to sell liquor here between Ninth Street and 10th Street ...


[Photo Saturday by Steven]

In May, applicants from Butter Midtown — doing business as E&Y Hospitality LLC — received CB3's OK to open a Mexican restaurant here.

However, the SLA notice has since been removed at No. 157. So the Mexican restaurant's status remains unclear at the moment.

Despite the application on file at the CB3 website back in May, Yuan owner Jacob Ding told Eater that his restaurant was not closing. Yuan shut down nearly two months later after a year in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Yuan Noodle may be yielding to a Mexican restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Yuan Noodle may be yielding to a Mexican restaurant on 2nd Avenue

[Image via the CB3 website]

Applicants from Butter Midtown are looking to open a Mexican restaurant at 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

The team behind the proposed venture, including Executive Chef Michael Jenkins and Beverage Director Eder Canseco, are expected to appear before CB3's SLA committee tonight for a new liquor license. This is described as a sale of assets. The current tenant is Yuan Noodle, which just opened last summer in the space.

The questionnaire on file at the CB3 website (PDF here) provides extensive details about the restaurant:

We believe our concept of American Mexican cuisine will bring a new variety of food to this neighborhood. In an area filled with primarily Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and American restaurants within a two block radius, this will provide a unique option for local residences ...

Along with Michael’s concepts, Eder’s mom Rosa will be bringing in her Mexican taco recipes that offers a more traditional take. Rosa learned how to cook from her mother-in-law who learned from her from mother and grandmother. This dates back to over three generations of classic Mexican cooking. The Breukelen style for some dishes will include small touches to traditional recipes that feels like a home cooked meal is being served. The right balance in sweet and spicy in her mole and Pipian sauce recipes will be unique to the neighborhood.

The unnamed restaurant has proposed hours of 5 p.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday; until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

The address has been home to several high-profile restaurants in recent years. Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed in March 2017 after 15 months in business. Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, closed after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015.

Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

Upon its opening last summer, Yuan garnered positive notices. Eater declared that the rice-noodle dishes here were "nothing short of spectacular." The Times was also generous with the praise.

The CB3-SLA meeting is tonight at 6:30. The location: the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton.

Yuan Noodle in soft-open mode on 2nd Avenue

Yuan Noodle is getting ready for its grand opening at 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

The restaurant is in soft-open mode for now...



Eater had more on the owners and concept back in May:

Former financier Jacob Ding is using family recipes to open a Guilin boiled rice noodle and dim sum parlor, after his wife told him she wished that type of restaurant existed.

Ding grew up in Guilin, China, where rice noodles reign. They’re thick and come with various topping such as roasted peanuts, scallions, chiles, and assorted pickles. Ding will serve his dry, as opposed to with soup, alongside a condensed gravy-like sauce and with options like roast pork and braised beef.

Yuan Noodle will also offer classic dim sum dishes, such as shumai, har gow, and vegetable dumplings.

Here's a look at the menu posted on the front window...





The address previously housed Biang!, the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang, and Alder, Wylie Dufresne's bistro.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Yuan Noodle in the works for the former Biang! space on 2nd Avenue

More about Yuan Noodle, coming soon to 2nd Avenue

In late April, we noted that there was a new restaurant in the works for 157 Second Ave.

Yuan Noodle is on this month's CB3-SLA committee agenda for a new liquor license. (You can read their CB3 questionnaire here.)

Eater has more on what's to come:

Former financier Jacob Ding is using family recipes to open a Guilin boiled rice noodle and dim sum parlor, after his wife told him she wished that type of restaurant existed.

Ding grew up in Guilin, China, where rice noodles reign. They’re thick and come with various topping such as roasted peanuts, scallions, chiles, and assorted pickles. Ding will serve his dry, as opposed to with soup, alongside a condensed gravy-like sauce and with options like roast pork and braised beef.

Yuan Noodle will also offer classic dim sum dishes, such as shumai, har gow, and vegetable dumplings.

The restaurant is now hiring ...



The address here between Ninth Street and 10th Street previously housed Biang!, the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang, and Alder, Wylie Dufresne's bistro.

Yuan Noodle in the works for the former Biang! space on 2nd Avenue

CB3 hasn't yet posted the schedule for May meetings just yet... until then, we at least know about one applicant that will appear on the SLA committee docket... an EVG reader shared this photo from 157 Second Ave. ... showing a flyer for a new restaurant called Yuan Noodle...



No word just yet who's behind this venture. Biang! — the sit-down Chinese restaurant via Xi'an Famous Foods owner Jason Wang — closed here between Ninth Street and 10th Street back in March after 15 months in business.

The previous tenant at 157 Second Ave., Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder, closed after two-and-a-half years at the end of August 2015.

If Wang and Dufresne, given their successes, couldn't make the space work ... not sure who can. Other recent restaurants here (before 2013) included Plum and Cafe Brama.

CB3's SLA committee meeting will be on May 15. We'll update when more information becomes available.