1 year after building fire, A&C Kitchen grandly reopens on Avenue C

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Great news for fans of A&C Kitchen — the longtime quick-serve and affordable Chinese restaurant reopened yesterday at 136 Avenue C after more than a year on the sidelines. (H/T Ryan John Lee for the first report.)

Mr. Li, who has owned the business for 30-plus years, was happy to see many returning customers...

It had been a rough 13 months here. 

On Feb. 27, 2023, a two-alarm fire broke out behind the building between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. Initial reports blamed a "lit object" discarded from a window down to the courtyard. 

The fire destroyed a ground-floor apartment. A&C Kitchen sustained some water damage — mostly in its basement. 

However, as we understand it, the gas was shut off as a precaution, and it took some time (and red-tape cutting) to get all the proper approvals in place ... and the various inspections.

We've mentioned this before: One of the original chefs from Dojo works here, and the menu includes such old favorites as the hijiki tofu burger. 

Find the restaurant's website here. For phone orders: (212) 677-8112. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• The owner of A&C Kitchen on Avenue C would like to reopen his business now

Help for A&C Kitchen, which remains closed after a late-February fire

Photo of Mr. Li from March by Stacie Joy 

On Feb. 27, a two-alarm fire broke out at 136 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. 

Initial reports blamed a "lit object" discarded from a residential window down to the courtyard in the rear of the building. Unfortunately, a groundfloor tenant, A&C Kitchen, the longtime quick-serve and affordable Chinese restaurant, remains closed. 

Sierra Zamarripa, who owns Lovewild Design next door, recently started a crowdfunding campaign to help Mr. Li, who has run A&C Kitchen for 30-plus years, with lost income over the past two months as well as other additional reopening expenses. 

You can find the link here.

The owner of A&C Kitchen on Avenue C would like to reopen his business now

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

On Feb. 27, a two-alarm fire broke out at 136 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street.

Initial reports put the blame on a "lit object" discarded from a window down to the courtyard in the rear of the building. 

 The fire destroyed a ground-floor apartment. As a precaution, the FDNY opened up some walls and the ceiling in the kitchen at the Wayland on the corner, causing them to be closed for a few days to repair the drywall. (They reopened on March 2.) 

Meanwhile, A&C Kitchen, the longtime quick-serve and affordable Chinese restaurant sustained some water damage — mostly in its basement. 

Now, more than 10 days after the fire, Mr. Li, who has owned A&C Kitchen for the past 30 years, is frustrated with the city's response and the bureaucratic process.

Mr. Li says the electricity and gas are still turned off to his business, even though they have restored both services to the residents and nearby commercial tenants. 

He pointed out that there is no fire damage to his restaurant and that any water damage in the basement has been cleaned up and the smoke scent mediated. Still, he has lost two weeks of business. 

He is actively looking for assistance from the community and hopes that local elected officials might help him cut through the red tape...

Mr. Li also noted that people who live in the building are still tossing lit cigarettes out the windows and fears they may have a similar issue again...

After the fire at 136 Avenue C; A&C Kitchen damaged

Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy

The cleanup continues after a two-alarm fire broke out at 136 Avenue C on Monday morning. 

According to sources at the scene, someone tossed a lit cigarette from a residence in the rear of the building between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. The cigarette landed in a pile of recyclables and ignited something combustible in the interior courtyard, causing an explosion that shattered several windows. The fire traveled up the A&C Kitchen shaft to the roof. 

The FDNY issued an "under control" roughly 38 minutes after the first report on Monday. 

Several ground-floor businesses were damaged, including flooding at the A&C Kitchen, the affordable and reliable quick-serve Chinese restaurant. They will be closed for the foreseeable future.

On the corner, the Wayland will reopen on Thursday, per an Instagram announcement ... there was a cleanup crew inside the cocktail lounge, which looked intact ...

Around the corner, Ninth Street Espresso was open...

On Avenue C, Lovewild Design, the sustainable gifts and stationery shop, was also spared from fire-related damage...

... EVG contributor Stacie Joy spotted owner Sierra Zamarripa, her daughter Cecilia and mother Thea Boyer on duty...

As for apartments, a unit on the first floor near the blaze was scorched. Aside from some broken windows, we didn't hear of any other damage to residences. A tenant on the third floor said his unit was fine.

Quick-serve veteran China Town closing on East Houston after 32 years in business

Sunday is the last day for the quick-serve China Town Restaurant at 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

However, you may see them again this fall. Ownership of the 32-year-old establishment there told EVG contributor Stacie Joy that they are negotiating to buy A & C Kitchen on Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. 

Door signage for patrons hints at this...

As we've been reporting, the businesses in the unrenovated section of this retail strip have been announcing plans to move or close. 

The FedEx Office Print & Ship Center and Kapri Cleaners are moving into remodeled storefronts along No. 250. The Subway (sandwich shop) and Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins combo are closing soon without plans for new locations. The Mattress Mart previously shuttered along this corridor. 

Multiple sources along this corridor have said a new residential building is in the works here. Four sources have told Stacie that the one-level row of storefronts is facing demolition. 

This is still speculation: Nothing about a new building or demolition has shown up in DOB records. (We're told that plans will be revealed once all the businesses have left. The photo below is from 2018.)

The 13-floor residential building at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square, changed ownership in the fall of 2016 ... and underwent extensive renovations.