City removes curbside dining structure at Amor Y Amargo on 6th and A

The EVG inbox is lighting up with news from Sixth Street and Avenue A... where as around noon, DOT workers are demolishing the curbside dining structure at Amor Y Amargo...

For this, the city has shut down Avenue A to through traffic from Fifth Street to Seventh Street.

The space looked to be one of the nicer curbside structures around... though it hadn't been in service in recent months.

In August, the city started removing dining sheds from outside closed establishments ... or restaurant and bars that were no longer using the street spaces. (To be clear, Amor Y Amargo remains open.) 

The city said this about curbside structures that are still in use:

The task force will also review sheds that, while potentially active, are particularly egregious violators of Open Restaurants program guidelines. In these cases, sheds will be inspected three separate times before action is taken. After each of the first two failed inspections, DOT will issue notices instructing the restaurant owner to correct the outstanding issues; after the third visit, DOT will issue a termination letter and allow 48 hours before issuing a removal notice. DOT will then remove the structure and store it for 90 days — if the owner does not reclaim it in that period, DOT will dispose of the structure.

City officials are currently finalizing legislation for the open restaurants program. 

A look at the larger Amor y Amargo on A; plus Soda Club signage arrives on B

As previously reported, East Village restaurateur Ravi DeRossi is turning 95 Avenue A into an expanded Amor y Amargo... the gates were up the other day here on Sixth Street, offering a look at the new signage in progress...





No. 95 previously housed three of DeRossi's establishments: Honey Bee's, Amor y Amargo and Mother of Pearl. Honey Bee's and Mother of Pearl closed to accommodate the larger Amor y Amargo, which will now also include a full food menu.

Amor y Amargo debuted in 2011 with just a handful of seats, and quickly became celebrated as the country's first bitters-based bar.

In other DeRossi developments, signage recently arrived for Soda Club here at 155 Avenue B between Ninth Street and 10th Street...



Soda Club will feature fresh-made pasta and "over 100 natural and inexpensive wines." No word on an opening date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Mother of Pearl and Honey Bee's close to make way for a larger Amor y Amargo on Avenue A

• Ravi Derossi has Soda Club in the works for Avenue B