Cienfuegos bows out to make way for Honeybee's on Avenue A

As expected, Cienfuegos wrapped up its nine-plus-year run on the second floor at 95 Avenue A on New Year's Eve.

Back in November, owner Ravi DeRossi told me that it was time to change up concepts at the space. This spring, Honeybee's, specializing in plant-based Texas BBQ and bourbon and rye, will make its debut.

Like his other restaurants — LadyBird and Avant Garden, among them — the menu will be all vegan.

DeRossi told Eater that he's experimenting with a blend of mushrooms and other vegetables to create his own "meat" patties.

He says he wants to avoid “fake meat” products like seitan — instead honing in on vegetable dishes with barbecue flavors.

DeRossi brought on chef Amira Gharib to helm the kitchen. She’s spent time in fine-dining kitchens like Daniel Boulud’s Boulud Sud and Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Matador Room in Miami.

At Honeybee’s, drinks will center almost exclusively on whiskey, specifically rye and bourbon, a first for the cocktail bar owner. All-American craft beers will also be served, he says.

The corner space on Avenue A and Sixth Street also houses two other DeRossi operations — Mother of Pearl and Amor y Amargo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A concept revamp for the Cienfuegos space on Avenue A

A concept revamp for the Cienfuegos space on Avenue A

Ravi DeRossi is changing concepts at Cienfuegos, his Cuban-inspired rum bar-restaurant upstairs that opened nine-plus years ago at 95 Avenue A and Sixth Street.

The new space will be Honeybee's, specializing in plant-based Texas BBQ and bourbon and rye.

"It's been almost 10 years since I opened Cienfuegos," DeRossi said in an email. "It's still one of my favorite places, but it's time for a revamp. I was either going to update the decor, menu, etc., or completely change the concept. In the end I decided it would be a lot more fun to change the concept."

Like his other restaurants — LadyBird and Avant Garden, among them — the menu will be all vegan. He's still finalizing the food-and-drinks lineup and design.

Honeybee's is named after his dog, whom DeRossi said was a big influence on him removing the meat and dairy items from the menus in his establishments. (DeRossi started going meat free in early 2016 and launched BEAST Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to ending animal cruelty.)

The change from Cienfuegos to Honeybee's is on the agenda at tonight's CB3-SLA meeting. You can find a PDF of the application at the CB3 website.

The corner space on Avenue A and Sixth Street also houses two other DeRossi operations — Mother of Pearl and Amor y Amargo.

Some walls for Mother of Pearl

[EVG photo from July]

Well, in case anyone was curious how Mother of Pearl was going to weather the cold-weather months without any walls here at East Sixth Street and Avenue A… the bar that opened in July is now apparently getting some…





Thanks to EVG reader Dale MacDonald for the photos!

Previously on EV Grieve:
The 'Postmodern Polynesian' of Mother of Pearl replacing Gin Palace on Avenue A

Mother of Pearl softly opens on Avenue A and East 6th Street (31 comments)

Mother of Pearl softly opens on Avenue A and East 6th Street

Several EVG readers have pointed out that the northwest corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street has a new look with the (soft) opening tonight of Mother of Pearl.

Owner Ravi Derossi's tiki-influenced bar replaces Gin Palace, one of the three bars (along with Cienfuegos and Amor y Amargo) that make up 95 Avenue A. The Gin Palace space was reportedly gutted during building repairs in late 2014 and early 2015.

Mother of Pearl officially opens tomorrow night. You can read previews of the place at Zagat and Eater.



Here is the menu via Eater...

Mother of Pearl

Previously on EV Grieve:
The 'Postmodern Polynesian' of Mother of Pearl replacing Gin Palace on Avenue A

Peeling off the Gin Palace plywood on Avenue A and East Sixth Street

Workers this morning are removing the plywood at the Cienfuegos space on Avenue A and East Sixth Street...

January!

[EVG reader Creature]

And now, via Dave on 7th...





The former El Cobre on the ground floor is gone. The owners decided to change concepts. As Eater pointed out in November, the new space will house an English fish and chips restaurant called Gin Palace, "focusing on gin cocktails and old style English pub fare."

Time Out notes that the latest venture from Ravi DeRossi opens on Wednesday. They got the first look inside ... and report:

Although the bar takes its name from the swank gin joints of 1800s London, the decor channels a steampunk aesthetic with a space-age chandelier crafted from green-neon-lit bars, brass bands and light doodads; black-patent-leather walls; and a ceiling painted to resemble watch gears.

So, if we have this Cienfuegos stuff straight (which, we probably don't, as we've never been inside) ... the Cuban-influenced rum bar upstairs remains the same... ditto for the bitters tasting room called Amor y Amargo, which replaced the sandwich shop Carteles. And the main space will now serve fish 'n' chips.

Previously.

Renovations under way for a Gin Palace on Avenue A

Changes are taking place on Avenue A and East Sixth Street...

EV Grieve reader Creature sends along these photos of the Cuban-flavored Cienfuegos space... The big transformation comes with the main space — El Cobre — on the ground floor. The owners have decided to change concepts. As Eater pointed out in November, the new space will house an English fish and chips restaurant called Gin Palace, "focusing on gin cocktails and old style English pub fare."

No word on an opening date. There's no mention of this development on the Cienfuegos website.

Out with the rum, in with the gin: Cuban-influenced Cienfuegos turning British

[Photo from March 2011 by Bobby Williams]

We're still sorting through the various media accounts and eyewitness recollections from Monday night's CB3/SLA committee meeting... Here's an item of interest via Eater's coverage yesterday.

Over on Avenue A at Sixth Street, the Cienfuegos team was on the docket to change their operation. The big transformation comes with the main space — El Cobre — on the ground floor, where they serve Cuban tapas and mojitos:

They want to keep the upstairs restaurant the same but downstairs they want to run an English fish and chips restaurant. They were approved and are keeping within the same method of operation and hours of use. It will now be called Gin Palace, focusing on gin cocktails and old style English pub fare featuring a selective fish 'n' chips menu.

So, if we have this straight ... the Cuban-influenced rum bar upstairs remains the same... ditto for the bitters tasting room called Amor y Amargo, which replaced the sandwich shop Carteles. And the main space, which opened in December, will now serve fish 'n' chips.

Suppose this means a change in the decor. El Cobre is named after the town where Cuba's patron saint is located... a duplicate statue is on display inside the restaurant ...

[Bobby Williams]

At Cienfuegos, paint it black

Just the other day, we pointed out that the Cienfuegos Cuban-eatery complex on Avenue A at Sixth Street had unveiled its new sidewalk cafe...

And two readers commented on the matter, and neither was too kind:

glamma said...
that picket fence just looks so freakin stupid.

RyanAvenueA said...
i agree. for some reason it just really irks me. They did some interesting decorating that ruined it with that lumber liquidator fencing.

Well!

Yesterday, workers painted the fences black... better?

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Previously.

Cienfuegos adds some umbrellas to the mix

We've been keeping tabs on the Cienfuegos Cuban-eatery complex on Avenue A at Sixth Street ... looks like the sidewalk cafe is ready for action now ...

Sunday! (Photo by Bobby Williams)

Looks like some people were squinting, so yesterday...

... the Cienfuegos team added some umbrellas...

Not sure if this whole set up is lurch-proof and East Village-weekend battle-tested ...

Will you belly up for some bitters?

As we reported last week, Amor Y Amargo — "a bitters tasting room" — is opening in the Cienfuegos complex on Sixth Street at Avenue A.

Grub Street reports that the place opens tonight. And they have details on menu items and what not. Here's more from Grub Street:

The drinkery will be New York's first bar focused on bitters, and you can expect bitters-laced cocktails, tasting flights ... plus Mayur Subbarao's housemade sweet vermouth on draft. To complement all this: a special menu of Spanish-leaning bites from chef Luiz Gonzalez, including tortilla espanola and fried garbanzos with morcilla.

[Photo via EV Grieve reader Creature]

Cienfuegos adding a 'bitters tasting room'

Looks as if some new elements are being added to the Cienfuegos Cuban-eatery complex on Avenue A at Sixth Street... First, EV Grieve reader Creature notes that Carteles, the one-time sandwich shop here...

...will now be Amor Y Amargo — "a bitters tasting room" ... and a few other things...

Meanwhile, EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams noted some work being done on EL Cobre, the main restaurant yesterday ...

Later in the day, Bob Arihood took this photo... looks as if they'll be some open-air dining-drinking now on the corner...

[Via Nadie Se Conoce]

And, as a PS, El Cobre is named after the town where Cuba's patron saint is located... a duplicate statue is on display inside...

[Bobby Williams]

Previously

Will El Cobre be an El Shitshow?

After sitting dormant for several years, the restaurant space on Sixth Street at Avenue A finally got a new tenant in the fall of 2009 after CB3 enthusiatically endorsed a full liquor license (and within a resolution area) for the Cienfuegos complex that eventually included take-out sandwich shop Carteles and a fancy rum bar called Cocteleria....



Grub Street's Jenny Miller reports this week that El Cobre, the main-floor eatery, is opening very soon... We walked by last evening, and it sure looked ready for action — minus diners...



... Per Grub Street, El Cobre is named after the town where Cuba's patron saint is located... a duplicate statue is on display inside...



The CB3 license is also good for a sidewalk cafe, so expect a foodie shitshow here come warm-weather months...

By the way, the food at Carteles gets high marks from some readers (try the sancocho!) ... though, as the crowds descended on the upstairs rum bar...



...waits for take-out on weekend nights got too long for some neighbors ... (same kitchen services Carteles and Cocteleria... and, presumably, El Cobre...) ... The neighbors moved on to make way for the weekend warriors.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The future of 95 Avenue A

Something finally coming to 95 Avenue A

Coming soon: Work starts on Cienfuegos at long-dormant (and soon-to-be-expanded) 95 Avenue A