Jiang Diner owners taking over the former Jule's Bistro space on St. Mark's Place

The owner of Jiang Diner and Hot Kitchen is opening a new restaurant at 65 St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue — the former Jule's Bistro space.

Tao An was on CB3's SLA docket last night for a wine-beer license for the space, going by Jiang Kitchen. (This item had received administrative approval, and An did not appear before the committee.)

According to the applicant's questionnaire posted on the CB3 website, Jiang Kitchen will feature 15 tables to accommodate 60 guests. Although the restaurant will serve beer and wine with meals, there is no bar for guests inside the space.

The hours: Sunday-Thursday from noon to 10 p.m. with an 11 p.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays. 

This pending arrival means the end of Jiang Diner on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The restaurant, which served Xinjiang-styled Northwestern Chinese food, closed for a summer break in late July. That space has since been cleared out. 

Jiang Diner opened in the spring of 2019 and drew praise for its big-plate chicken and other dishes.

An also operated Hot Kitchen, a Sichuan restaurant, at 104 Second Ave. at Sixth Street. After a solid start in 2011, some regulars felt as if the quality began to diminish. In 2018, Hot Kitchen transformed its menu and added traditional Sichuan Skewer Hotpot and BBQ. (Jiang Diner also briefly moved into this space, which is now for rent.)

Jules Bistro never reopened after the March 2020 PAUSE. Workers cleaned out the space last September.
 

The casual French spot, which opened in 1993, offered free live jazz every night... and with its French film posters on the walls and red leather booths, it provided a throwback getaway on St. Mark's Place.

Restaurateur Georges (Café Noir, Bar Tabac, Cercle Rouge) Forgeois said that there wasn't really much room for outdoor dining here and running the place with 25-percent indoor capacity at the time last fall wasn't going to cut it. 

H/T Steven

Jiang Diner is on a break

We've fielded questions about the status of Jiang Diner at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The business has been closed this past week... and there isn't any notice on the premises to patrons at the well-regarded restaurant (try the Big Plate Chicken) about what's happening here. 

However, there is a post, dated July 18, on Instagram: "Jiang Diner has been in constant operation throughout this pandemic ... It is time for us to take a break. We will be back."

Jiang Diner debuted in the spring of 2019 "with a mission to introduce authentic Xinjiang-styled Northwestern Chinese food and culture to New York City."

You can follow them on Instagram for reopening info.

Photo by Steven

The Marshal seizes the former Hot Kitchen space

[Photo by Steven]

The Marshal came calling late last week, seizing the former Hot Kitchen at 104 Second Ave. at Sixth Street.

This marks the latest development in a whirlwind few months at this space. On Feb. 19, the 10-month-old Jiang Diner decamped from the address and returned to to its previous location at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue after just six weeks.

Jiang moved to Second Avenue for a bigger dining room and kitchen to expand their offerings. In a comment on Instagram, Jiang Diner stated: "unfortunately there are some complications with the ... space."

Hot Kitchen opened in September 2011. In 2018, Hot Kitchen transformed its menu and added traditional Sichuan Skewer Hotpot and BBQ to their menu. (They also stopped deliveries.) They eventually closed this past October.

At the beginning of December, a venture called Sushi & Sake started offering Japanese cuisine. That venture lasted a short month before Jiang Diner announced it was moving here. According to the Times back in August, Tao An, the owner of Jiang Diner, was also behind Hot Kitchen.

On second thought, Jiang Diner is moving back to 5th Street

After six weeks at 104 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street, Jiang Diner is returning to its previous location at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...



There isn't any reason cited on the note to patrons, other than that Jiang Diner, which offers Northwestern Chinese cuisine, including the popular Xinjiang big plate chicken, will be back on Fifth Street starting today.

So to recap: Jiang Diner, which has been a hit since opening last spring on Fifth Street, moved to the former Hot Kitchen space on Second Avenue. (According to the Times back in August, Tao An, the owner of Jiang Diner, was also behind Hot Kitchen.)

The Fifth Street location was set to become a quick-serve establishment...


[Photo on 5th Street from Jan. 4]

So 104 Second Ave., long stuck under that sidewalk bridge, will be vacant again. As we've noted, Hot Kitchen, the Sichuan specialists, went from serving terrific food to a more pedestrian hotpot.

At the beginning of December, the restaurant started offering Japanese cuisine under the name Sushi & Sake. That venture lasted a short month.

Thank you to Steven for the photos and tip!

Previously

Jiang Diner opening a second East Village outpost

Jiang Diner, which has become a hit since opening last spring at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, is opening a second outpost that debuts tomorrow (Jan. 7).

The Diner, which offers Northwestern Chinese cuisine, including the popular Xinjiang big plate chicken, is moving around the corner to 104 Second Ave. The current location will become a quick-serve establishment. A note for patrons on Fifth Street offers an explanation...

In order to serve a more extensive variety of Northwestern Chinese food to our valued customers, Jiang Diner is moving to a new location in the East Village at 104 2nd Ave. with a better equipped kitchen on Jan. 7, 2020.

We will serve new fast-service Chinese inspired dishes such as wonton, noodles, and congees at this location. We kindly welcome you to stop by both of our locations to explore the electric taste of Chinese cuisine!

So, 104 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street was Hot Kitchen. As we've noted, the Sichuan specialists went from serving terrific food to a more pedestrian hotpot.

At the beginning of December, the restaurant started 0ffering Japanese cuisine under the name Sushi & Sake ... and by this past weekend, the place was closed...


[Photo Saturday by Steven]

According to the Times back in August, Tao An, the owner of Jiang Diner, was also behind Hot Kitchen:

He also owns the nearby Hot Kitchen, a Sichuan restaurant, but the proliferation of Sichuan spots in downtown Manhattan has meant tougher competition and difficulty retaining chefs, Mr. An said. Jiang Diner began as a way for him to serve the Xinjiang-style food he loved as a young man growing up in Beijing, and to offer the neighborhood a different option.

It's not known at the moment who was running the Japanese restaurant in the Hot Kitchen space these past few weeks.

In any event, as of yesterday, Jiang Diner signage is now outside No. 104 ...


[Photo by Steven]

... as is a variation of the sign from Fifth Street...



H/T to Eden and Steven!

Jiang Diner now in soft-open mode on 5th Street

Here's a little more information about Jiang Diner, which is now in a soft opening here at 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

According to their website: "Jiang Diner was founded with a mission to introduce authentic Xinjiang-styled Northwestern Chinese food and culture to New York City."

You can find their menu online here.



For now, Jiang's hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, with a 3 p.m. opening on Saturday and Sunday.

Jiang Diner coming soon to 5th Street

An EVG reader shares these photos from 309 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... showing the signage in place for Jiang Diner, which, according to a quick exchange with a worker, will be a noodle bar...



Don't have any other information at the moment. This address was previously SobaKoh, which closed in July 2017.