What's coming to the former Mochinut space on 2nd Avenue

Photos by Steven 

Renovations continue at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, where we're told an udon noodle restaurant is opening soon. 

The operators are also behind Okiboru House of Tsukemen on Orchard Street. 

The new establishment takes over the space from Mochinut, the quickly expanding California-born chain known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs. The business opened here in August 2021 and closed the following year.

H/T Stacie Joy

Mochinut is looking closed

Photos by Steven 

Several readers have noted that the Mochinut outpost at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place is looking like a permanent shutter.

The space has been cleared out... which corresponded with a hand-delivered legal notice on the front door...

There isn't any mention of a temporary or permanent closure on the brand's website or social media properties. (We sent them a message via their Instagram account.)

The shop was closed for nearly two months this past spring with a DOH notice stating "operating without a permit."

The quickly expanding California-born chain known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs opened here in August 2021. 

Openings: Mochinut on 2nd Avenue, Little Rebel on 2nd Avenue

Two recent openings to note...

• Mochinut, 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place

The quickly expanding company known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs is up and running (H/T Steven). This is location No. 31 for the California-born chain with 90 more U.S. outposts in the works.

You can find the menu here. Mochinut opens daily at noon with a 10 p.m. close; 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Previously.

• Little Rebel, 219 Second Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street

The two-level bar-restaurant, run by hospitality vets Dermont Lynch and Jarek Krukow, features a bar and booths on the first floor with "a Victorian-style room with high ceilings, crown molding, chandeliers and balcony" upstairs that's currently open on weekends and for brunch

The concept-y drinks menu via Brooke Smith of the Dead Rabbit includes the Charlie's Angel — a rum, Cointreau combo "topped with 'Angel Dust' glitter."

You can find the food-drinks menu here. Little Rebel opens daily at 11 a.m. with a midnight close Sunday and Monday; 2 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. 

Previously.

Mochinut bringing mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs to 2nd Avenue

There was action at the former Dumpling Shop this past week (top photo by Steven) ... as workers were prepping the space for something.

And just like that, the signage for the new business arrived on Saturday here on the east side of Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place... (thanks to Alexander Romanovich for the pics!).

Mochinut, the quickly expanding California-born chain known for its mochi doughnuts and Korean-style hot dogs, will be making its EV debut in the weeks ahead...

Here's info on the business, including their specialties ... 

Mochi Donuts are made with rice flour. The rice flour makes Mochi Donuts stretchy and chewy. There is a sticky addictiveness to each bite, a textural element that is completely different from yeast or cake donuts. Mochinut is receiving attention from people for its unique shape which is made of a connected circle of 8 dough balls. 

Mochinut, which has 20 locations in the United States with 90 (!!!) more on the way, also serves Korean rice flour hotdogs... photo below via the Mochinut website... 

Find their menu here. 

The owners of Dumpling Shop, citing the challenges of running a small business during the pandemic, closed here at the end of 2020 after two-plus years.