Former Old Monk space for rent on Avenue B

[Photos yesterday by Steven]

It didn't take long for a for-rent sign to arrive at 175 Avenue B, the now-former home of Old Monk at 11th Street.

Back on Monday, we noted that Old Monk hadn't been open for the past week-plus during announced business hours. A rep for the Indian restaurant confirmed the closure in an email on Tuesday, noting "It just didn’t work out."

No word on possible asking rent at the moment... the for-rent signs are homemade for now...



Old Monk, from prolific restaurateur Sushil Malhotra, opened in July 2017. Previous restaurants at this address have included Babu Ji, Spina, Uovo and Panificio.

Old Monk has not been open lately on Avenue B

Updated Jan. 15: Ownership confirmed the closure

Reader reports are coming in about the status of Old Monk, the Indian restaurant on Avenue B at 11th Street.

EVG regulars Salim and Vinny & O point out that Old Monk has not been open lately...



... with a handwritten closed sign taped to the front door this past week...



The interior appears to have been mostly cleaned out...





There isn't any message about a closure, permanent or temporary, on the Old Monk website or social media properties. The phone is currently disconnected. (We sent them an email asking about their status, and will update if they respond.)

Old Monk, from prolific restaurateur Sushil Malhotra, whose ventures include Cafe Spice, opened here in July 2017. (People seemed to like the food ... and they were good neighbors, offering a free buffet on Thanksgiving Day 2017 and 2018.)

The address here, 175 Avenue B, has seen a variety of cuisine in recent years, including Babu Ji (2015-17) and Spina (2009-2015). Previous restaurants here were Uovo and Panificio.

Photo credits: Salim, top three, and Vinny & O, the last two

Old Monk offering a free meal this Thanksgiving

Via the EVG inbox...

This Thanksgiving, Avenue B’s contemporary Indian restaurant Old Monk will serve a complimentary Thanksgiving buffet to all patrons that visit.

To thank the neighborhood that has embraced the restaurant since it opened this past summer, as well as help those in need, Chef/Co-owner Navjot Arora has crafted Indian-inspired Thanksgiving dishes including Turkey Meatballs in a curry sauce, Tandoori Chicken Wings, Carrot & Green Bean Poriyal with coconut, Cumin Potatoes, House-Baked Naan Bread, Cranberry chutney with mango yogurt and more.

He hopes to feed more than 300 New York City residents who may not have an opportunity to celebrate the holiday with a warm meal.

WHEN: Thanksgiving, Thursday Nov. 23 from noon-3 p.m.

WHERE: 175 Avenue B at 11th Street

A rep for Old Monk told me that "Anyone who walks through the door will be welcomed. They just need to show up during the [noon-to-3 p.m.] time frame."

EVG file photo via Cheyenne

[Updated] Old Monk looking ready to open

Old Monk, a new Indian restaurant, is shaping up on the northeast corner of Avenue B and 11th Street... the paper is off the windows, as these photos by EVG reader Cheyenne show...



The sign on the window notes that Old Monk is opening soon ...



And it looks ready to serve diners...



There's a teaser site for Old Monk, though it doesn't have the menu posted just yet. The restaurant's Instagram account describes the Old Monk as serving "contemporary Indian soul food."

Prolific restaurateur Sushil Malhotra, whose ventures include Cafe Spice, is behind the Old Monk along with chef Navjot Arora of Chutney Masala in Westchester.

The address here, 175 Avenue B, has seen a variety of cuisine in recent years, including Babu Ji (2015-17) and Spina (2009-2015).

Updated 7/15

The restaurant is now open...

1st sign of the Old Monk on Avenue B

The Old Monk awning and signage has arrived at the northeast corner of Avenue B and 11th Street ... where Sushil Malhotra, founder of Curry in a Hurry, Akbar Dawat and Café Spice, among others, is opening the Indian restaurant. We haven't heard anything else about the project just yet.

Babu Ji, the previous tenant, closed in March following the disclosure of a second wage-theft and overtime lawsuit against owners Jessi and Jennifer Singh. (Babu Ji later reemerged at 22 E. 13th St. between Fifth Avenue and University Place.)

Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photo!

Veteran restaurateur Sushil Malhotra opening Old Monk in former Babu Ji space on Avenue B

Sushil Malhotra, founder of Curry in a Hurry, Akbar Dawat and Café Spice, among others, is opening Old Monk at the former Babu Ji space on Avenue B at 11th Street.

Malhotra confirmed the news in an email. He described it as an "exciting Indian concept coming up soon." In a follow-up phone call, he said that "it's definitely going to be a fun place." He said they were still working out details on decor and pricing, and wasn't quite ready to share more details.

Malhotra and his team, which includes chef Navjot Arora (a partner and executive chef at the well-regarded Chutney Masala Indian Bistro in Westchester County), are on this month's CB3 SLA committee docket for a beer-wine license for 175 Avenue B. (This item will not be heard during the committee meeting on May 15.)

The listed hours for Old Monk are 5-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1-11 p.m. on Saturday, and noon-10 p.m. on Sunday.

Westchester Magazine had a profile on Malhotra from 2012. Per the article:

The last time you had a yen for Indian cuisine, Sushil Malhotra probably satisfied your craving, albeit indirectly. Have you ever had a fantastic meal at Chutney Masala in Irvington or taken clients to dinner at Dawat in Manhattan? Maybe you’ve picked up lunch at the Café Spice booth in Grand Central’s Dining Concourse. And if you frequent Whole Foods Market, you may have savored the Indian food from its hot bar.

You can thank Malhotra for all of those culinary delights. The Irvington resident also can be given major credit for bringing upscale Indian food to the United States. In fact, the food from Malhotra’s empire, Café Spice, is now so popular that he can hardly keep up with the demand.

Malhotra grew up in India and moved to NYC in 1966 at age 17. Per the article: "He and his father opened a small spice business that supplied South Asian spices, chutneys, and crispy breads to New York City’s curry houses. The Malhotras stored their spices in their Jackson Heights garage, and Sushil used his weekends to join his father in dropping off chutney and spices to Indian restaurants in Manhattan and Queens." In 1976, he quit engineering to become a restaurateur.

Old Monk's arrival also marks the end of Babu Ji, which went dark in early March. A sign, since removed, at the door noted that they were "taking a break."



The closure followed a report by Eater's Ryan Sutton outlining details of a second wage-theft and overtime lawsuit against owners Jessi and Jennifer Singh.

Babu Ji opened in June 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Babu Ji on Avenue B hit with another wage lawsuit