A St. Mark's sinkhole

This morning around 8:30, a city garbage truck got stuck when a wheel-sized section of St. Mark's Place collapsed between Avenue A and First Avenue... EVG reader Cassondra Bazelow shared these photos...





The truck was eventually freed from sinkhole captivity ... for the time being, you may want to avoid driving over this section in any type of truck...

Checking in on 886, opening later this month on St. Mark's Place

Work continues at 26 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... where 886 (or Eight Eight Six) — a full-service Taiwanese restaurant named after its country code — will open at the end of the month...



And in case you haven't read their note that has been up on the front door... the 886 owners, whose résumé includes The Tang on First Avenue, offer a few more details on what's to come...



"We will be serving an array of local Taiwanese stir fry along with some comforting and creative dishes. Our mission is to bring people together with delicious food and authentic Taiwanese hospitality." (The note also offers an apology in advance as they "approach our more 'noisy' construction period." I think that period has already passed.)

The previous tenant at No. 26, TK Kitchen, which served bubble tea and various Taiwanese street food, closed this past December.

Previously on EV Grieve:
886, next-level Taiwanese food, in the works for 26 St. Mark's Place

Mr. White debuts tonight on St. Mark's Place

Mr. White opens to the public this evening at 123 St. Mark's Place near Avenue A.

The Times describes it as a "taste of New Orleans." Here's the paper's quickie overview:

Elegant décor with crystal chandeliers, gold and black accents, a fireplace and velvet curtains are meant to evoke a Southern mansion. The chef and partner, Andrew Dunleavy, is serving chargrilled oysters, collard green spring rolls, smoked duck, shrimp and grits and brûlée bananas.

And here are some interior shots via the Mr. White website...





The Mr. White website has more on the proprietors, Jeffrey White and Kelly Rheel, who have worked at a variety of NYC bars and restaurants, here. The menu, with prices, is here.

The restaurant was open last Saturday for a friends-family preview...





The address was last home to the Belgian Room, which the state seized for nonpayment of taxes in April 2015. (It appears that the reconfigured space includes the former Ton-Up Cafe next door.)

Mr. White is open Sunday-Wednesday from 5:30-11:30 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday until 12:30 a.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mr. White bringing 'new Southern cuisine' to St. Mark's Place


[Photo Thursday by Steven]

886, next-level Taiwanese food, in the works for 26 St. Mark's Place

[Photo from Jan. 23]

Last week we noted that a new Taiwanese restaurant is in the works for 26 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

There was an undated Community Board notice in the window noting that Tasty Taiwan LLC plans to open a restaurant with a beer-wine license...



The questionnaire for the new venture is now online (PDF here). According to the paperwork on file, the new venture is called 886 (or Eight Eighty Six, Taiwan’s country code), a full-service Taiwanese restaurant open daily from noon to midnight. The space, from operators with experience at The Tang on First Avenue, will accommodate 12 tables seating 20 diners.

Co-owner and chef Eric Sze told this to Eater: "I’m really happy to see Taiwanese food popping up everywhere, but the introductory stuff — beef noodle soup, boba, and fried chicken — has been done. There’s a lot more to offer, and we want to take it to the next level."

This item will NOT be heard during CB3's SLA meeting on Feb. 12. The meeting is in the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The previous tenant at No. 26, TK Kitchen, which served bubble tea and various Taiwanese street food, closed in December.

Some Tasty Taiwan for the former TK Kitchen on St. Mark's Place

TK Kitchen, which served bubble tea and various Taiwanese street food, closed in December here on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The goodbye noted posted to the TK Facebook page left the door open for a return: "[W]e have a new idea [that we are] planning at the moment, we will be back soon!"

There is now a Community Board notice up in the window (the February meeting hasn't been announced yet) ... noting that Tasty Taiwan LLC plans to open a restaurant ... and they will be applying for a beer-wine license...

Tuesday's parting shot

This mural arrived over the weekend here on St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue... Interstellar work by @dirtcobain and @outersource ...

And another angle via @dirtcobain ...

Kulture moves on St. Mark's Place

Kulture, the tattoo-piercings-jewelry-smoke shop, is leaving its home at 23 St. Mark's Place ... and headed east several storefronts to the upper level of No. 31 here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



This opens up a prime storefront in the same complex that houses the St. Mark's Market and Chipotle. Kulture arrived here in in 2011. Previously, the space was the short-lived St. Mark's Cafe, Red Mango, Quizno's and, until June 2008, the CBGB shop...

An early start on the holidays on St. Mark's Place

These went up yesterday (Halloween!) on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...





These seems about three weeks earlier than usual...

The Dessert Kitchen opens on St. Mark's Place

The Dessert Kitchen is up and running (in soft-open mode) at 94 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

They serve "homemade Asian-fusion-styled desserts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan," per their Facebook page.(Menu here.)



The Dessert Kitchen was previously over at 192 Bleecker St. near Sixth Avenue. I do not know the circumstances behind the closure there and move here.

This space on St. Mark's adjacent to Fun City Tattoo was previously a residence. Workers converted it into a storefront back in the late winter and early spring.

Dumpster of the Day

Putting one to good use yesterday on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... photos by Derek Berg

Also coming soon and hiring: Szechuan Mountain House on St. Mark's Place

There's a new Coming Soon banner on the upper level at 19-23 St. Mark's Place for Szechuan Mountain House, an offshoot of the establishment with the same name in Flushing.

The restaurant is hiring, per the sign on the front door here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...



Szechuan Mountain House is next door to Mango Mango, serving desserts from Hong Kong ... they are still in the Grand Opening phase...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Mango Mango bringing more dessert to St. Mark's Place

Szechuan Mountain House coming to St. Mark's Place

1st LinkNYC kiosk arrives on St. Mark's Place

This blessed event happened yesterday just west of Second Avenue near the former 7-Eleven.

Previously

It's 1958 (still) on St. Mark's Place — not to mention Christmas

It's like Santa's Workshop on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... where crews have been busy prepping for shooting the Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" ... the dramedy is set in 1958. And apparently around Christmas, as these photos via Scuba Diva show...







Some of the storefronts have been redressed to look like old-timey businesses...


[You in the Iron Maiden shirt — move to another decade!]

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Meanwhile!

The block is full of some old-timey automobiles as well, as Derek Berg discovered...









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Looks like a big shoot... as of early this morning, there wasn't any parking allowed on parts of Avenue A from St. Mark's Place to Sixth Street, and on a few of the side streets...



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Updated 8 p.m.



Here's a look at Physical Graffitea on St. Mark's Place this evening... dressed up as Quality Shoe Repair for the shoot, but open for business right now...



Photos by Steven...

Meanwhile, on the most humid day of summer, Christmas comes to St. Mark's Place

Film crews for the Amazon series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" beat the Astor Place Kmart to setting up a Christmas display... crews are on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue prepping for scenes for the dramedy set in 1958.

The scene provided a WTF moment for EVG regular Jose Garcia, who shared these photos...

A Cheers Cut sneak peek on St. Mark's Place

As we reported on Aug. 10, Cheers Cut, the Taiwanese fast-food restaurant that specializes in fried chicken, is opening an outpost at 36 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

EVG Cheers Cut contributor Steven got a look inside the opening-soon space on Friday...



Here's more about Cheers Cut:

Our Taiwanese-inspired cuisine features flavorful, fresh dishes that deliver an unforgettable experience to your taste buds. We revolve our business around the goal of providing our customers with quality food and service. The menu features a variety of selections, including our famous crispy fried chicken and seafood dishes cooked to perfection, as well as other recipes ranging from bento boxes to noodles.

No official word on the opening date. Aside from Flushing and Elmhurst, Cheers Cut has locations in Philadelphia and Tampa.

The previous tenant here was Friterie Belgian Fries, which closed back in January after nearly 18 months of deep frying.

A new mural on St. Mark's Place

The van Gogh era has ended on St. Mark's Place ...

A new mural by arrived yesterday via Melbourne street artist Matt Adnate ...



The wall between Avenue A and First Avenue is maintained by the Bushwick Collective.