Openings: A10 Kitchen on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A10 Kitchen debuted on Tuesday at 162 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street... (we mentioned the restaurant seeking a liquor license back in February.)

Owner Enkeleda Kelmendi (below left) was all set for a March 15 grand opening... 

You can find the menu, featuring bistro fare — salads, sandwiches and main dishes such as steak frites and halibut — at the A10 website. You can find their Instagram account here. A10 is open daily from noon to 10 p.m.

Flinders Lane closed here in August 2018 after five-plus years in service. Before the Australian restaurant, this space was The Beagle ... and Orologio before that.

Openings: Jose Luis Mediterranean Cuisine on Avenue B

Jose Luis recently opened here at 186 Avenue B between 11th Street and 12th Street... 

Don't know anything about the owners at the moment. You can find their menu of Mediterranean cuisine at the Jose Luis website. They are open daily from 5 to 11 p.m. with curbside and backyard seating available.

This space was previously Very Thai.

New sushi options rolling in; Rosella opening on Avenue A

You've likely noticed the activity at 137 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street of late... Rosella, an environmentally conscious sushi restaurant, is ready to open soon.

Here's more about Rosella:

Former Uchiko chefs Jeff Miller and Yoni Lang will be offering a sushi tasting menu, complemented by small plates and à la carte service, with an emphasis on locally sourced, sustainable fish and seasonal ingredients. Beverage director and co-owner TJ Provenzano, previously of Mayanoki and Rooftop Reds, has curated a selection of domestic wine, cider, and small-batch sake. The restaurant features a spanning wooden bar and fabric walls to create a warm, inviting environment, as well as outdoor seating.

The address was previously Three Seat Espresso.

Meanwhile! Via the tipline... we're told that the new business at 84 E. Second St. just west of First Avenue is called Yo! Sushi, which is now only open for delivery ... this is in the former Julie's Vintage space, as you can see... don't know anything else about this operation, such as if it's affiliated with the YO! Sushi chain (don't see any conveyor belts!) ...

 

H/T Steven!

Taco time: Amigo debuts on 2nd Avenue

Amigo officially opens today at 29 Second Ave. between First Street and Second Street (it has been in soft-open mode).

As previously reported, Amigo is a collaboration between Chef Ruben Rodriguez of Nai Tapas at 85 Second Ave. and Juan “Billy” Acosta, whose family runs the much-ballyhooed Carnitas El Momo in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Rodriguez and Acosta met and decided to team up for what L.A. Taco says will be "arguably the best carnitas you will ever find in the U.S."

From an Eater preview the other day: "The restaurant's headlining carnitas tacos ($6), from Acosta, comes in three meaty varieties: Maciza, or bone-in pork butt; buche, or pork stomach; cueritos, or pork skin; or diners can order a mix of all three on a taco. Carnitas tacos abound in the East Village, but this pork’s reputation is second to none."

You can find the menu at Amigo's website... and foods pics on Instagram. And the hours: Monday through Thursday from 5-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from noon to midnight; and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m.

Photos courtesy of Amigo

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The best carnitas in Los Angeles are coming to the East Village

Kyuramen bringing ramen to 210 E. 14th St.

Kyuramen, a Taiwan-based ramen chain with 120 locations worldwide, is the new tenant for 210 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (First reported by the Commercial Observer.)

This marks only the second U.S. Kyuramen outpost, joining the one in Flushing.

This arrival also marks the third ramen chain to set up shop in the East Village this year, joining Strings Ramen on Second Avenue at 12th Street and Sanpoutei Gyoza & Ramen, which remains closed for now on Second Avenue near Fifth Street.

Chickpea was the last tenant at 210 E. 14th St., closing in April 2018.

H/T Upper West Sider!

La Mia Pizza debuts on 4th Avenue

La Mia Pizza is now open here on Fourth Avenue between 12th Street and 13th Street for takeout, delivery and limited sidewalk seating ... as previously noted, this is an outpost of La Mia Pizza on First Avenue in Yorkville.

Check out their menu, which includes calzones, salads and wings, right here.

Pie by the Pound closed here in July 2019 after 17 years in business. A regular told us at the time that the lease was up, and the owner wanted to pursue other opportunities.

The Dolar Shop bringing hot pot to 3rd Avenue and 11th Street

The Dolar Shop, a global hot pot chain with 50-plus locations, is opening an outpost on the southeast coast of Third Avenue and 11th Street... this will be the second NYC location for the Dolar Shop, joining the one out in Flushing.

This space was previously Wagamama, the London-based chain serving Japanese-inspired cuisine. Wagamama lasted 18 months before fizzling out in April 2019.

Thanks to Vinny & O for the photo and tip!

Wild Son-Good Night Sonny team bringing plant-based burgers to St. Mark's with Pop's Eat-Rite

Signage is up now at 123 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue for Pop's Eat-Rite, a plant-based burger joint...



Here's more about the operation via the team behind Good Night Sonny, the Wild Son and the Wayland:

Pop’s Eat-Rite is a plant-based fast service burger joint, opening on St. Mark's Place in September 2020. We will serve a classic smashburger, made using Impossible Meat. Our meatless menu is our updated take on a classic burger stand, with fries, veggie sides, vegan donuts, soft-serve, smoothies and frozen lemonade and will be entirely free of animal products.

Pop’s was born from the idea that the landscape of the restaurant industry has changed suddenly and like never before. In these times we want to offer our neighborhood a convenient, responsible product at a fair price...

Earlier in 2019, the team — Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall — had plans for a steakhouse at No. 123 (most recently Mr. White). However, CB3's SLA committee nixed a full-liquor request for that spot in March 2019.

Veeray Da Dhaba debuts on 1st Avenue

Veeray Da Dhaba debuted last week here at 222 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

A trio of NYC restaurateurs joined forces to open this spot that promises the "authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab"

The Instagram post below has more info ... you can find their menu here for takeout and delivery. They are open daily from noon to 10 p.m.

View this post on Instagram

Sonny Solomon - a native of Punjab & backed by 25 years of experience at critically acclaimed restaurants in NYC, Hemant Mathur - the renown Michelin star chef, and Binder Saini - native of Punjab & former Executive Chef of Kurry Qulture (winner of the Best Indian Restaurant in Queens), create a delectable menu promising to entice and offer a glimpse into Punjab’s authentic taste and culture. To indulge, call (212) 777-1420 or visit veeraydadhaba.com. #punjabifood #indianfood #unionsquare #eastvillage #sohonyc #noho #grubstreet #eatlocal #eaterny #veeraydadhaba #indianchef #punjabi #west village

A post shared by Veeray da Dhaba (@veeray_da_dhaba) on Aug 28, 2020 at 1:33pm PDT

Veeray Da Dhaba is the third promising new food business to open on First Avenue between 11th Street and 14th Street in recent weeks... joining Lhasa and Petit Chou...

Sanshi Rice Noodle coming to 2nd Avenue and 7th Street

There's a new restaurant tenant for the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street... signage arrived on Friday for Sanshi Rice Noodle...



We don't have any information about the restaurant at the moment.

This prime corner space has been vacant since Bar Virage closed in December 2018 after 20-plus years in business. Ravi DeRossi had designs on a vegan diner here, though those plans didn't get past the Community Board stage.

Lhasa, the celebrated Tibetan restaurant in Queens, opens an East Village outpost

Lhasa, the celebrated Tibetan restaurant that started with a tiny outpost in Jackson Heights, debuted its East Village location yesterday on the southwest corner of First Avenue and 11th Street. (These photos via Steven are from Friday.)







Here's more about the Jackson Heights spot — first championed by Anthony Bourdain on his show "Parts Unknown" — from Atlas Obscura ... "the Tibetan surprise at the end of a corridor of cell phone shops, a tailoring business, and jewelry stores."

For lovers of momos, Tibetan dumplings filled with pork or beef and heaps of chives or cilantro, Lhasa has been an open secret. ... The decor is sparse, the tableware disposable, but the food is a hearty invitation into Tibetan food culture. Steaming bowls of thenthuk, hand-pulled nubs of noodles swimming in a tomato-chili broth replete with vegetables and beef, are popular, as is shapta, fiery strips of beef fried with mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. Bamboo steamers full of momos occupy every table, served with a hot sauce that feels like a call to arms.

Owner-chef Sang Jien Ben grew up in the Tibetan town of Rebkong in what is today Qinghai Province, China, as the Times noted in an enthusiastic write up in 2017. He opened an easier-to-find space in Elmhurst last year called Lhasa Fresh Food.

On First Avenue, Lhasa is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, with an 11 p.m. close on weekends.

The previous tenant here, Little Tong, closed after three years in in mid-March. (They did return shortly after for donation-based takeout meals.)

In an Instagram post from March, Simone Tong, Little Tong's chef and owner, cited the coronavirus outbreak as the driving force behind the closure. The Midtown East location remains open. She also opened Silver Apricot to great fanfare in the West Village several weeks ago.

Fish ahoy! The Chippery debuts on 1st Avenue

The Chippery, which specializes in fish and chips, debuted over the weekend at 85 First Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

As noted back in January, this is the first Manhattan outpost for the New Jersey-based chainlet, which currently has four locations in the Garden State.

The quick-serve establishment offers a variety of fried seafood platters and sandwiches. You can find their menu here.

Last evening Goggla tried the house speciality (fish and chips!) and a side of jalapeño poppers ... and gave both dishes high marks...



Thanks to everyone who pointed out the opening, including Jonathan Michael Fung!

iSouvlaki debuts on 12th Street

Today marks the official debut of iSouvlaki at 139 E. 12th St. at Third Avenue.

James Paloumbis, whose credits include Merakia on West 22nd Street and Gossip Coffee in Astoria, is behind iSouvlaki, described as a fast, casual grill.

Per a rep:

Highlights from the menu include meritha (assorted platters), loukaniko souvlaki and pork tylikto. There are a variety of Greek salads and vegetarian options available. An assortment of Greek desserts are featured, including sour cherry yogurt and halva. Greek beers and small bottles of wine can also be purchased.

For now, they're offering takeout as well as a few sidewalk tables. Delivery starts on Aug. 11. And the hours: Monday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m., with an 11 p.m. close on Friday and Saturday. Their website goes live on Monday. You can call them — 212-401-5747 — in the meantime.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• iSouvlaki Greek Grill on tap for 139 E. 12th St.

Veeray Da Dhaba bringing the 'authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab' to 1st Avenue

A trio of NYC restaurateurs are joining forces to open Veeray Da Dhaba, which will serve "authentic roadside cuisine of Punjab" here at 222 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. (Thanks to William Klayer for the photos!)

A coming-soon sign in the front window offers an overview what to expect from Sonny Solomon, Hemant Mathur (a Michelin-starred chef) and Binder Saini (former executive chef of Kurry Qulture in Astoria).

"With a devotion to authentic and personalized Indian cuisine, Chef Hemant Mathur and Binder Saini revive the quintessential delicacies found in a Punjabi dhaba, and serve them hot and piping for all who hunger for a taste of India."

No. 222 has been several restaurants of late, including the awesomely named Hungry Wolf (which I swear was never actually open) and Golody Halal Buffet.

The Wild Son is now open on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Wild Son made its EV debut yesterday at 132 First Ave. at St. Mark's Place.

As previously reported, this was to be a second outpost of the cafe, which opened in 2016 on Little West 12th Street.

However, Robert Ceraso and Jason Mendenhall (The Wayland, Good Night Sonny, The Lost Lady) decided not to reopen the original location.

Here's a little more from the restaurant's reps:

The Wild Son’s kitchen is newly headed by Luigi Petrocelli, who previously cooked under Marco Canora at Hearth for eight-plus years, including overseeing its recent transition to a healthier focus. With its casual anytime fare, The Wild Son’s opening all-day menu features sandwiches, salads, bowls and shareable plates.

When the restaurant is able to expand their hours and launch a separate dinner service in the future, the nighttime menu will apply the same philosophy of creative seasonal cooking drawing on influences from around the world to more substantial dishes.

And the current menu...



I asked Ceraso why they decided to debut now, as the city remains on PAUSE and the restaurants that are open are relegated to takeout and delivery service.

"We were planning to open the week of the shut down. So the space has been done for a long time," Ceraso told me. "Assuming we won’t be allowed to have customers inside in even a limited capacity until at least the middle of July, we needed to do something. Like everyone else, we need to operate with a limited staff at the moment. This seemed like the best way to bring the food back that customers from the west side had been waiting for, as well as introduce the restaurant to the neighborhood."

The Wild Son is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. for pick-up and delivery (no alcohol right now). Find more details and place orders via the Wild Son website.

The corner space was most recently the Rolling Stones-themed Waiting on a Friend, which took over from Colibri and VBar before that. (And yes — St. Mark's Bar & Grill one day long ago.)

Shinn East is open for takeout sushi

Shinn East, offering to-go sushi (for now), debuted yesterday at 119 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Florence Fabricant had a quickie preview at the Times:

Omakase to take away is the work of Mike Lian, who was the sushi chef at Sushi by Bou in the former Versace Mansion in Miami Beach. He’s a mere 23, but has been rolling rice and slicing fish in New York and Florida for the past seven years ... When it opens formally, there will be a mere eight seats. Linda Wang, who is an owner of Ume in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is a partner, along with Mr. Lian.

Here's a look at a menu (thanks to the reader for the pic!) ...



You can find photos and details on their offerings via the Shinn East website.

Terra Thai debuts on 6th Street

Terra Thai debuted last Thursday at 518 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... and, given that they were opening amid the COVID-19 crisis, they were giving away masks with orders...



The owners returned to NYC from Boulder, Colo., where they had been running Terra Thai. They had planned to open up here in March.

They are currently just serving a few Thai street dishes, including Pad Thai and Basil Chicken over rice, for takeout and delivery. You can check out their menu here. Terra Thai is open Tuesdays through Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

This Sixth Street space was previously Eat’s Kaho Man Gai, who never reopened here after expnading to the Essex Market.

Thanks to EVG reader Isa Spoerry for these photos!

Temakase Hand Roll Bar coming soon to 2nd Avenue

[Photo by Steven]

Signage arrived this past weekend for Temakase Hand Roll Bar, the next tenant for 157 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Don't know anything about the proprietors at the moment.

As noted in previous posts on No. 157, this has been a challenging space to make work for any length of time. Previous restaurants here in the past five years include Savor Por Favor ... Yuan ... Biang! ... and Wylie Dufresne's bistro Alder.

CheLi signage up at 19-23 St. Mark's Place

Signage went up Friday for the new restaurant coming to a space at 19-23 St. Mark's Place...





A tipster had previously told us that CheLi was affiliated with Szechuan Mountain House on the other side of the upper level here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

CheLi is taking over from Chipotle, who vacated the premises in August 2018.

Meanwhile, in the lower portion of this complex, Teso Life, a Japanese variety store with several NYC locations, is the new tenant for the former St. Mark's Market. Next door, Mi Tea is in its third month of dormancy due to "renovations."

Tio Pio bringing its rotisserie chicken to 14th Street

Coming soon signage is up for Tio Pio at 250 E. 14th St. just west of Second Avenue...



This will be a new outpost for the quick-serve restaurant that specializes in Spanish-American cuisine, particularly a tasty (we're told) and reasonably priced rotisserie chicken. (Some chicken competition for the KFC next door!)

Tio Pio takes over the space from Mi Casa Latina, which closed late last fall after 10 months in business.

H/T to EVG readers vshaweddy and Shiv!