Hot Kitchen pivots to Sushi & Sake on 2nd Avenue

Hot Kitchen, the authentic Sichuan restaurant, closed at the end of October over at 104 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

Word here was that ownership planned to changed up concepts in the weeks ahead. And so they did.

As the top photo via Steven shows, Hot Kitchen will now be serving Japanese cuisine under the name of — presumably — Sushi & Sake. Expect a soft opening this week.

Hot Kitchen opened in 2011... and eventually moved away from the more traditional (and adventurous) Chinese-menu offerings in place of hotpot and BBQ. They also curtailed delivery last year. See the reader comments here for more.

The 9th Precinct's Sector B NCOs are hosting a Build the Block meeting tomorrow night

The 9th Precinct is hosting another Sector Safety Summit tomorrow (Dec. 3) night for East Village residents and business owners — this time for those who live in Sector B.

This Sector encompasses 14th Street to Seventh Street from First Avenue to Avenue C.



The meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6:30 p.m. in the Campos Plaza Community Room, 635 E. 12th St. at Avenue C.

As for these Sector meetings: "This is an avenue for you to voice your grievances or concerns with issues in and around the neighborhood."

This is part of the NYPD's initiative called the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) program. The 9th Precinct is split up into four sectors, with two officers assigned to each sector. Find a list of the 9th Precinct's NCOs here.

All about the housing lottery at EVE on 13th Street

The lottery is now open for 30 mixed-income units at 433 E. 13th St. — aka EVE — between Avenue A and First Avenue. (H/T 6sqft!)

Details!

Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $674/month studios to $2,991/month two-bedrooms.

You have until Jan. 27 to apply. Find the info at this link (PDF!).



Leasing at the luxury building — market-rate units begin at $3,250 per month for studios and up to $7,000 for two-bedroomers — started this past January.

The building is on the site of the onetime Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (1951-2014). Residential amenities include a courtyard, rooftop barbecue area, and an outdoor TV and sound system "which will change movie night forever," per leasing materials.

The Trader Joe's is expected to open on the 14th Street side retail space in early January.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished

• The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building

• New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room

• Developer withdraws zoning variance request for former 14th Street post office site

• The Peter Stuyvesant-PO-replacing residential building tops out on 14th Street

• All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street

• EVErything about the new luxury rentals at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

The San Loco is opening SOON on Avenue C

[Image via Instagram]

The new San Loco at 111 Avenue C between Seventh Street and Eighth Street is close to being ready to dish out its quick-serve Tex-Mex specialities.

"We don’t have a solid opening date, but are targeting early December to open," said Kimo Hing, who runs San Loco with his wife Jill.

They officially took possession of this space in late May. CB3 also approved a liquor license for the address, the former tapas joint Marcha Cocina, in May.

As previously noted, San Loco debuted at 129 Second Ave. in the East Village in 1986 ... before later moving across the street to 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. That outpost closed in June 2017 due to an unsustainable rent increase. The Avenue A San Loco closed in 2014 after 15 years in business.

San Loco also has a location on Stanton Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
It's official: San Loco is returning to the East Village

San Loco plotting an East Village comeback?

Huminska closes on 9th Street after 27 years in business

In recent months people have asked about the status of Huminksa, the women's boutique at 315 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Owner-designer Janice Huminska has addressed the situation in a note posted to her website last week. Her shop, which first opened in 1992, is now permanently closed. She writes, in part:

A tough retail environment could not and would not thwart my addiction to fabric and making dresses for all of you! Rather this crazy retail environment has been fueling me, as other obstacles over the last 3 decades have done, to overcome!

I am not at liberty to say exactly what happened, other than that a tsunami hit my longstanding tiny little biz & thru no fault of my own my labor of love was decimated, along with my livelihood ...

You can read her full note below...

What's going on at Black Iron Burger on 5th Street?

The Black Iron Burger at 540 E. Fifth St. near Avenue B is entering its fifth month of closure for renovations... and some regulars are wondering if it might reopen at all.

Locals haven't noticed much activity inside the space. And now, there's a Con Ed notice affixed to the front door.

"Gas shutoff notices aren’t ever good news during 'renovations,'" wrote Brian Van, who shared the photo in this post.

While this location remains on the Black Iron Burger website (along with new outposts coming soon to West 32nd Street, West 54th Street and in Chicago), the phone is no longer in service. We reached out to them via email about the status here. Will update if/when we hear back.

The East Village location was the first of the Black Iron Burgers, opening in 2008 ... with new ownership taking over in 2013.

In the summer of 2018, TripAdvisor rated Black Iron as serving the best burger in New York State.

Sunday's parting shots

An inflatable Santa above the beer store on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... top photo by EVG reader Daniel...

And another look via Derek Berg...

Week in Grieview

[A slice to go on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]

Posts this past week included...

A visit to Turntable Lab on 10th Street (Tuesday)

The 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue locations of the Bean closed this past Sunday (Monday)

The Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting is Dec. 8! (Wednesday)

Last soup night for Ciao for Now (Tuesday)

About the Messages to Go shopping bags that support small businesses in the East Village (Friday)

Coat drive at an.mé on 9th Street (Friday)

75 1st Ave.'s growth spurt (Monday)

Harry & Ida's closes (Monday)

Trailer Park Santa Stand bucks tradition on 14th Street with mini camper (Wednesday)

A quick look at the under-renovation Joseph C. Sauer Park (Wednesday)

beQu Juice is closing on 9th Street (Tuesday) ... and an empty storefront (Friday)

A new bus-boarding platform for 14th Street (Tuesday)

Punto Rojo looks done for on 1st Avenue (Monday)

This is your chance to be the 7-Eleven's landlord on the Bowery! (Tuesday)

Dig debuts on 4th and 13th (Monday)

Foundation watch: 24 1st Ave. (Tuesday)

Interesting new business opens on 1st Avenue and 14th Street (Friday)

The former Steamy Hallows space is for rent (the back rent is also due) (Monday)

... and Friday night lights at the Tree Riders stand along Second Avenue...


[Photo by Steven]

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The New South Philly at Foxface

The latest creative offering at Foxface on St. Mark's Place caught the eye of EVG contributor Stacie Joy ... the New South Philly, featuring kangaroo loin, caramelized onion, green pepper and fontina sauce...



Available for a limited time, along with the Paint It Black with cuttlefish and black lentils.

The tiny shop for adventurous sandwich seekers at 80 St. Mark's Place in Theatre 80 is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80

Saturday's parting shot

The Christmas lights went up today outside 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar on Seventh Street and Avenue B (will check back for this view later) ... thanks to EVG reader Emily Reese for the photo!