Turntable 5060 is now Tapanju Turntable, and it opens tomorrow

[Photo via @ArtisanMatters]

Last week we noted that Turntable 5060 was reopening on Dec. 1 after a months-long hiatus on Avenue B and Fourth Street.

Since then, a banner arrived announcing Tapanju with the Turntable logo. The restaurant's website simply offers: "Turntable 5060 in the East Village is now TAPANJU TURNTABLE." (And they are accepting reservations starting for tomorrow.) There isn't any mention of what the differences between Turntable 5060 and Tapanju Turntable might be.

Tapanju's hours will be:

Monday: 5-11 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday: 5-midnight
Saturday: 2-midnight
Sunday: 2-11 p.m.

The restaurant serving Korean-style fried chicken and craft beers opened in July 2015. They closed for renovations at the end of July.

Baar Baar opens tomorrow (Friday!) on 1st Street in Avalon Bowery Place

In recent months we've been watching the gut renovation of the former L'Apicio space at 13 E. First St. in the Avalon Bowery Place complex between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

As we've been reporting, noted chef Sujan Sarkar was bringing "upscale modern Indian cuisine" to the address.

The New York Times has a preview of the restaurant, called Baar Baar, which opens tomorrow.

At Baar Baar, which means “again and again,” [Sarkar] dabbles in sous-vide, foams, gels and such, but they do not dominate the menu. His small plates, assorted mixed thali platters and bigger plates provide a range of flavors, including traditional (like tandoori mushrooms, Kashmiri-style lamb ribs and butter chicken) and innovative, like potato and bone-marrow kulcha, asparagus pepper fry with cauliflower mousse, and oysters with guava, chile granita with lemon foam.

He makes liberal use of avocados and offers creative cocktails, some mixed with Indian spirits. “When it comes to contemporary Indian food, New York is years behind,” he said.

Sarkar is also the chef of Rooh, a similar-sounding restaurant that opened in San Francisco early this year.

L'Apicio closed in May after five years of serving high-end Italian.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chef Sujan Sarkar bringing 'upscale modern Indian cuisine' to the Bowery

L'Apico ends its 5-year run tomorrow night

Volunteers on a mission to help reinvigorate Alphabet Scoop on 11th Street

In 2002, the Father’s Heart Ministries launched Alphabet Scoop adjacent to the church on 11th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The seasonal ice cream shop hires and trains at-risk teens from the neighborhood ... and provides them with mentoring.

A group of volunteers are now working to give Alphabet Scoop "a boost that it needs." A crowdfunding campaign is underway, with a goal of raising $70,000 by the end of the year. (They've already reached the halfway point.)

The volunteers include an architect, a contractor, a financial analyst, a lawyer and project managers. They want to redesign and renovate the space and help with business operations and financial management.

Per their campaign info:

Alphabet Scoop has yet to be profitable and has relied on the financial support of the Father's Heart Ministries to keep the lights on.

The mission is incredible but there are three main problems:
• The business is undercapitalized and the store has not been properly maintained or renovated in over a decade.
• An undifferentiated brand limits awareness and the ability to reach a wider audience.
• The lack of systems has led to operational inefficiencies.

They are hoping for an April 2018 Alphabet Scoop relaunch.

You can find more about the campaign here.

Studio of the day

A studio has been on the market this past month on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Per the listing: "This unit features hardwood floors, a separate kitchen and room for a bed and small couch. Don't miss this opportunity to live just steps from Union Square for a below market price!"

That price is $1,895.

The listing promises a "separate kitchen."

More like "kitchen separated by the fridge."



On the positive side, it's a full-size fridge ... if you can get the door open all the way.

Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

Looks as if there's a retail tenant for the new-look 29 Second Ave.

The work permit on the front window notes the renovations are for a "pizza shop."



Not sure just who is behind the incoming pizzeria, but likely someone with some dough. (Sorry.) The retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change.

The previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

NiceBrow bows on 9th Street

NiceBrow is now open at 436 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, as these photos by EVG Eyebrow Correspondent Steven show.

The salon offers a variety of services, including the namesake NiceBrow — "a permanent makeup method" ... and they are offering some Grand Opening specials...



Here's more about them via the NiceBrow website:

NiceBrow's methods were originated around the 19th century in China. By 2010, these methods had rapidly became very popular in East Asia and Europe. As the techniques had matured over the years, it had undergone many enhancements and had deemed safe and sounded. We believed that this approach is going to transform the entire cosmetic industry, the same way that Amazon.com had transformed the retail industry.

The previous tenant here, Love Gang, the women's boutique, moved two storefronts to the west back in May.

Canal Pizza opening in the former Cup & Saucer Luncheonette space on the LES

Going down to the Lower East Side for a moment ... where the signage has arrived for the new tenant on the northwest corner of Canal and Eldridge — Canal Pizza.

BoweryBoogie first reported on this yesterday...



The corner space had been home since 1940 to the Cup & Saucer Luncheonette.

According to the Lo-Down, a steep rent increase to $15,000 a month was too much for the owners (for the past 30-plus years), John Vasilopoulos and Nick Castanos, to make work. The classic diner closed back in July. There was some talk that the owners would revive the diner elsewhere. No word on how that's going.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Cup & Saucer Luncheonette closing next week on the LES


[EVG photo from 2011]

The best Daddy Burger deal on Avenue A?

EVG reader Melissa shared this photo... tucked among the Christmas/holiday trees outside Bueno East Mart on Avenue A and Third Street is a box of greenery labeled "Daddy Burger $10 each."

I'm not up on Christmas/holiday decorating lingo, so... turns out Daddy Burger is a pretty popular swag (aka suspended wreath or garland)... anyway, just passing this along in case you want some Daddy Burger for your front door. $10 seems like a fair price.

Preliminary work underway at city-owned empty lot on 3rd Street

An EVG reader said that there was a Davey Drill taking core samples last week in the long-empty lot at 276 E. Third St. between Avenue C and Avenue D...



Public records show that the NYC Housing Preservation and Development owns the property ... and there are approved plans on file (since 2008) with the DOB for construction of a 4-story building. The work permit shows that this will be an "eight bed group home for children."

Not sure of that is still the city's intention for the new building. In any event, it looks as if the lot is being prepped for some future construction.

Fire under sidewalk bridge on 13th Street temporarily brings an end to homeless encampment

[Reader photo from October]

In recent months, several residents have said that a growing number of travelers/crusties have been living under the sidewalk bridge next to the Verizon building on 13th Street between Second Avenue and First Avenue.

Early Sunday evening, there were reports of a small fire under the sidewalk bridge.

Shortly after the FDNY departed, a dump truck arrived, and a crew discarded the various mattresses and furniture.


[Scorched-wall photo yesterday by Steven]

One resident on the block shared this about the recent activity under the sidewalk bridge "where the crusties have made home."

They live and sleep there. They openly shoot up, get drunk, fight, party all night and block the sidewalk with mattresses, chairs — even tables.

The situation has become a total nightmare now. This scaffolding — I swear it seems like it's been up 10 years and I've seen them do about maybe 10 days work on the building that entire time. It's become the homeless heroin spot now and it's incredibly disturbing to watch people shooting up. We really don't know what to do but something definitely has to be done.

Said one nearly 20-year resident of 13th Street:

Our block has been gross for the last six months. The homeless have moved in under the Verizon scaffolding ... I witness drug deals on the regular and the cops have only parked on the block one day — I’m ready to move! And now they cause a fire?

EVG correspondent Steven spoke with a super who works on the block. The super said that residents have called 311 "to no avail."

A few scattered items remained on the sidewalk yesterday...


[Photo yesterday by Steven]

As for the Verizon-owned building, there are multiple work permits on file with the city, including for "mechanical chiller replacement. Removal and replacement of chiller along with related piping." There are also permits for "new steel dunnage and steel framing to support new generator and fuel piping." There doesn't appear to be any current tenants in the circa 1923 building. (The building was also the site of a major fire in 1975.)

In several recent years, Verizon was engaged with the local graffiti community in the ongoing brown paint vs. tagging battle.

Meanwhile, one of the readers said that a few people had returned last night to sleep on 13th Street.


[Reader-submitted photo]

7 years later, a Ben & Jerry's is returning to the East Village

Back on Friday, we noted that the former Caffe Bene space was under renovation at 24 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

And yesterday, EVG contributor Derek Berg spotted the coming soon signage for the next tenant — Ben & Jerry's. (H/T to Bayou, who noted in the comments on last Friday's post that a Ben & Jerry's was coming to the block. The former DF Mavens space was also a contender.)

There was a Ben & Jerry's outpost at 41 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street for 22 years before its closure in September 2010.


[41 3rd Ave. from 2011]

No word on the opening date just yet on St. Mark's Place.

Caffe Bene closed back in April after 17 months in business. Before Caffe B, the address was a Pinkberry.

Vape in store for 2nd Avenue?

It looks like a new tenant is in place for the recently departed Village Eyecare space at 150 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street...

EVG correspondent Steven spotted a note for the Post Office on the gate...



Vape N Smoke – "Please throw mail here."

Previously a reader stated that the Village Eyecare merged with Eyes on Second at 170 Second Ave. (If anyone else can verify that.)