Thanks to Mighty Quinn's, Otto's Tacos is making a (virtual) return

All four outposts of Otto's Tacos permanently closed late last year, including the one on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. 

However, the quick-serve tacqueria has made a comeback thanks to Mighty Quinn's Barbeque.

In an article this week on ghost kitchens and delivery-only restaurants, CNBC reports that Otto's has become a virtual brand, an increasingly popular concept thanks to COVID-19.

After their closure, Otto's founder Otto Cedeno reportedly contacted Mighty Quinn's.

Per CNBC:

The two companies opened their flagship locations in the East Village neighborhood two blocks away from each other less than a decade ago, and their founders were friendly, swapping industry updates and tips, particularly as the coronavirus pandemic hammered New York City. 

But rather buying Otto's Tacos outright, Mighty Quinn's struck a deal instead to license the brand and bring it back to life as a virtual brand. The barbeque chain also sells chicken wings under the virtual brand Sugar Wing. 

"We decided, rather than bringing on additional kitchen capacity, to utilize what we already had at Mighty Quinn's to execute their menus," said Mighty Quinn's co-founder Micha Magid.

For now, the digital, delivery only location for Otto's is on the Upper East Side (as of last month). Otto's will be expanding to other neighborhoods in 2021. Service will likely one day include the East Village, given that both Otto's and Mighty Quinn's started in the neighborhood ... and because Otto's has a built-in audience here.

The former Otto's storefront on Second Avenue is said to become another taco shop.

Deli in the works for the SE corner of Avenue C and 10th Street

After years of use as a bar-restaurant, the storefront on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Avenue C will soon be home to a deli.

According to the @TradedNY site, the new tenant is Green Land Gourmet Deli. No word at the moment when they plan to open or what they might have to offer (aside from the usual deli-type fare!).

From July 2018 to the end of 2019, the space was a reincarnated East Village Tavern (in name only) and, briefly, Daytripper (same owners). 

Prior to this, a different set of owners ran East Village Tavern, which closed in November 2016 after eight years following a reported rent dispute with landlord Steve Croman. 

Photo via the EVG archives

Another pizzeria slinging 99-cent slices coming to 14th Street

A 99-cent sliceria is coming soon to the former Rainbow Nails & Spa space at 424 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

EVG regular Gojira, who shared the above photo, notes that the interior "is still littered with the salon furnishings, so no idea when this is all going to happen."

This is the latest no-frills pizza shop to open around here ... a 99-cent joint opened last fall at 246 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... joining the September debut of 99-Cent Fresh Pizza & Hot Dog at 131 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

Meanwhile, a New York Sal's Pizza is opening soon at 536 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Tuesday's parting shot

The snow teddy outside the March Hare on Ninth Street... photo by Derek Berg...

Mystery pianist playing some snow tunes on 3rd Street

During the snowstorm last night, a mystery man arrived ... and started playing a piano that was out on the sidewalk on Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

EVG reader Max shared the photo and video clip below... and noted that the man returned this evening around 5. "He's taking some requests from neighbors out the window, and had some admirers stop to watch."

A post-blizzard look at curbside dining structures

We spotted a few restaurant employees shoveling out their curbside dining structures today following the nearly 18 inches of snowfall in the past 36 hours...

This was the second major snow test for restaurants, forced to come up with alternate ways to serve patrons after the state shuttered indoor dining in March 2020. 

The city banned curbside dining last night during the winter storm. (Plus, many restaurants aren't open on Mondays.) Most of the streeteateries looked to have weathered the blizzard.

Several of the less-sturdy-looking structures were damaged, such as outside Sushi Dojo on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street (h/t to our friends at the DeColores Community Yard!) ... this space was not in use right now, as the restaurant is just offering delivery and takeout...

Thai Hub's tent space, still in use at times, on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street was also KO'd ...

And Ramen Setagaya on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue didn't have much of a space anymore... this is a photo of it from Saturday...

And now...

Indoor dining at 25 percent is set to return on Feb. 14. Back in September, Mayor de Blasio announced that the city’s outdoor dining program would be made permanent.

Updated 6 p.m.

The folks at the DeColores Community Yard also spotted damage to the curbside space at Ama Raw Bar on Avenue B near 12th Street...

And Eden points out the remains of the space at Jiang Diner on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Updated 2/3 

Not an outdoor structure... but EVG reader Joe points out that the awning of the currently closed Nowhere came down on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Snowstorm photo recap

We've been buried under an avalanche of snow photos here... so we're sharing a few more shots from the big storm yesterday, which left an estimated 17.2 inches in Central Park as of this morning. 

Goggla took the top shot in Tompkins Square Park... and here are others along Avenue A...

And here's a selection from Alan Good in Tompkins Square Park...

... and as you may know, Alan is the owner of HENGE Outdoor Ping Pong Tables, and responsible for donating the two in Tompkins Square Park...

They cleared the table yesterday, and plan to return today to move out the more recent snowfall. (They also leave free balls and paddles under the table.) 

Derek Berg provided two more scenes...

RIP Ricky Powell

Ricky Powell, the celebrated downtown photographer best known for his work with the Beastie Boys and other iconic figures in the early days of rap, has died. He was 59. Media outlets have reported that he died of heart failure. 

From Pitchfork:

In his heyday in the in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Powell was a mainstay in the downtown Manhattan art and music scene. His portraits and candids of musicians like Eric B and Rakim, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, and Madonna, as well as downtown NYC denizens like Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sofia Coppola, and Laurence Fishburne, have been shown in art galleries and published in several photo books.

In 1986, he quit his day job (selling lemon ices) to go on tour with the Beasties Boys as they opened for Run-DMC.

He would become a regular with the band, from cameos in videos and lyrics, such as in "Car Thief" on Paul's Boutique. 

Powell later hosted the cable access show "Rappin’ With The Rickster," which chronicled the oddities of daily NYC life as well as up-and-coming actors, musicians and scenesters.

You can read more about his life and the outpouring of tributes to him at these sites: 

• Complex

•  Brooklyn Vegan

• Rolling Stone

And here's a January 2020 interview with him on OG Talk at the Organic Grill on First Avenue...

Image via Wikipedia

Monday's parting shots

Scenes from Tompkins Square Park this afternoon courtesy of Steven... good packing snow... and a lot of it (15.3 inches reported at Central Park...)

Noted

Two random scenes from today... Above on Eighth Street at Avenue B, Dave on 7th reminds us to remember to roll up the windows to our vehicles ahead of a nor'easter... ... and below, a reader shares this from 12th Street... a challenging day to be moving...

Happy No. 22 to Lavagna

Taking a break from posts about snow to wish Lavagna, the low-key Italian restaurant at 545 E. Fifth St., a happy 22nd anniversary.

In a time when far too many restaurants are closing, I'm happy to see that Lavagna has been able to continue to make it work during the pandemic. 

Will quote this review from over at The Infatuation from a few years back:

The place has been in business since 1999, and it’s still busy every night. Chalk it up to an excellent and consistent menu of pastas and entrees that keep the regulars coming back, exceptional daily specials, and a really good wine list. It’s everything that you want a cozy Italian restaurant to be, and it’s not even all that expensive. 

Lavagna, which is just west off of Avenue B, is open for some sidewalk and curbside seating and takeout and delivery from 5-10 p.m. daily. (Ordering from their website is simple.)

Congratulations to Yorgos and the entire Lavagna family.

Photo via the Lavagna Instagram account

Afternoon view

EVG reader Carol Kendzierski shares this view of the New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.