About Pumpkin Smash 2023 tomorrow (Sunday!)

Now that Halloween is over... the 2023 Pumpkin (and gourd!) Smash takes place tomorrow (Sunday!) from noon to 3 p.m. at La Plaza Cultural on the SW corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C. 

Via the EVG inbox ... 

This FREE family-friendly event demonstrates how composting is a closed-loop system — transforming our organic waste such as banana peels and apple cores, to a valuable soil amendment — all on a local level. 

Your pumpkins will be turned into finished compost which will then be used to rebuild soil in City parks and public green spaces. 

Come for the smashing, stay for the:

🎃 Worm bin exploration 

👻 Native seed ball making

🍎 Free food and drink

🆓 Giveaways

Foodies are fucked: Momofuko, DBGB, Peels — CLOSED

Oh, Prune appears to be open for brunch.

Week in Grieview

[Houston and Avenue C by Michael Sean Edwards]

RIP Mike Bakaty (Friday)

NYU student jumps to his death from Third North Dorm (Monday)

Ben Shaoul's Bloom 62 may fetch upwards of $70 million (Thursday)

Happy 81st birthday Ray! (Tuesday)

So long 7A (Monday)

beQu opens on East Ninth Street (Monday)

New menu for Sidewalk (Monday)

Out and About with Alex Harsley (Wednesday)

What's next for 7A and Odessa Cafe and Bar (Thursday)

Lock your apartment door, mmmkay? (Tuesday, 39 comments)

A look at 170 E. Second St. before the renovations (Tuesday)

What's next for the Peels space (Tuesday)

Brooklyn Piggies now open on A (Friday)

A rough month for East Village restaurants (Friday)

How 7-Eleven wants to be a good neighbor (Tuesday)

100 years before 7A (Monday)

Filming "Ten Thousand Saints" in the East Village (Wednesday)

Renovations for this unique East Fourth Street tenement (Friday)

"A thousand crisscrossing fictions"

"Picture Cary Grant in Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller 'North by Northwest' being hustled out of the hotel and into the back seat of a parked car by two goons, having been mistaken for another man. 'Don’t tell me where we’re going,' Grant quips. 'Surprise me.' The car peels away and we are swiftly sealed in another world, our familiar surroundings receding in the rear-view mirror.

"Standing at the same corner half a century later, it’s not hard to feel a curious dissonance between the two places. There’s the tangible New York of concrete and smog, and there’s what the film historian James Sanders has called the 'mythic New York,' the dreamy celluloid landscape of a thousand crisscrossing fictions."

(The New York Times)

Epic CB3/SLA docket ready for April: Hello again Superdive (aka 'Not a Bookstore Inc.') and Caffe Buon Gusto!

Been some time since we've such seen an action-packed SLA & DCA Licensing Committee docket... 40 items!



Monday, April 11 at 6:30 pm — JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth Street at the Bowery

Here are a few items of interest! (The whole shooting match is here.)

Applications within Resolution Areas

• U-2 (Saint King J Corp), 6 St Marks Pl (3rd-4th Fl) (wb)

This is the karaoke portion of the former Cafe Hanover space (RIP, Mondo Kim's).

• Not a Bookstore LLC, 200 Ave A (op) (Superdive)

Ah! An inside joke from the Superdivers... a nod to Superdive's Rapture Cafe & Books past! Not funny!

• Casimir, 105 Ave B (op)

Changes in store for the French bistro?

• Ave B Caffe Buon Gusto Inc, 545 E 5th St (aka 76 Ave B) (wb)

Hello again, old friend! Been a long time since we've heard anything about this. Remember last time they were on the docket? To the recap!

Sidewalk Café Applications

• Café Cotto (Pasta Bar Café Corp), 127 Ave C

• Plump Dumpling (Big Dumpling Corp), 174 2nd Ave

• Percy's Tavern (Steelbar 180 Inc), 210 Ave A

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades

• Radley Realty Corp, 325 Bowery (alt/ extend license to sidewalk)

Peels wants a sidewalk cafe. #ShitShow

• To Be Determined, 500 E 11th St (trans/op) (Angels & Kings)

Interesting...

• To Be Determined, 351 E 12th St (trans/op) (Resto Leon)

I actually have never been to Resto Leon.

• 4AB LLC, 235 E 4th St (trans/op) (Tonda)

The Tonda watch continues.

• To Be Determined, 700 E 9th St (trans/op) (Banjo Jim's)

Anyone know anything about this?

New Liquor License Applications

• Trim Castle Corp, 87 2nd Ave (op)

The former Kurve-Rhong Tiam space.

• South Brooklyn Pizza (122 First Pizza Inc), 122 1st Ave (wb)

• Agave Azul (228 Rest Corp), 228 1st Ave (op)

This is the Mexican cantina that I reported was coming to the former David's Bagels space.

• The Other WineBar, 412 E 9th St (wb)

• To Be Determined, 107 1st Ave (wb)

The former Bonjoo space..

You may find some additional comments about all this at The Low-Down, Eater and Grub Street.

Seems like old times, except older: 34 Avenue A and 200 Avenue A back on the SLA docket

The folks at CB3 have posted the May meeting schedule, including the docket for the SLA licensing committee... Lots of action again this time around... First, the meeting place and time: SLA & DCA Licensing Committee, Monday, May 16 at 6:30 pm — JASA/Green Residence, 200 East 5th Street at Bowery

A few highlights. (The whole caboodle is here.)

Applications within Resolution Areas

• To Be Determined, 34 Ave A (op)

We're not sure just yet who is looking at trying to revive the former Mo Pitkin's/Aces & Eights space this time around... the same crew with their "performance venue"? A new crew! We'll find out...

• Solo Pizza (Solo Pizza Inc), 27 Ave B (wb)

• Ave B Caffe Buon Gusto Inc., 545 E 5th St (aka 76 Ave B) (wb)

[Whistling....]

• Paradiso (Paradiso NY LLC), 105 Ave B (wb)

This is the cafe/coffee shop near Seventh St.

• Boxcar Lounge (Oops of New York Inc), 168 Ave B (op)

• Bat Yam Food Services Inc, 97 St. Mark’s Pl (wb)

• To be determined, 14 Ave. B (op)

Well! At one point, various people were going to combine 14-16 Avenue B at Second Street for some massive club bar-restaurant with mama from the old country cooking, etc. However, CB3/SLA always shot down those plans ... and now Discovery Wines is taking the space at 16 Avenue B. And now someone is giving the smaller space at 14 a whirl...

Sidewalk Café Applications

• 26 Seats (Paris Cuisine Inc.), 168 Ave B

• Peels Restaurant (325 Bowery Restaurant LLC), 325 Bowery

• Cacio & Pepe (Peprico Inc.), 182 2nd Ave

Just realized that I've never eater here.

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades

• To be Determined (Not A Bookstore LLC), 200 Ave A (trans/op) (Superdive)

The art gallery with a full liquor license is back. Last month, the committee told them to do more (and better!) community outreach.



• To Be Determined (Epicurean Management), 11 E 1st St (trans/op) (Bowery Wine)

Something new in store for the Bowery Wine Company? A quick flashback to the BWC protest in 2008.

• To be Determined, 500 E 11th St (trans/op) (Angels & Kings)

Another reject from last meeting. The committee told them to do more (and better!) community outreach.

• Hop Devil Grill, 125-129 St. Marks Pl (trans/op)

• To Be Determined (Evir Corp), 117 Second Ave (trans/wb)

Dunno what's going on here... this is now 7.2 at the corner of Seventh Street... onetime home of the Kiev...

New Liquor License Applications

• Led Zeppole (Arti Restaurant & Catering Group), 328 E 14th St (wb)

• The Toucan & The Lion (Type A Goods LLC), 342 E 6th St (op)

What's with the names these days? And this is the entity taking over the Mara's Homemade space.

February CB3-SLA highlights: I Cipressi, Sunshine Cinema and the Immigrant Tap Room

Hey now. The folks at CB3 have released the liquor license docket for February's meeting. Many of the applicants this time around are below Houston, so it's not really our fucking problem you can likely find more details on these establishments in the days/weeks ahead via BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down.

So.

Let's take a look.

SLA & DCA Licensing Committee
Monday, February 11 at 6:30 pm — JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. 5th Street at Bowery

Applications within Saturated Areas

[EVG file photo from last June]

• 1st Street Ventures Inc, 44A 1st St (wb)

This is Julius Klein's former studio-gallery space ... he left back early in the summer after being Cromanized... No word just yet what this will be... we've spotted several prospective tenants check out this space going back to the summer...

• The Cow Theater (Stephen & Tyler Productions LLC), 21A Clinton St (wb)

• 154 Ludlow Bar LLC, 154 Ludlow St (op)

• I Cipressi Restaurant (Lidoalberta LLC), 189 Ave A (wb)

Lorella Innocenti, a former owner of I Coppi, which closed in September on East Ninth Street, is starting a new Tuscan-style restaurant here at the former Vampire Freaks space.

EVG reader J-Dough recently spotted sisters Maristella Innocenti (pictured left, who owns Matilda on East 11th Street off Avenue C with her husband Esteban Molina), and Lorella outside No. 189.

Alterations

• Peels Restaurant (Radley Realty Corp), 325 Bowery (op/alt/extend bar counter "L" shape, add 5-6 seats)

Outrageous!

• Cafe Katja (Graz Restaurant LLC), 75 Orchard St (op/alt/license to adjoin current business at 77-79)

• The General/Finale/Bow (Bakers Dozen Associates LLC), 199 Bowery (op/alt/move dance space to back half of the ground floor)

Heh.

• SakaMai (SakaMai LLC), 157 Ludlow St (op/alt/add stand up bar)

New Liquor License Applications

• Sunshine Lounge (Cinema Beverages Holding Company LLC), 143 E Houston St (op)

The Sunshine wants to add food and drinks to go along with their art-house cinema. CB3 hasn't been too receptive, per The Lo-Down ... and BoweryBoogie.

• The Immigrant Tap Room, 341 E 9th St (wb)

We wrote about this yesterday.

• Barzinho Inc, 48 Hester St (wb)

I don't even know where Hester Street is. (KIDDING.)

• Guayoyo (Highseyko Corporation), 67 1st Ave (op/upgrade)

• To be Determined, 266 Broome St (op)

• Retro Bar & Grill (Delancey Diner LLC), 148-150 Delancey St (op

Hope that's just a working title for the bar & grill...

• Natori Saint Marks LLC, 58 St Marks Pl (wb)

The owners moved to Japan late last year. Despite word that the space would close, new owners took over the space. A tipster told us the new owner also runs Sushi Lounge and Noodle Cafe Zen on St. Mark's, and Zen 6 on East Sixth street.

• Long Xin Restaurant (Sunrise Restaurant 88 Inc), 50 Eldridge St (b)

• Luzzo's (Luzzo's 211 LLC), 211 1st Ave (op)

???

• Azize Cafe & Lounge (45 First Ave Corp), 45 1st Ave (wb)

• Pulperia on Essex Inc, 131 Essex St (wb)

• To be Determined, 138 Orchard St (op)

• Mediterrean Grill and Tapas (Izagara Gourmet Inc), 128 1st Ave (op/upgrade)

• 90 Third Avenue TC Restaurant LLC, 90 3rd Ave (op)

This was last Montein Thai Cuisine near 12th Street... the DOH closed them in January 2011, and they never reopened. We've lost track of the applicants here... last that we recall, a Mexican eatery had designs on the space. Will get an update.

• Bar Chevere (O & O Wine Corp), 181 Essex St (op)

• Ivrose B LLC, 137 1st Ave (wb)

This is the former Tara Thai Cuisine space

• Eastwood (Sivandrew Inc), 200 Clinton St aka 221 E B'way (wb)

From the folks who own B-Side on Avenue B. Been a challenging go here too.

• Rivington 155 Parlor Inc, 155 Rivington St (op) (St Jerome's)

-----

b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations

And now, Florence of Florence + the Machine walking out of the Bowery Hotel

This afternoon on TMZ Grieve, Bobby Williams happened by the Bowery Hotel on the Bowery and saw the paparazzi waiting out front... for!

Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine... the band is playing at Radio City tomorrow night.

... and one fan is quite please by this sighting...

Next, those photos of Joe Jonas outside Peels...

[Updated] A rough month for East Village restaurants

January is winding to a close... and the list of restaurants that closed this month is fairly lengthy ...

• Sapporo East
• Shima
• Wacky Wok
• Coyi Cafe
• 7A
• Viva Herbal Pizzeria
• Maria's Cafe
• Picnic
• Arcane

...and high-end ventures on the Bowery weren't immune from closures either... Peels is done... (Pulino's closed Dec. 29 ... Keith McNally is turning it into a French restaurant called Cherche Midi.)

Also, certainly worth noting nearby ... we had the sudden closures of Milady's on Prince Street and Gray's Papaya on Eighth Street and Sixth Avenue ...

Any closures in the neighborhood from this month that I'm missing? Which of these hurts the most for you?

Breaking! Peels is open!

You know, the new diner on the Bowery and Second Street. Eater is there and has more details.

Taking another look at the action-packed November CB3/SLA agenda

[Created by EV Grieve via CafePress]

We looked at the CB3/SLA agenda back on Oct. 31. But there have been a few scratches on the agenda. So here's an updated docket... with the comments intact...

SLA & DCA Licensing Committee
Monday, November 14 at 6:30pm — JASA/Green Residence, 200 East 5th Street at Bowery

Renewal with Complaint History

• The Porch (The Porch Inc), 115 Ave C (op)

The Porch closed up last month, as Dave on 7th pointed out. We heard that the Porch was moving and an Indian restaurant was taking over... perhaps from the same owners?

• Kelly's (Diddler Doyle Corp), 12 Ave A (op)

• Kenka (Hinomaru Inc), 25 St Marks Pl (op)

• Diablo Royale (East Village Café & Restaurant LLC), 167 Ave A (op)

Arrive early for a good seat. This will be dramatic, perhaps.

Applications within Resolution Areas

• Cafetasia (Cafetasia Inc), 85 Ave A (up/op)

Seeking 100-ounce vodka tubes too?

• Essbar (102 Ave C LLC), 102 Ave C aka 230 E 7th St (up/op)

Edi & the Wolf upgrading...

• Nublu, 151 Ave C (op)

Nublu temporarily moved to under Lucky Cheng's back in August ... as the Nublu blog said during the summer, "last week we got our liquor license taken away due to an anonymous complaint that we are too close to a House of Worship." You can read about it all here.

• Pouring Ribbons (Lead to Gold Inc), 225 Ave B (op)

Anyone know what's going on here... the White Noise space?

• To be Determined, 116 Ave C (op)

The former Lava Gina space.

• Japadog Inc, 30 St Marks Pl (wb)

As we first reported last month, Japadog, the crazy popular Vancouver-based artisanal hot dog stands, is opening its first NYC outpost here.

• Alphabet City Beer Co (Alphabet City Wine Co LLC), 96 Ave C (b)

Looks like a beer companion to Alphabet City Wine... 96 Avenue C has been a vacant storefront for some time... we'll have more on this later...

Alterations/Upgrades

• Cien Fuegos (Cien Fuegos LLC), 95 Ave A (alt/op)

• Peels Restaurant (Radley Realty Corp), 325 Bowery (alt/op/additional standup bar)

New Liquor License Applications

• Shoolbred's, 197 2nd Ave (op)

• Nevada Smiths (92 Nunz Walk Inc), 100 3rd Ave (op)

Maybe they're not closing after all!

• The Bean (54 2nd Ave Bean LLC), 54 2nd Ave (wb)
The Bean (147 1st Ave Bean LLC), 147 1st Ave (wb)

Interesting... What do you think about The Bean also serving wine and beer at its new locations?

• Nicoletta (Letta #1 LLC), 160 2nd Ave (wb)

A taker for the former Cafe Centosette space at 10th Street.

• Ichibantei LLC, 401 E 13th St (wb)

This is the the eatery that serves a range of Japanese "soul food" just east off First Avenue. A scratch from previous agendas...

• Golden Cadillac, 446-448 E 13th St (op)

The (now former?) Mug Lounge.

---

b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations |up=upgrades

Week in Grieview

[A view Tuesday via EVG regular jdx]

More development plans for East 14th Street revealed (Thursday)

$1 million bail set for driver who crashed into East Village Farm and Grocery; prosecutors consider homicide charges (Tuesday)

This East Village resident helped save Jerry's Newsstand (Friday)

A break-in at 2 Bros. (Monday)

Arcane is closing on Avenue C (Friday)

Sushi Lounge finds a new home (Wednesday)

2 new wine shops coming to First Avenue (Tuesday)

Out and About with Alex Harsley (Wednesday)

Looking for a 6-bedroom "frat house"? (Thursday)

Avalon Chrystie Place is for sale (Wednesday)

First sign of Schnitz (Tuesday)

Peels has closed on the Bowery (Thursday)

Maria's Cafe leaves for West Harlem (Tuesday)

You won't have the "Girls" mural to look at anymore (Tuesday)

Check out the ultra-rare "TV-CBGB" (Monday)

Grifter alert (Tuesday)

Rabbit Season at 51 Astor Place! (Wednesday)

Look at David Schwimmer's new gate (Friday)

And here's one more from jdx from Tuesday… check out his site here.

Gallery Watch: 'Group Sex' at Full Tank Moto Cafe

Text and photos by Clare Gemima 

Group Sex

Full Tank Moto Cafe, 49 Monroe St.

The New York City health guidelines — via its updated Safer Sex and Covid-19 fact sheet — discourage group sex, but provide advice for interested parties, suggesting “to find a crowd, pick larger, more open, ventilated spaces”…

This is an open-minded safety precaution endorsed by the New York City health department to take during the pandemic ... and also a genius conceptual parameter for a visual-arts exhibition. 

The East Village-based Ed. Varie is presenting Group Sex in their newest collaborative location on Monroe Street that showcases the works of artists Cavier Coleman, Colleen Herman, Esteban Ocampo-Giraldo, Giorgio Handman, Ivy Campbell, Leticia Infante, Moises Salazar, Nina Gilkshtern, Sarah Hombach, Scout Zabinski and Ted McGrath. (To learn more about each artist, please visit the gallery website here.)

The show explores group sex, sexuality and sensuality — both metaphorically and literally — in a raw, 2,000 square-foot space. This particular Ed. Varie collaboration marries gallery with the new Full Tank Moto Cafe — part cafe, motorcycle workshop and future bookshop all under the same beautiful roof. 

The building used to be a glass factory, and (thematically, if you will) hosts chains hanging from the ceiling. Ed. Varie founder Karen Shaupeter had to enlighten me that the bondage decor was not part of the show but a happy accident nonetheless. 

Through linoleum prints, gouache and acrylic paintings, soft sculpture and collage, the grit of the work in the space left an enduring impression as I walked through and witnessed exposed brick walls around the canvases and spilled dog food along the gallery floor. 

There were spirit and realness both on and off-canvas, and if you’re exhausted by the Chelsea gallery hoity-toity, then please visit Group Sex for a revitalization. Authentic work is out here in the Lower East Side, ready to challenge and capsize the whitewashed and straight status-quo of what being an artist in New York looks like. 

Thank you Ed. Varie for curating a show that, much like its title, isn’t afraid to show its roughness, its realness, its core. Among the standout work: Esteban Ocampo-Giralso’s Mañanas oil painting, depicting an illusionary, self-pleasuring scene that collides ecstasy with the mundanity of one's own bedroom confines. The forms in this piece are curvaceous and rich with highlighting and shadow play that is seductive and wildly transportive.

Another highlight was Ted McGrath’s Marat Moods/“…stop me if you heard this one…”/Haw haw haw. For me, the more disturbing looking the work is, the better. In this oil painting, we see multiple characters looking both humanly and mystically entrenched in a scene that looks so uncertain and on edge that it becomes nerve-wracking and uncomfortable to be around. There are skulls, banana peels and a sense of impending doom all captured in a sizeable canvas. Confusing and wretched, my favorite work in the show, hands down. 

And there is Spring Fever by Moises Salazar, which captured me immediately both from Ed. Varie’s social media and in person. The work depicts a female form wearing heels on a fur backdrop embellished with constructed floral arrangements. 

This to me is a kitsch daydream from the color right through to the glitter, yarn and sequins used to create the piece. The work is so polished and technically precise that it will leave you wondering how Salazar made it, let alone how the idea came into existence. Super cute, super ridiculous and super exciting to see how this artist grows. To no surprise, this piece has already sold.

If you are in need of a visual explosion, or even a new lease on your own creative practice, then I recommend visiting Ed. Varie’s amazing new space, and even striking up a conversation with its founder and staff. The experience was extremely welcoming and informative and I thank Karen for curating a potent and memorable show that represents a handful of talented and young practitioners. 

Group Sex will be showing until April 18 at 49 Monroe St. (across the street from Coleman Skatepark under the Manhattan Bridge). Full Tank Moto Cafe is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the gallery will remain open until 6 p.m.

Ed. Varie’s sister location, 184 E. Seventh St. at Avenue B, is currently exhibiting a solo show of Cavier Coleman’s work titled Heaven & Hell, also showing through April 18. 

 

~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 

Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com 

Speaking of Chase...

Goggla took this shot at the Chase branch on the Bowery and First Street.

Not sure just yet if he was:

1) going to a Halloween party
2) reporting to work at Chase
3 heading to Peels

Speaking of driveways...

As we've written before... an EV Grieve reader/neighbor is convinced that workers will be putting in a garage at the Economakis Dream Mansion on East Third Street...

However, as the plywood peels away from the former apartment building, the driveway scenario is seeming less and less likely...

So enough please with the rumormongering and gossip.

Anyway, we hear that this space will be for a heliport.

Previously.

A 1980s 'Night Walk' in downtown NYC

[Screengrab from the "Night Watch" trailer]

The Times has a feature today on Ken Schles, who spent part of the 1980s living and taking photographs in the East Village.

He now has a follow-up to his 1988 book "Invisible City" titled "Night Walk."

Here's a description of the book:

Schles revisits his archive and fashions a narrative of lost youth: a delirious, peripatetic walk in the evening air of an irretrievable downtown New York as he saw and experienced it. Night Walk is a substantive, intimate chronicle of New York's last pre-Internet bohemian outpost, a stream of consciousness portrayal that peels back layers of petulance and squalor to find the frisson and striving of a life lived amongst the rubble.

Here's a trailer for the book...



Schles, who now lives in Fort Greene, "rejected the recent tendency to view the East Village of the 1980s as a golden age of louche glamour," according to the Times. "A lot of dysfunction has been romanticized," he said.

The book "is dedicated to the memory of those who died in the scourge of AIDS and violence that gripped the East Village during the 1980s."

Looking at the slim August CB3/SLA agenda: Heathers up for renewal; Plump Dumpling wants beer and wine

The CB3/SLA docket is now live... and it's pretty lean — 16 items in all.

And, for people curious about a new place from Mars Bar owner Hank Penza, there's nothing on this agenda that fits that description ...

The meeting is next Monday at 6:30 pm — JASA/Green Residence - 200 East 5th Street at Bowery

And now a few of the items of interest:

Renewals with complaints
• Heathers, (Ariel, Inc) 506 E 13 st (op)

Heathers went before the CB3/SLA committee in September 2009 ... and there was a lengthy discussion. The Times checked in with a lengthy article in January 2007 about the ongoing noise issues between the bar and neighbors.

Owner Heather Millstone opened Veronica People's Club in Greenpoint last summer.

Applications within Resolution Areas
• St. Marks Red House, TDD & G LLC, 126 St Marks Pl (wb)

The former Why? Curry space ... now Lychee... soon to be called The East Village Red House. We'll have more on this one later.

Alterations/Upgrades
• Preserve 24 (Aegis Holding Houston LLC), 175-177 E. Houston St (alt/op)

• BOP (Peels) Radley Realty Corp, 325 Bowery (alt,reorg)

New Liquor License Applications
• Plump Dumpling (Big Dumpling Corp), 174 2nd Ave (op)

The Plumpsters, who brought in Yummy House, are looking to serve alcohol ...

• Basketball City, Ark Basketball City Corp, Pier 36 at 299 South St (op)

Wow. This one will whip up some drama. This is the former Office of Emergency Management ... The Lo-Down has background on this controversial rec center...

• TBD, Asian Chef Express Inc, 96 3rd Ave (wb)

• TBD, Ichibantei LLC, 401 E 13th St (wb)

This is the the eatery that serves a range of Japanese "soul food" just east off First Avenue ...

• Hot Kitchen (Hot Kitchen Inc ), 104 2nd Ave (wb)

This is the former Matsukado ... that closed six months after taking over the old Baluchi's space ... Hot Kitchen? Perhaps this will be the "modern Australian" place from Morgan McGlone, the former private chef and caterer on the Upper East Side?

• Quality Meats Downtown (Mozzarella Sticks LLC), 199 Bowery (op)

BoweryBoogie has the scoop on what's in the works for this place.

The Marshal seizes Palà on Allen Street

An EVG reader shares these photos... the landlord now has legal possession of Palà, the pizzeria at 198 Allen St. just south of Houston...



The Palà website is also no longer active.

Here's what New York had to say about the place a few years back:

The dough, which consists of nine organic flours, is allowed to rise naturally over three days, and the result is a marvelously light and crispy crust. Italian owner Gigio Palazzo says he set out to “change the game of pizza in New York.” And indeed he has. Delectable combos include the zucca, pumpkin purée layered with marbled pancetta. Palazzo’s savvy gamble on unlikely toppings pays off: Of the veggie options, the bufala cruda easily tops the list, heavy with misshapen hunks of mozzarella and roasted cherry tomatoes with splitting peels.

Palà opened in 2006 ... and underwent a major renovation in 2012.

Given the location and build-out with those roll-up garage doors, this promises to be a sought-after space...

East Village winners in the 'Best of New York'

East Village Man has compiled the East Village-related items from New York Magazine's "Best of New York" issue. There weren't actually many mentions ... here are a few...

RESTAURANTS

Best Bacon and Eggs - Peels (325 Bowery at 2nd St.)

“Plants Matter” section for best veggies:

Carrots - Dirt Candy (430 E. 9th st. at Ave A)

Escarole - Porsena (21 E. 7th st. near Cooper Square)

Check out the rest at EVM.

Peels turns into Heels

Heh. The new American-style diner over on Bowery and Second Street....



... was closed to the public last night for a Fashion Week event....