The Odessa Cafe and Bar scene moves next door to the Odessa

The Odessa Cafe and Bar at 117 Avenue A closed back on Aug. 31. At the time, we heard that the Cafe and Bar would be resurrected in the back of the Odessa next door at 119 Avenue A.

Well, the new bar made its debut this past weekend.


[Photo last weekend by Shawn Chittle]

So, from Wednesday to Sunday evenings starting at 8, the back section of the Odessa — never all that crowded at this hour anyway — will serve drinks in a cozy ambiance similar to the former Cafe and Bar...


[SC]

Leo, who tended bar and waited on tables at the Cafe (the dark side, if you like), will be serving drinks at the Odessa (the light side, etc.)


[Photo of Leo by Goggla]

No word if they are bringing over the old framed photos of movie stars or the gourds from the former Cafe and Bar...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Building that houses Odessa Cafe and Bar for sale on Avenue A

Is the end nearing for Odessa Cafe and Bar on Avenue A?

Former GM from Tribeca's Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs part of team to buy the Odessa Cafe

Reader report: Odessa Cafe closes for good after Aug. 15

Reader report: Odessa Cafe and Bar will remain open through Sept. 6

Smorgasburg favorites Schnitz planning restaurant at former Something Sweet on First Avenue

[EVG file photo by Dave on 7th]

Schnitz, which serves old-fashioned schnitzel sandwiches with unconventional toppings at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Dumbo, is applying for a beer-wine license for the former Something Sweet space on First Avenue at East 11th Street.

According to paperwork (PDF!) filed ahead of this month's CB3/SLA committee meeting, the quick-serve restaurant will hold 12 tables... with proposed hours of 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday; until 12:30 a.m. Thursday-Saturday; and noon-10 p.m. on Sunday.

Schnitz will serve sandwiches, soups and salads from its East Village location.

You can find their menu here.

I've never heard of Schnitz (or been to Smorgasburg, for that matter)... but I know that people like their food.

Here's an item on their food via Alan Richman at GQ:

I daringly tried a schnitzel, one of the least likable foods on earth. Allow me to sum up the attraction: hot, dry, fried meat on a hot, dry, summer afternoon. It's worth noting that during the preparation of schnitzel, the meat is often hit repeatedly with a hammer.

The purveyor was Schnitz, and the sandwich I selected, called Mrs. Child, turned out to be the dish of the day, a breaded chicken cutlet that was juicy within and crunchy on the outside. Such perfect texture is virtually impossible to achieve with veal, the preferred meat of German and Austrian schnitzel eaters. Fortunately, there were none around to complain. The schnitzel came on a Tom Cat pretzel roll with celery-root remoulade, which makes anything taste better.

Something Sweet, the family-owned bakery, had been closed since July 2012. There had apparently been a variety of issues, from problems with the landlord to health-related concerns for a family member.

The committee meeting is Monday, Nov. 18 at 6:30 p.m. — Community Board 3 Office, 59 East 4th Street (between 2nd Avenue and the Bowery).

Mudspot Café prepping kiosk for service in First Park

As we first reported on Oct. 10, Mudspot Café was taking over the food and beverage service from S'MAC in the kiosk off of East Houston and East First Street.

As you can see, there's a lot of progress to report here in First Park ... or, perhaps, Mud Park...



Updated 9:45 a.m.
Mudspot General Manager Yasmina Palumbo told us that they hoped to be open in November. From the looks of things, it's possible that it could happen sooner rather than later... said that Mud Park will be ready to serve in just a couple more weeks.

"We must look more ready than we realized because we've had a lot of people try to order coffee in the last few days!"

Previously on EV Grieve:
More about S'MAC's decision to leave First Park

Mudspot Café opening at the First Park kiosk next month

Report: Empire Biscuit opens today

[Photo from last week]

Empire Biscuit officially opens this morning at 8, according to DNAinfo. (Empire was open last night from 6-10.)

Per DNA:

The flaky Southern favorites will be topped with a selection of gourmet spreads, including goat cheese and black pepper butter, pineapple and thyme jam and pumpkin pie spread, owners Jonathan Price and Yonadav Tsuna said.

Here is their menu:




Starting Friday, Empire — located at 198 Avenue A — will be open 24 hours. The space was previously home to Habibi Lounge.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Incoming Empire Biscuit on Avenue A launches Kickstarter campaign (121 comments)

8 p.m., Avenue C, Oct. 29, 2012 and 2013

Photos courtesy of Andrew Adam Newman on Ave C.

'My Dead Boyfriend' filming in Tompkins Square Park

Crews arrived today for a two-day shoot in Tompkins Square Park for "My Dead Boyfriend." There's promise here ... because the film is based on Arthur Nersesian's novel "Dogrun," which is set in the East Village in 1999.

Here's a description of the book:

Mary Bellanova came home to her east village apartment, cooked dinner, and fought with her boyfriend, Primo. But soon Mary realized that Primo's silence in front of the tv set was more than just one of his bad moods: Primo was actually dead.

Suddenly Mary's life — defined so far by a string of temp jobs and unfinished short stories — takes off on a tantalizing adventure as she follows a trail of Primo's ex-lovers ... in this powerful new novel edged with black humor and poignancy.

Heather Graham (below) plays the lead... "ER" star Anthony Edwards makes his directorial debut.

You have 1 hour left to get a free hot dog at Japadog today

Japadog on St. Mark's Place is handing out freebies today to celebrate selling their 1 millionth hot dog, per DNAinfo. Just till 5!

Still haven't had one of these things...

[Photo by Derek Berg]

The spectacular now

Scenes of fall from around the neighborhood ...

[Updated] East 14th Street synagogue up for sale considered for landmark designation

[Image via Manhattan Sideways]

As we reported on Oct. 1, the Tifereth Israel Town and Village Synagogue on East 14th Street is for sale for possible development.

Upon hearing of the sale, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and a coalition of East Village, preservation, and Jewish history groups reached out to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) urging them to consider the building for landmark designation. (Find the group's letter here.)

According to the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, the building has an amazing history, having served as first a German Baptist Church, then a Ukranian Autocephalic Orthodox Church, and then a Conservative Synagogue for the last 50 years. Interestingly enough, the building was calendared by the LPC and considered for landmark designation in 1966, but they never acted upon it.

Now in response to the group's request, the LPC will hold a hearing on the potential landmark designation of the property today. (Find the PDF notice here.)

"We’re very glad that this wonderful building will get its proverbial day in court, and we are optimistic that the Commission will find it worthy of designation," said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

Updated 8:02
Turns out that the LPC hearing on the synagogue has been laid over to another month. No word just yet on a new date.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] East 14th St. synagogue on the market for conversion to residential, commercial use

1 if by land, 2 if by sea, 3 if by plywood: Yes, there's a 7-11 inside there

Construction of the incoming 7-Eleven is entering its 13th month of painful gut rehabilitation and disruptive construction on Avenue A and East 11th Street... EVG reader Cartknocker was curious to see just what was going on behind that plywood... Luckily, the plywood is easy enough to scale...



Yes, that is a 7-Eleven.



Meanwhile, the No 7-Eleven blog has a recap of Sunday's No 7-Eleven rally right here.

Sandy on Avenue C

This video, uploaded just last week, was shot from East 11th Street at Avenue C one year ago tonight ... and it shows the Sandy storm surge headed down the Avenue ...

A series of images from that night and the next morning starts at the 3:30 mark.

One year later on East Sixth Street

As far as we know, these are the only temporary boilers that remain in the neighborhood from Sandy... on East Sixth Street at Avenue C outside this NYCHA-owned building.

Of course, there are other less-visible lingering effects from the storm...