Center of the restaurant's culinary program are the cut-rate bento boxes. In its final days, these cost around $16 at Sapporo East; now the price at Beronberon is approximately $18 ... Quite a deal, and delicious!
Reflecting its status as a sort of Japanese diner, the over-rice donburi selections — served with soup or salad — constitute meals that might fall in the "blue plate specials" category. The pork cutlets are profuse and of high quality, with just enough edge-fat hidden by just enough breading. The soy poured over the rice is slightly sweet, which guarantees that you'll actually finish the rice underneath. The "Mononoke special ramen" ($12), one of eight choices, was not quite as good, beginning with the noodles themselves and extending to the miso broth. You can find much better ramen at the dozen or so other places that serve it in the East Village.
The wild-eyed man in a King Tut shirt was behind an E. 13th St. building near Third Ave. when he started yelling at his first victim. But his attention was diverted when a 41-year-old man began recording the argument on his phone. Cops said the suspect pulled a knife and stabbed the witness in the midsection before running off.
The recently renovated 640 Broadway stretches a full city block on Bleecker Street between Broadway and Crosby Street and is located in Manhattan’s densely populated NoHo neighborhood. Organic Avenue and Swatch occupy the corner retail spaces. The building is located within three blocks of seven subway lines and benefits from strong demographics, heavy tourism and significant foot traffic from shoppers on Broadway. The main campus of New York University is located one block from 640 Broadway and provides a large base of millennial shoppers and diners.
JOHN’S OF 12TH STREET is a portrait of a century-old Italian-American restaurant in New York City, one of the last of its kind in a rapidly changing East Village. This observational documentary loosely follows the rhythm of the restaurant’s day, which swings between boredom and frenzy as the old rooms empty and fill. No one who works at John’s is actually Italian, but some have been here for 40 years, including two pairs of brothers and a father and son. JOHN’S OF 12TH STREET catalogues the overlooked details of working life and a vanishing New York City.
The film debuts on Nov. 12 at Spectacle in Williamsburg. Details here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
About the new ownership for 105-year-old East Village institution John's of 12th Street
Report: Deal for East Village treasure John's of 12th Street is off
Out and About in the East Village with Nick Sitnycky Part 1 and Part 2
