Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC ...
Thursday, February 4, 2021
C&B Cafe turns 6
Chef-owner Ali Sahin's A+ breakfast-lunch-coffee to-go shop opened in late January 2015.
While it was certainly a challenging year for any local business (C&B's woes included a break-in), Sahin did have plenty to celebrate, including a successful crowdfunding campaign to purchase a new oven, a lease to extend the space into the vacant storefront next door and a headline-grabbing champagne assist as Biden won the presidency.
Here's to the next six years...
Space where Momofuku got its start is for rent on 1st Avenue
The space is notable to some local food aficionados for being where David Chang's Momofuku empire got is start .... first as the home of Noodle Bar (2004) before it moved a few storefronts away... later becoming Momofuku Ko for six years (2008-2014), which is now open in a larger space on Extra Place ... and then the first outpost of his Fuku fried chicken sandwich chain (2015-2018).
There was speculation that Chang would hold on to the space, as Eater noted after Fuku closed:
The space, near and dear to Momofuku as the location that kicked off Chang’s empire, will continue to serve as an incubator — though what else the company has up its sleeves is TBD.
Not much info on the retail listing, except that the space is vented for cooking, though all uses are considered.
Photo by Steven with assistance from EV Arrow
P.S.
Bring back Wraparama!
Snowplow collides with the Iggy's curbside space on Ludlow Street
While Mother Nature may have wreaked some havoc... at least one city employee was responsible for plowing into the curbside space outside Iggy's Keltic Lounge on Ludlow between Stanton and Rivington.
According to an Iggy's employee, "our barrier is a foot closer to the sidewalk than everyone else around us. We have reflectors and a giant construction barrel on the side where the cars come down the street."
Still.
"This guy got close, backed up, and got closer. What the hell?"
The curbside space, which the tavern was still using (though not Monday evening) is still standing, though slightly askew.
The carpenter who built the structure this past summer will assess the damage tomorrow...
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Wednesday's parting shot
3rd Street piano update
Anyway, as you can see, someone shoved the piano over. Or else it slipped.
P.S.
And who is going to comment, "This never would have happened if the Hells Angels still lived here!"
You could even say it glows
The lighting was said to be done for staging purposes to help rent the space...
Former Snowdays space will yield a sushi counter on 10th Street
The application posted on the CB3 website (PDF here, which includes a sample menu) shows that the sushi counter will (eventually) be open daily from noon to midnight.
David Chen is listed as the proprietor. While he has not been licensed before within the confines of CB3, he does have experience running this type of business. (The questionnaire does not provide the names of previous restaurants.)
The virtual CB3-SLA meeting is Monday night at 6:30.
Snowdays, the dessert shop specializing in Asian-inspired shaved frozen cream (aka snow cream), closed late last summer, unable to continue in business during the pandemic. The shop, originally called Snowdays Shavery, opened here in August 2014. The space was previously a Kung Fu Tea location.
Before this it was Vinyl Market, the electronic/DJ specialty shop. Anyway, don't recall that this space was ever licensed for alcohol before.
Pre-snow photos by Steven
Thanks to Mighty Quinn's, Otto's Tacos is making a (virtual) return
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
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
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, February 2, 2021
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