It’s Pancake Month — Where to Celebrate; New Fresco FinancialAstoria: Igloo, at 22-26 31st Street, serves brunch, and the fries are “hot and crisp, not soggy at all.” That would describe the ideal fry, no? [Joey in Astoria]
Financial District: A second Fresco on the Go is set to open in May at 10 Hanover Square, only this version will be 8,000 square feet and “combine elements of a retail store, restaurant, and party space.” [Zagat]
Morningside Heights: It’s Pancake Month! And it’s no surprise that some of the best hot cakes in town can be found at Clinton Street’s sister restaurant, Community Food & Juice. [Gridskipper]
Tribeca: The new sommelier at Cercle Rouge, Jorge Riera, comes from the late 360 in Red Hook, and he’s hosting a biodynamic-wine dinner on Monday with Loire Valley winemakers Chateau Tour Grise. [Grub Street]
West Village: Le Gamin has been rechristened the New French now that one of the owners is out and there’s a new chef and a reworked menu. [Bottomless Dish/Citysearch]
Mediavore
Katz’s Assures You They’re Safe; Boulud on Buying LocalKatz’s Deli denies selling out to developers and claims it would take “like $50 million” for them to sacrifice the historic deli. [Villager]
Related: Mother of Mercy! Is This the End of Katz’s?
Daniel Boulud reveals his tips for stocking a global pantry, noting that buying locally is all relative: “You drive from Vermont or you fly from California, in less than 24 hours you get it.” [The Canadian Press]
Sort out the growing food-truck scene with this list of the trendsetters including Taco Truck, Dessert Truck from a former Le Cirque pastry chef, and Wafels & Dinges Truck serving “Soft and Chewy waffles or a Light and Crispy covered in powdered sugar, Nutella, strawberries, whipped cream, or maple syrup.” God bless the Belgian Ministry for Culinary Affairs. [Gridskipper]
Related: Taco Wars: Rockers Open New Front in Williamsburg
Mediavore
Jacob the Jeweler, Sam Mason Want to Sell You Liquor; Farm Aid This SundayJacob the Jeweler will debut his new vodka Bocaj (his name ba-zz-ackwards, yo) at the MTV Video Music Awards. Of course. [Snack]
In more vodka marketing news, 360 claims to be the most ecofriendly spirit on the market as it’s bottled in recycled glass and made from local grains. Bet it doesn’t “shine like a sparkling diamond” like Jacob’s. [Mouthing Off/Food & Wine]
No more one-drink limit at Sam Mason’s Tailor. Now you can drink as much as you’d like, but it’ll cost you. [Eat for Victory/VV]
NewsFeed
LeNell’s Felled by Red Hook Development?
Red Hook residents have had plenty to fret over in the past few years: the loss of Lillie’s, the arrival of Ikea, the possible close of Barge, whatever’s happening with 360 (currently closed with no sign of reopening), and of course the ball-field vendors and their permit issues. And now we’re told by employee Amanda Womack that LeNell’s, the city’s most eccentric liquor store (and arguably its bourbon mecca), is getting the boot from its landlord and looking for another location. “We have a year, but we’re looking now. We can move as soon as we find a place.” The question, then, is whether they’re intent on staying in the neighborhood. Apparently not: “We want to stay in Red Hook,” Womack tells us, “and we’ll stay if we can. But there’s not much available right now.” Red Hook locals, we advise you to start stocking up on bourbon now.
Related: Best Liquor Store: LeNell’s
Is This the Last Summer of the Red Hook Park Vendors?
Neighborhood Watch
Closing of East Village Pork Store Causes Polish Homemaker to Clutch BosomDumbo: Not only will cookbook author and multiple James Beard Award winner Rozanne Gold be a guest host at Tuesday night’s food benefit for the American Cancer Society, there’ll also be lots of New York brews. [American Cancer Society]
East Village: Fifty-year-old Kurowycky Meat Products Inc., known for its sausages and internal smokehouse, closes, and a Polish homemaker, dismayed, clutches her bosom. [NYT]
Midtown West: Appreciating modern art just got easier: MoMA’s got a brand-new (seasonal) bar. [NewYorkology]
Park Slope: Store owner harassed for putting the word “arena” in the name of his new bagel shop, as suggested by his teenage children. [NYT]
Red Hook: 360 should reopen structurally upgraded, but mostly unchanged, though even the owner’s not sure when. [VV]