Chumley’s Reopening Behind Schedule; Ruth Reichl’s Mommy DisguiseThe West Village speakeasy won’t open this month, ex-cons are hanging out at a ‘Sopranos’ actor’s pizzeria in Williamsburg, and see what Ruth Reichl wore when she reviewed restaurants for the ‘Times.’
Mediavore
Gordo Blog Better Than the Real Thing; Water Trend More RidiculousA true innovator has started a mock Gordon Ramsay blog with such posts as “What? Emeril’s boobs aren’t nice enough?” But when will someone step in to fill in the gaps at Chodoblog? [News Groper via Serious Eats]
Related: Food Network, Emeril No Longer Feeling the Love
No holiday parties at Chumley’s this year; according to the owner Steve Shlopak, the space has no ceiling and no floor. [NYO]
Even after a top-chef shuffle and “showdown between Fiamma, L’Impero and Alto … all three places have come through recent turmoil, and the good news is that they’re better than they were before,” says Steve Cuozzo. [NYP]
NewsFeed
Old Town Bar Taunts Younger CompetitionCedar Tavern is closed while a condo is built on top of it, Chumley’s is closed while it tries to rebuild itself, and though these two will someday reopen, this sign on the window indicates that Old Town is enjoying watching its old-timey competition dwindle. We saw it on our way to Pete’s!
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Pinkberry Domination Continues Apace; Chumley’s in Trouble AgainPinkberry’s quest for world domination becomes more tangible: Its founders have raised $27.5 million in the company’s first round of venture capital. [NYT]
Related: The New Cold War: The Battle for Bleecker Street
Hear the Pinkberry Jingle, Attempt to Get it Out of Your Head
Chumley’s prospective opening date of October 1 has come and gone, possibly because of certain “surprises” the engineers have found, including asbestos and an eroding foundation. [NYP]
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La Esquina Returns; Little Hope for Chumley’s ReopeningThe downstairs at La Esquina is reportedly open. [Down by the Hipster]
Little progress seems to have been made at Chumley’s, which was supposed to reopen in two weeks. [Lost City]
Shake Shack’s vanilla frozen custard deemed superior in a taste test of national favorites. [Serious Eats]
Neighborhood Watch
‘Top Chef’ Open Call Moves to ChelseaBoerum Hill: Trader Joe’s held a parade yesterday to officially announce its Brooklyn expansion into the former Sovereign Bank building. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Chelsea: Top Chef open call has been moved from the French Culinary Institute to Craftsteak on July 22. The hours have also been moved up and are now 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. [Eat for Victory/VV]
East Village: Southeast Asian restaurant Tigerland will give up the ghost next week, so now is the time to O.D. on Thai coffee cupcakes. [Gawker]
Sagaponack: Townline BBQ won’t open until July 19, but a peek at the raw wood space shows it’s ready for ‘cue. [Restaurant Girl]
West Village: Beatrice Inn welcomes Trekkies, as long as they don’t wear flip-flops. [Down by the Hipsters] Chumley’s owner takes a shot in the dark and declares October 1 the famed bar’s reopening date. [Villager]
Neighborhood Watch
Harlem Gets Tapas and Cigars; Floating Pool Is WaterloggedAstoria: The Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden opened at 3 p.m. today. Get yourself over there. [Joey in Astoria]
Brooklyn Heights: Floating pool is temporarily closed because of rain issues. Water is a bitch. [Gothamist]
Harlem: Floridita opens up a tapas outpost, essentially taking over the block. [Greasy Guide]. A BYO stogie bar sets up shop while Harlem Vintage’s opening gets pushed back till September. [Uptown Flavor]
Lower East Side: Black cherries now being squeezed at East Side Company Bar. [Down By the Hipster]
West Village: Chumley’s will not go gentle into that good night — it’s poised to reopen by October. [amNY]. Meanwhile darkness may have come for Day-O. [Eater]
Neighborhood Watch
Brooklyn Heights Resident Could Be ‘The Next Food Network Star’Brooklyn Heights: Resident Michael “Wild” Salmon, former host of a food radio show on Air America, could be named The Next Food Network Star. [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
Flatiron: Newly-opened Southern Italian joint Bar Stuzzichini is looking for a baker to join its team. [Eat For Victory/VV]
Murray Hill: A tipster has spotted signage imploring visitors to savor their last drinks at Third and Long; the bar has lost its lease. [Grub Street]
Tribeca: Brandy Library is hosting a single-malt scotch tasting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. [Brandy Library]
West Village: Chumley’s doesn’t look like it will be reopening any time soon; meanwhile, tourists are still struggling to find its entrance, not realizing that the former speakeasy is truly closed. [NewYorkology]
Mediavore
Scott Conant Soon to Be Very Busy; the New Shake ShackScott Conant has lots to keep him busy until his next major restaurant project, including a book, a Home Shopping Network deal, and a pilot for a cooking show. [The Strong Buzz]
Earlier: Scott Conant Takes Leave of Alto, L’Impero [Grub Street]
A customer sues Zen Palate for serving her jagged little pieces of metal along with her meal. [NYP]
The lines at Grom have grown even beyond Shake Shack proportions, stretching a whole city block. [Serious Eats]
Related: Grom’s Gelato Conquers New York for Italy [Grub Street]
Neighborhood Watch
Chumley’s Will Be Back to Its Old Tricks in the West VillageCobble Hill: Employees at the Key Foods deli counter apparently don’t give a damn if you want your Sausalito turkey sliced thin, or they don’t know how to recalibrate the machine. [Clean Plate Club via Brooklyn Record]
East Village: Sex in the bathroom of Angels & Kings predicted to be less “grotty” than it was at CBGB’s, further lessening the spot’s rocker cred. [Gawker]
Midtown West: The Japanese chain Go-Go Curry, which translates 5-5 Curry, will open at 273 West 38th Street on May 5, unless straining to create quirks that involve the number five delay opening. [NYS]
Soho: Wash your hands and more next to your date in the FR.OG restrooms. [Restaurant Girl]
Tribeca: A divorce is behind the name change of Sosa Borella to Estancia 460. [NYT]
West Village: A former Bungalow 8 bouncer will open a Cuban social club in the former Salon space (with help from Giuseppe Cipriani) that’s supposed have a neighborhood feel. [Eater] Chumley’s plans to reopen June 1, after a partial wall collapse threatened to shutter the historical watering hole permanently. [NYT]
Williamsburg: Bling Kong bandmates Liz “Shredder” Schroeter and Scott “Steakbomb” Gold will demonstrate their recipes featured in the rock-star cookbook at the Brooklyn Kitchen tonight. [Brooklyn Record]
Neighborhood Watch
Texas Barbecue Coming to Tribeca in Limited ReleaseClinton Hill: Former Bodegas spot now in the hands of Fort Greene’s Pequeña posse. [Brooklyn Record]
Little Italy: The great-grandson of the founder of the San Gennaro Festival plans to add an Italian-American history museum to the nabe as well as high-end retailers like Armani and Gucci (a step up from those “I Heart BJs” shirts). [MetroNY]
Lower East Side: Park Slope’s Cocoa Bar set to open on Clinton Street by the end of May. [Cocoa Bar]
Tribeca: Smokin’ Joe’s True-Blue Texas Barbecue will serve lunch (sandwiches, platters, and all the fixins) at the Tribeca Tavern on Fridays and Saturdays during the Tribeca Film Festival and, let’s hope, longer. [NYT] Mai House’s late-night $10 menu kicks off tonight. [Myriad Restaurant Group]
West Village: Chumley’s will be under construction for the next few months, at least. [Eater]
Neighborhood Watch
Dialysis Center Space Will Get a Hot New Bar in ChinatownBedford-Stuyvesant: A Dunkin’ Donuts–Baskin Robbins double team coming to Nostrand Avenue is more than welcome. [Bed-Stuy Blog]
Chelsea: The new Telegraphe Espresso Bar on West 18th Street not only boasts flat screens playing independent films, but the baristas form flowers in your foam. [Blog Chelsea]
Chinatown: The Mondrian Hotel, in all its nightlife glory, will replace the Chinatown Dialysis Center on Lafayette, bringing damage to livers where there was once healing. [Down by the Hipster]
East Village: Zum Schneider celebrates averting eviction with help from petitions by thanking customers with a free buffet and free beer from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight and tomorrow. [Gothamist]
Flatiron: Shake Shack’s line-monitoring ShackCam is down. [Eater]
Lower East Side: Taco Taco expands southward with a similarly thematic name: Móle. [Gothamist]
West Village: Chumley’s landlord has a history of shoddy maintenance, making neighbors fear another collapse. [NYT]
Neighborhood Watch
Three Words: Chelsea Cupcake ControversyBedford-Stuyvesant: Next Thursday’s cocktail fund-raiser at Carver Savings bank benefits Fulton-Nostrand United Merchants Association, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, and if you’re still reading this, congratulations. [Bed-Stuy Gateway]
Chelsea: The pink cupcake — you know the one — inspires reactions from diabolical blogger rants to posters defending the pretty cake. [Blog Chelsea] Ronnybrook Dairy will be converted into a milk bar serving breakfast, lunch and dinner — with special lactose twists. [Eater]
Clinton Hill: Olivino is hosting an Italian wine tasting tonight starting at 6:30 p.m.; you’ve got three hours to “taste” as much as your liver can stand. [Clinton Hill Blog]
East Village: The Bowery Hotel lobby may be getting a tepid response, but the 10,000-square-foot bar space on the second floor should impress, assuming the weather warms up sometime. [Down by the Hipster]
Tribeca: Patsy’s Pizza coming to the former Dominic spot; booze a sure thing. [Eater]
West Village: Chumley’s won’t be torn down — not yet, anyway. [Gawker] The Spotted Pig has updated their menu. [Grub Street]
NewsFeed
Pour One Out for Chumley’s?The last time we visited Chumley’s, it was to tell you about the ghosts rumored to lurk within. Now the venerable speakeasy may become a ghost itself: As Curbed reports, the Fire Department is at this moment examining 82-86 Bedford after a wall collapse and may tear her down entirely. Rush to the scene and you may be able to salvage a first edition of Faulkner from the rubble.
BREAKING CurbedWire: Chumley’s Wall Collapse [Curbed]
