Shopsin’s Arrives At Last in Its New Lower East Side BerthChelsea: Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano will not utilize the old Plaid space for their next club; 1OAK (One of a Kind) is now set for 17th between Ninth and Tenth. [Down by the Hipster] Klee Brasserie will give out its new peach sangria for free this Sunday to mark Gay Pride Day. [NYS]
Lower East Side: Shopsin’s finally open in the Essex Street Market. [Eater]
Midwood: DiFara open tomorrow? No, but “maybe Friday.” [Lost City]
Upper East Side: Owners of recently departed Jovia will give the townhouse space a more casual feel with a name and menu reminiscent of the owners’ Soho restaurant, Zoë. [NYT]
West Village: Jefferson Market has the single-origin-chocolate ice creams from Choctál newly imported from California. [NYT]
Back of the House
Josh DeChellis Gives the ‘Top Chef’ Contestants High MarksThis season, we’re planning on kibitzing about the show every week with a variety of fellow viewers, all of whom will help us to dissect that episode’s round of flashy dishes and behind-the-scenes treachery.
NewsFeed
Jovia Gives Up the Ghost at LastIt’s been a long, hard road for Jovia, which opened in 2005 to lukewarm notices. Chef Josh DeChellis left after just one year; last we heard, owners Stephen and Thalia Loffredo were selling the chandeliers. Meanwhile, Zoë, the Loffredos’ California-cuisine spot in Soho, has been flourishing. A restaurant insider who is also close to the couple tells us that they’ve finally decided to do the obvious and convert Jovia to a Zoë-like restaurant, perhaps even an uptown branch. “Nothing is final yet,” Stephen tells us, but “if the change occurs, it will be pretty quick.”
Back of the House
Food Fight at JoviaJovia has found itself in the news quite a bit in recent months, from being listed on Eater’s Deathwatch to our report on them selling their chandeliers. But a Gawker post detailing the very, very bad behavior of the restaurant’s investors has to be the worst report yet. It’s been high times for the investors, though, Bear Stearns boors who in recent weeks have had a fruit fight at the bar, thrown glasses at each other, and even jumped onto the counter to yell, “Where are we going now? To find some c—s?” Forget the light fixtures. Get rid of the investors!
Dispatch From the Service Trade: By Jovia! [Gawker]
The In-box
Owner: You Can’t Buy Jovia, But What Would You Give Us for the Chandelier?
Recently we wrote about the possibility of UES favorite Jovia putting its handblown, Murano-glass light fixtures, including the distinctive chandelier, on the chopping block. Here’s a response from Stephen Loffredo, owner of Jovia and Zoë.
Mr. Snitch
Jovia Hawking Its Chandelier?Restaurants meet their ends a few different ways. Here are two (rumored) examples.
The Turnkey Sale
Avenue B’s Dynasty, a 24-hour diner catering to locals during the day and drunks at night, was recently remodeled and is doing boffo business. But word around the campfire is that it’s up for sale, at a can’t-lose price of just under $400,000. Given that the place is probably profitable, features a sidewalk café, and is positioned to make hay as the East Village continues to gentrify, we doubt it will be long before someone jumps on it. 600 E. 14th St., at Ave. B; 212-529-5449.
The Liquidation
The other story is a sadder one: After six anti-climactic months on Eater’s “Deathwatch” list, Jovia may actually begin dismantling. Word is that the beautiful handblown Murano-glass chandeliers, one of the place’s most memorable features, are for sale — soon to go the way of chef Josh DeChellis, who left months ago.
