The East Village restaurant will begin its new "Cook Takeover Series" on March 10, in which a line cook will get to add his or her three best original dishes to join the regular menu for the night. First up is Casey Kusaka, whose dishes will include a char siu pork bun and a dessert involving mochi. More details are here. [Momofuku LP]
A reminder: Beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 3 p.m. today, Shake Shack is marrying its frozen vanilla custard with Stumptown Coffee (and a touch of Jacobsen Salt Co.) to produce a limited-edition affogato. This is going down at the coffee company's Brew Bar on West 8th Street. [Stumptown, Earlier]
Post-game burgers for Jason Collins.Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
With the Oscar festivities in full swing, many A-listers spent the week donning designer gowns and attending star-studded parties in L.A.. But here in NYC, Todd English engaged in some salacious antics in the Meatpacking District, Ja Rule celebrated his birthday at an izakaya, and Jimmy Fallon put on an impromptu performance at Bill's Food & Drink. Read all about it, straight ahead.
There is such a thing as a free lunch after all: The fast-casual chain is commemorating the opening of its 37th Manhattan store by doing what it always does — easing into business and warming up the kitchen by giving away large amounts of food at no charge. Customers are being asked to visit 319 Broadway (at Thomas Street) this morning to pick up a voucher, then return between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to redeem it. Supplies are limited. [Related]
A bit of news to warm the cockles of your heart: Delancey Street seafood restaurant Grey Lady has taken custody of the very cool, bright-red neon that illuminated midtown's Famous Oyster Bar for several decades. Partner Ryan Chadwick tells Bowery Boogie that the double signs will next shine brightly over Grey Lady. Famous Oyster Bar closed in January. [Bowery Boogie, Related]
Hironori Ikeno started off making these miniscule bites of sushi as a joke about a decade ago, in his restaurant in Tokyo's Nohachi district. Each piece of fish is delicately sliced and handled the same way any normal-size portion would be, except each micro-bite is crowned atop a single grain of rice. Ikeno presents a plate of octopus, tamago, and a few cuts of otoro, some or which come saddled to the rice with a thin band of nori. One loyal customer says the single-grain sushi may be tiny, but thanks to microscopic amounts of Japanese radish and chili used as seasonings, she claims her meal packed a lot of flavor.
"St. Balmain also has a more-than-decent playlist, which I like to bop my head to as I answer emails."Photo: Melissa Hom
Twenty-year-old actress AnnaSophia Robb — the star of The Carrie Diaries and The Way Way Back — has some time off at the moment, which means she can enjoy living in Williamsburg and "catching up on life." But that doesn't mean she's out raging at clubs every night with famous starlets: Robb's life in the city is calm and grounded. She eats grilled-cheese sandwiches at her yoga studio, goes to Chipotle with friends, and stays in to cook with her boyfriend. This week, Robb also found time to attend her first-ever Knicks game and indulge her sweet tooth at One Lucky Duck, Cookshop, and Gramercy Terrace. Read it all in this week's Grub Street Diet.
• Daruma-ya, an Izakaya and soba house, will replace Tribeca’s Greenwich Grill in April. The 60-seat restaurant will serve a menu featuring duck, Japanese bottarga, and sashimi sobas alongside a selection of sake, beer, Japanese whiskies, and craft cocktails. [Grub Street]
• Free food alert: Shake Shack is teaming up with Stumptown Coffee and Jacobsen Salt Co. on a limited-edition affogato, which they will serve up for free tomorrow from 1 to 3 p.m. at Stumptown’s brew bar on West 8th and MacDougal Streets. [Shakeshack/Instagram]
• Steak lovers rejoice: Osteria Morini in Soho is now offering their 32-ounce 120-day dry-aged tomahawk steak along with two sides for $115 dollars every Wednesday. [Grub Street]
Perpetually busy Yakitori Totto spinoff Totto Ramen, which has two New York locations, is reportedly opening in Allston next to a branch of sports bar Tavern in the Green. A Chowhound user spotted the sign at a restaurant under construction that bears the Totto name, as well as its distinctive rooster logo. [Chowhound, Related]
There's nothing at all questionable about a line of Charles Bukowski—themed beer that promotes literacy in comparison to this completely objectionable use of the likeness of the Notorious B.I.G. by L.A.-based juice company Clover, to promote its latest line of "cleanses." A reader at Eater points out that March 9, which Clover Juice has dubbed #JUICYDAY, is the 17th anniversary of the late rapper's murder.
Decisions, decisions: Bukowski brandishes his guns while grabbing a six-pack.Photo: Chris Felver/Getty Images
All your MFA-student friends will no doubt put a fist of joy (or two) through the nearest sheetrock wall once you inform them that writing legend Charles Bukowski is finally getting his own line of commemorative beer. The new project, which will continue throughout the year, originated at Boston's Bukowski Tavern, which is one of several establishments around the world either named for or in honor of the famous author, who liked drinking. (This includes Post Office in Williamsburg, incidentally.)
Thirsty NYC spots the coffee shop's distinctive logo in the window of the old Manhattan Art Gallery Space at 568 Sixth Avenue in Chelsea, along with a sign that reads “Coming As Soon As We Can.” The mini-chain, which has an outpost in South Korea, opened its first shop on Mercer Street in 2006. This will be its sixth in Manhattan. [Thirsty NYC ]
Art Bouvier, a New Orleans native who owns a Cajun restaurant in Indianapolis, claims to be genuinely shocked that people were offended when he posted a photo of himself in full-on blackface makeup, along with the phrases "Chocolate Soda" and "get down with the brown," on Papa Roux's Facebook page. "I could not be possibly prepared for the tensions I'm feeling today," he tells local NBC affiliate WTHR, explaining that his makeup was actually in tribute to the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club krewe, who've donned similar makeup, along with elaborate costumes, on Mardi Gras for more than 100 years. (By the looks of his gray sweatshirt, Bouvier seems to have left his krewe costume at home.) He further explains that "chocolate soda" was also not racist, but instead is a reference to the "newly introduced, locally-crafted" chocolate soda he's holding in the photo.
Photo: iStockphoto
Each week, Grub Street surveys the entire restaurant landscape of New York, crunches the numbers, and comes up with this: A list of the most-talked-about, must-visit places in the city. They might be new, or they could be older places that have gotten a recent jolt of buzz. No matter what, these are the restaurants where you should make a point to eat sooner rather than later.
With Big Hug Mug sales burning up on eBay, it probably comes as no surprise that True Detective fandom has now extended to someone swapping out Matthew McConaughey's Oscar statuette in a photo to make it look like he was clutching a tall boy of Lone Star Beer. Meanwhile, it seems as though his character Rust Cohle has spent some downtime reviewing the lager at Beer Advocate. "These brews are best enjoyed in dreams that happen in a locked box inside of your head," states one such in-character line. Verdict: 4.75/5. [Beer Advocate, Related]
Cosentino, making blood sausages on Top Chef Masters.Photo: Isabella Vosmikova/Bravo
Along with his business partner Mark Pastore, chef Chris Cosentino — whom you may recognize as the winner of Top Chef Masters season four — announced yesterday that the 12-year-old San Francisco restaurant Incanto will close after service on March 24. Porcellino, which means piglet, will replace the restaurant this spring. The incoming concept will be a combination of what Pastore describes as a "more casual" restaurant with a retail component stocked with take-home prepared foods, a selection of oils and cheeses, and the line of charcuterie Cosentino sells under the name Boccalone.
Bonus: The bottles look very handsome on your bar.
If you've spent any time in a bar in the last few years, you've probably spotted at least a few bottles of Japanese whisky. Time was, you'd get obscurity points for even knowing the stuff existed, but with an ever-growing U.S. presence and Suntory's recent $16 billion purchase of Beam, Inc., it's clear that this is the time to know about — and drink — Japanese whisky.
The deli, last November.Photo: Hugh Merwin
A fast-moving fire swept through the ventilation ducts of Sarge's Deli in Murray Hill in November 2012, drawing 150 firefighters to the scene and nearly destroying the Third Avenue building. Owner Andrew Wengrover has painstakingly worked to restore the 24-hour establishment's interior back to its original condition, and the good news is that Sarge's is now back up to speed, looking the same as it once did. It reopens today at 11 a.m., enormous Reubens and all. [FITR, Earlier]
John Abbracciamento, who closed his family's 60-year-old Italian restaurant in Rego Park after working there for 48 years of its 60-year existence, says that its familiar illuminated-script signage has been dismantled and will most likely stay that way. In its heyday, Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant served JFK and other politicians; the Woodhaven Boulevard site is scheduled for demolition and will be replaced by a 120-unit condo building. Earlier this week, workers told Abbracciamento they "couldn’t remove the sign without causing irreparable damage." [DNAInfo, NYDN]
• The spring lineup of master classes at Calliope has been announced, and first up on March 26 is a children’s book writing class with author Kirsten Hall. Each lunch includes a three-course lunch with dishes like fennel soup and housemade scones. The full lineup of classes can be found here. [Grub Street]
• Momofuku bar director John deBary and Booker and Dax manager Maura McGuigan are hosting a cocktail party 101 class at Booker and Dax on Sunday, March 16, from 1 to 3 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased here. [Grub Street]
• Potluck Video, Ali Rosen's new television show that features chefs and food personalities, will premiere tomorrow night at 9:30 p.m. on NYC Life, Channel 2. You can find a full list of episodes here. [Grub Street]
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