Now that it’s been, oh, almost two years since we declared the Beatrice the hip-staurant of the season (that was when it hadn’t opened and it was going to be a restaurant!), it’s about time to anoint a new one — but what will it Bea?
Incredibly, we may have found the answer. Hidden under Casanis, the undertrafficked Lower East Side bistro, is Chloe — no relationship to Sevigny (it’s named after an ex of the designer, who goes by the mysterious name of M). To date, it’s been holding preopening parties for the fashionable friends (e.g. folks at Nylon) of the owners, among whom are Casanis’ Sebastian Maczko and the refreshingly unpretentious face of the operation, Brooke Smy, who worked in production at Rolling Stone and now does events and marketing for Rockefeller Center. As you can see from our slideshow, this place looks just stunning enough (and familiar enough!) to make Bea-types feel right at home.
She might be a little smaller than the Beatrice (we didn’t bust out the measuring tape) but that hasn’t prevented dancing, and it has one thing the Bea doesn’t have: Casanis’ full menu is available from 7 p.m. (when it opens) till midnight. In fact, depending on how things go, escargot and the like may eventually be served until the current closing time of 2 a.m. (Monday through Saturday). The drinks are made using fresh juices and such — from what we tasted, they could use a little tweaking, but then you’re not coming here for the perfect Manhattan. It’s more about the thrill of the unmarked door — which, yes, will be closely guarded, though probably not as strictly as Angelo’s. Well, for now, at least.
Chloe, 81 Ludlow nr. Broome St.; 212-677-0067
