Neighborhood Watch

Masten Lake Closes Seven Months After Opening; Scott Conant Hits the Stage

East Village: New gastropub The Toucan & the Lion has opened, with roots in Latin American and Southeast Asian cuisine. [Tasting Table]
Koreatown: This year’s North East Regional Barista Championship will be held in conjunction with the annual Coffee and Tea Festival NYC. Baristas representing thirteen Northeastern states will head off in two competitions: the Barista Championship and the Brewers Cup, for espresso and pour-over preparations, respectively. Onlookers are invited to come and enjoy fresh brewed espresso while they watch the competition on a big screen. [Grub Street]
Midtown: In honor of Mardi Gras, La Silhouette’s chef Matthew Tropeano has created a Fat Tuesday prix-fixe special ($46) available tonight only. The meal includes an appetizer of crawfish or crab bisque, followed by shrimp etouffee as an entrée, and topped off with Mardi Gras beignets for dessert. [Grub Street]

Midtown: Triomphe, located inside The Iroquois Hotel, will feature two frog-leg dishes in honor of leap year on February 29. Chef Jason Tilmann will offer an appetizer of Crispy Frog legs, roasted shallot, arugula lettuce, and lemon aioli vinaigrette; as well as an entrée of Florida Frogs’ legs cassoulet, andouille sausage, white beans, and herbs de Provencal crust. [Grub Street]
Westbury: Today, Fairway Market announced its support as title sponsor for the first annual Long Island Kosher BBQ Championship to be held at Temple Beth Torah in Westbury, New York, on Sunday, June 10, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is open to all without charge, and is currently calling for teams. [Grub Street]
West Village: Modern English gastropub Highlands will close temporary for the next week while it undergoes space improvements and menu changes to resemble “a rustic Scotttish’esk menu,” like that of sister restaurant Whitehall. [Eater NY]
Chef Scott Conant will host Chefs Onstage, which will feature passed food and performances by acclaimed Broadway stars to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, at Scarpetta on Monday, March 26. Featured performers include Broadway stars Bethany Moore of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Danielle Grabianowski of Sleep No More, and Marty Thomas of Wicked. All-inclusive tickets are $250 per person. [Grub Street]
Williamsburg: Chef Shaunna Sargent, executive chef of The ‘ino Group’s Brooklyn restaurant Betto will share some of her pro pasta-making tips during a SideTour on March 7 at her restaurant. Tickets are $65 per person and include the pasta-making session, an authentic family-style Italian comfort-food meal, and wine. There are only twelve guest openings, so act fast. [SideTour]
Skee ball and canned beer joint Full Circle Bar will feature an open Genny bar on the last Thursdays of the month for announced “sip codes,” (11211, 11222, 11206, etc.) from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Full Circle will also offer free skee ball. [Grub Street]
Just seven months after its opening, inventive eatery Masten Lake has announced that it will close its doors. The restaurant was owned by David Rosen and operated under chef Angelo Romano, who Rosen says “will find continued success.” [Eater]
Upper West Side: The Tangled Vine Wine Bar & Kitchen will host Wine Tasting for a Cause, the second annual fund-raiser in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Saturday, February 25. Guests will enjoy an afternoon tour of more than twenty organic, sustainable, and biodynamic European wines along with passed Mediterranean bites such as crab croquetas, arancini rice balls, chickpea fritters, and cheese and charcuterie stations. Tickets are on a donation basis of a minimum of $50 per person, and 100 percent percent of profits will be benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. [Grub Street]

Masten Lake Closes Seven Months After Opening; Scott Conant Hits the Stage