Serge Becker: Drug-Dealing ‘Consultant’ Is Not a Co-Owner of theGuest of a Guest broke the story yesterday that Cordell Lochin — thought be a partner in Serge Becker’s joints La Esquina, 205, and the Box — will be sentenced on October 10 for importing more than 100 kilos of weed and dealing it in New York in 2004 and 2005. There’s been speculation that the August 24 raid of the Box and La Esquina was related to this, and we’ve heard rumors that Cordell was recently arrested again — but the Box’s publicist, Nadine Johnson, tells us neither of these things are correct (a check with NYPD turned up no recent arrests). She also describes Cordell as a consultant and not a partner in the Box, as reported in a recent Observer profile and other places: “We had taken the decision to call him a partner, but he isn’t a real partner or employee for the Box or La Esquina.” Serge Becker did not know about Cordell’s past until ten days ago, when his case went to trial, Johnson says. She also issued an emphatic statement to Grub Street on behalf of Becker further disavowing Cordell’s ownership stake.
NewsFeed
Exclusive: Ivan Kane Kills NYC Plans for Forty Deuce Club owners have a long, proud history of ignoring Community Board rulings, so we were surprised to hear that Ivan Kane has taken the massive opposition to Forty Deuce to heart. According to a spokesman, Kane will not open a burlesque club at 19 Kenmare or anywhere else in the city. This is despite the fact that construction was well underway and despite implying, during the CB meeting, that he might pursue the project regardless of outcry. Kane, who moved his family to New York while building the club, has returned to Los Angeles to open his Hollywood restaurant and lounge, Café Was, and will focus on opening Forty Deuces in San Diego and — pending negotiations, we’re told — perhaps Atlantic City. And here we thought New York was becoming too friendly to chains!
Earlier: Neighbors Take the Riding Crop to Forty Deuce [Grub Street]
Neighborhood Watch
Hostess Fantasies May Come True in the EV; Pork and Funnel Cakes Find Each OtherBoerum Hill: Sunday’s Atlantic Antic Street Festival = live music + copious gut busters ranging from baklava and funnel cake to pulled pork and roasted corn. [Hell’s Half Acre]
East Village: The Bourgeois Pig plans to move to a new location next week, which means the original space is that much closer to becoming a New World wine-and-beer bar serving homemade versions of Hostess snacks! [Imbible]
Harlem: One of uptown’s favorite food carts, Super Tacos on 96th and Broadway, is a finalist at the Vendy Awards this Saturday. [Uptown Flavor]
Midtown East: Nikki Beach restaurant and nightclub wants to lure you back in the morning with a weekend buffet brunch. [Grub Street]
Soho: Joe on Greene Street near Prince introduces a Fall program of coffee-related classes including “Coffee & The Environment”; “How to Cup: Single Origin Coffee”; and “How to Cup: Exploring Roasteries” that will begin in October. [Grub Street]
Upper West Side: Just the right bargain to make us think about how much mark-up we’ve been getting charged for wine: Order the $35 prix fixe on Sundays at Compass restaurant and any bottle you order is 50 percent off. [Grub Street]