Babbo Sommelier’s Enters the West Village Fray; Applebee’s Serving Cake ManDowntown Brooklyn: Applebee’s has started serving Cake Man Raven red-velvet cake in an effort to compete with nearby Junior’s on Flatbush Avenue. [NYDN]
East Village: Belcourt is now open for lunch, which features a lamb burger and roasted butternut squash and apple ravioli; weekend brunch is also on the way, with vanilla and bourbon French toast and salt-cod hash. [Grub Street]
Forest Hills: Young Chefs Academy cooking school for kids has opened its first branch in New York City at 108-10 72nd Avenue. [NYT]
Lower East Side: New Austrian bar Cafe Katja at 79 Orchard Street features Austrian wine and German beer, which you can gulp down with meats and cheeses and homemade pickles, or traditional fare like goulash. [NYT]
West Village: Dell’Anima, a collaboration between former Bread Tribeca sous-chef Gabriel Thompson and former Babbo sommelier Joe Campanale, opens next week on Eighth Avenue near Jane Street. [NYS]
Neighborhood Watch
Prepare to Pose With Dumplings in the East VillageEast Village: Pose with your favorite dumpling! The Rickshaw Dumpling Bar opening on East 8th Street will feature a black-and-white photo booth. [Eat for Victory/VV]
Hell’s Kitchen: Burgers and Cupcakes has opened Mitchel London Pizza next door. [Eater]
Lower East Side: Sam Mason may have plans to serve brown-butter whiskey at Tailor. [Down by the Hipster]
Soho: Yes, that is a yo-yo in the pocket of Balthazar executive chef Riad Nasr, and he plays with it between platings. [Downtown Express]
West Village: Pinkberry accused of seeking world domination for plans to open not just a new location on Sixth Avenue, but two others in the city in addition its four already thriving stores. [Gothamist]
Neighborhood Watch
Green Nightclub Attempts to Save Chelsea From Being So OverBrooklyn Heights: Montague Street poised for burger wars as the chain Five Guys Famous enters the fray. [The Brooklyn Paper]
Central Park: The Boathouse is open. [Eater]
Chelsea: Jon B. will open the first green nightclub, trading the B crowds for the untapped alcoholic, occasional recycler market. [Down by the Hipster]
Dumbo: A snapshot of La Bagel Delight makes a statement for Franco-American diplomacy. [Dumbo NYC]
East Village: At Thai Me Up, a new revisionist báhn mì shop, sautéed vegetables and various sauces sub in for sriracha and the usual cold toppings. [The Strong Buzz]
Red Hook: Vendors discover the “soft opening” at the ball fields; next weekend the full array of pupusas and meat on sticks should be available. [Brooklyn Record]
Soho: Bon Anniversaire! Balthazar celebrates ten years of beautiful design and hot babes today and tonight with free Champagne. [House and Garden]
West Village: Red-velvet cupcakes from Harlem’s Make My Cake now commuting to the new Southern Gourmet Pantry at 529 Hudson. [Blog Chelsea] Department of Health shutters Fedora; a sign claims the restaurant’s fixing its sink. [Grub Street]