Is Gin Lane on Death’s Doorstep, or Will It Soon Be Reborn?Eater recently “deathwatched” Gin Lane on the basis that the place wasn’t picking up its phone and its OpenTable page was offline. Fair enough — and now we’ve discovered the silence is because the kitchen closed three weeks ago and the dining room isn’t being used. A person involved in the restaurant’s operations says it’s getting a new chef (yet to be determined) and that the place isn’t for sale, but an industry source has heard rumors that the venue is hurting to such a degree that liquor suppliers who would normally give them a credit are delivering bottles COD. We wonder if this might pique the interest of Kyky and Unik, the boys behind PM and the upcoming Merkato 55, who, according to our source, were at one point interested in acquiring the space. Either way, Gin Lane is remaining optimistic — last night a sign outside the bar said “Welcome to Gin Lane. ENOUGH SAID.”
Related: Deathwatching: Gin Lane Likely Finished [Eater]
NewsFeed
SLA Tells PM to Take the Month OffDown by the Hipster brings news that the State Liquor Authority will suspend PM’s liquor license for 30 days in January owing to a history of underage drinking, disorderly conduct, physical altercations, and yadda yadda. We’re not sure how this will affect Kyky and Unik’s plan to do something in the Sascha space (assuming they still have a claim on it), but it should make them even more eager to get their hands on 1 OAK (assuming they are indeed partnering with Emilio Barletta, the restaurateur who is suing for the space). We just called Kyky, and he says he knows nothing about the ruling, despite the documentation on DBTH — a shout-out to that site for being ahead of the curve?
Related: Breaking News: PM Lounge Shut Down [Down by the Hipster]
Earlier: PM Owners to Open Harlem Restaurant, Bistro-Bakery-Club in Sascha Space
Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano War With “Jealous Competitors” Kyky and Unik of PM
NewsFeed
Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano War With ‘Jealous Competitors’ KykyLast week the Daily News brought word that Richie Akiva and Scott Sartiano are being sued for $120 million by developer Emilio Barletta, who claims he’s the rightful lease holder of the space that houses the Butter boys’ club 1 OAK. What the News doesn’t mention, but our inside sources do, is that Barletta, owner of Zanzibar, was planning to partner in the space with PM owners Kyky and Unik, last seen plotting a now-abandoned Italian bistro in the Sascha space.
Neighborhood Watch
Chelsea Nightclubs Not Yet a Thing of the PastBoerum Hill: Backyard garden at Donna da Vine is now open. [Eater]
Chelsea: PM owners Kiki and Unik look to expand into the old XL space, and perhaps continue the trend of naming clubs after abbreviations. [Down by the Hipster]
Clinton Hill: A house installs its own fast-food-dining terrace. [Clinton Hill Blog]
Soho: Crack nuts in style with the Nusskubus from Germany in limited release at the MoMA Design Store; slam any size nuts between the two carved cubes, and you guessed it: They crack. [The Food Section]
Upper West Side: Grom lines persist, but a sign says delivery to Central Park West is coming soon. [What I See] Big Nick’s Pizza has been closed by the Department of Health; a little yellow sticker washes away claims that it’s because of a flood. [What I See]