While We Were Young

Fall Restaurant Preview - 2017

While We Were Young on West 10th (at 4th) featured in Wednesday NY Times as one of New York’s most Instagram-able bar/restaurants is now operating during lunch hours and for brunch on weekends. Outdoor seating is coming in the next few days so overflow waits will be a thing of the past. A new fall menu is on the way. Had the pleasure of trying the new cheese based Gnocchi and was sublime. Pumpkin Cheesecake also hits the menu post-Labor Day.

Next door neighbor to WWWY, Bobo and sister restaurant of Rosemary’s on West 10th closed its doors for a week or three whilst they renovate the interiors and prepare a new fall menu. Looking forward to seeing the upstairs dining area which looked more like an atrium with its glass roof and greenery. Hopefully, they’ll also get some more natural light into the downstairs cabin!

Personal favorite Air’s Champagne Parlor on MacDougal St opens her basement Tokyo Record Bar tonight (31st) at the same location the “Izakaya” (gastropub) theme with real “Vinyl Jukebox” seating’s (6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) with a $50 seven-course menu paired with a vinyl playlist created each night by the guests. Sake, beer, and cocktails are part of the price. Outside these times feel free to select off the menu. I had a sneak peek during the build out and the design and concept it’s the nuts. I used to frequent the original TRB back in the day and it was always a lot of fun. Also, if vinyl is not your thing, upstairs ACP offers “parlor hour” 3 champagnes, 3 dishes for $30 till 7pm. Bookings on Resy.

Monument Lane on Greenwich Ave and 12th closed its doors last month will reopen around October as Don Angie. The crew who brought you Quality Italian in Midtown are bringing their menu to the West Village location.

The old Pagani space on Bleecker and 7th Ave, will become The Loyal, opening sometime in October, brought to you by the Michelin star team from vegetarian based Nix restaurant on University place, which also has some of the best interiors this side of midtown. It’s an odd location, caught between the villages, look forward to seeing the space.

Fans of Buvette, Via Carota and I Sodi will be pleased to have another option in the Village; Pisellino will open as a corner breakfast, lunch, speed dinner bar opposite Via Carota on Grove and & 7th Ave. The 30 seat Pisellino will open in November.

Michelin man Joël Robuchon will be opening a new space in Meatpacking on West 15th next door to celebrity favorite Del Posto. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon will open in October but I’m way more excited about the front area which will open as a casual bar and sandwich counter at the same time known as Le Bar. Those who remember the former space Colicchio & Sons will be glad to see the lovely windows overlooking the nearby garden and water front views onto the Hudson.

Appears mini restaurants bars are all the rage at the moment. Just around the corner in Meatpacking, Okuda will open on 17th with a counter of 7 seats with two seatings per night. A small private room is also on offer. Good luck getting a reservation here before Jay-Z & Beyoncé. Seatings are 6:00pm and 8:30pm.

Old Rose on Jane St inside the Jane Hotel opens in September as an upmarket pizza parlor. You will remember the space as it used to house Café Gitane. Old Rose will stay up into the wee hours on Thursday through Saturday nights for late night munchies. Note, this won’t be a per slice place, full pies only.

Those who remember Cafe Minerva on West 4th with its big beautiful windows will be pleased to know the space has been secured and will open as a South of France Wine Bar open for lunch and breakfast. Scheduled for opening in November. I had a sneak peek at the new interiors, this one will be special. Name TBD.

Rumor has it that popular brunching place Rosemary’s on Greenwich is morphing itself away from the pasta into wood fire pizza. Expect to see the menu flip after labor day. 

Happy Hour of the Week Award:

Casa Le Femme Egyptian belly dancing lounge on Charles St, has Rose Thursday’s where ladies can drink complimentary rose till 7pm.