Jonathan Waxman's West Village restaurant Barbuto was robbed early yesterday, according to the Daily News: "Three armed men who bound and gagged an employee... brandished a knife as they brazenly strode through the unlocked front door of the famed Washington St. eatery, which Waxman, a top chef master, opened in a former car garage."

Apparently the robbers were trying to access the restaurant's safe, but couldn't open it. They left without any money but did take at least a few computers, and the tied-up staffer was "found more than two hours later after a beat cop heard noise inside the restaurant." The restaurant was being examined by police yesterday morning and remained closed for lunch service. It reopened for dinner. Waxman, who is renowned for helping pioneer California cuisine, appeared, looking "shaken," but did not comment.

A Barbuto employee told the News, "t least nobody was hurt - it could've been worse," said a kitchen worker who did not give his name. "We gave [the worker] a couple of days off. We've never had anything like this happen here before." A West Village resident worried, "You wouldn't expect this kind of thing to happen in this neighborhood. I live across the street, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out. I hope it's not the start of a trend."