Last October, Almond, the unpretentious French bistro that's become a Bridgehampton hotspot, boldly expanded to Manhattan with an outpost in the Flatiron district. But even before the city's economy drifted into its current deep funk, chef/co-owner Jason Weiner faced a daunting task: finding a way to fill the massive East 22nd Street space that's been the ruin of many a restaurateur, including Rocco DiSpirito’s Rocco's, Jeffrey Chodorow’s Caviar & Bananas, and Borough Food & Drink.


