After his West Village Mexican restaurant Empellón racked up some quality reviews (noise not withstanding) nobody should be surprised that former WD-50 pastry chef Alex Stupak decided to go for a sequel. And now it has arrived. On Tuesday night Empellón Cocina opened in the old Counter space on First Avenue (yup, Counter finally kicked it). But don't expect any tacos at this one.
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Results tagged “eastvillage”
Inside The East Village's New Mexican Spot, Empellón Cocina
"East Village" Debuted In The Times 52 Years Ago Today!
Only fitting that the day after we wrote about the silly man who wants to rename the Kips Bay neighborhood NoEVil (North of the East Village) we'd find out that today is, arguably, the 52nd anniversary of the East Village itself its moniker. Yup, as EVGrieve notes, the Paper of Record first mentioned the "East Village" in a February 7, 1960 story called "Village' Spills Across 3D Ave." The best part? The name is, naturally, all the fault of the real estate agents!
Must Have: Drunken Manila Clams At The Toucan And The Lion
The dainty East Village restaurant The Toucan And The Lion, which opened last month on East 6th Street, is the love child of girlfriend-boyfriend team Tabitha Tan and Craig Dagata, a friendly young couple acting out their dream of running a restaurant together. (The space was formerly occupied by Cajun eatery Mara's Homemade, which closed because of bike lanes and the Gulf oil spill.) Toucan's envisioned as a sort of gourmet but casual gastropub with an Asian twist, emphasizing fastidious cocktails made with house-made vermouth, fresh juices, and seasonal ingredients. The cocktail menu, made by Michael Cecconi (Back Forty), features such cleverly-named drinks as the Thai Fighter, which packs a sweet punch with Ezra Brooks bourbon, Thai basil leaves, lime, and yuzu.
Justin Timberlake Shooting Coen Brothers Flick In EV Next Week
EV Grieve directs us to this notice posted on East 9th Street asking permission "to temporarily dress several storefronts and buildings," in preparation for the Coen brothers' new 60's period piece, "Inside Llewyn Davis," which features Justin Timberlake. No word on whether Ryan Gosling has been retained to diffuse the expected hysteria when shooting begins.
Veselka Offers Hungry Brunchers Free Pedicab Rides
Two weekends ago we went for brunch at the Veselka outpost on First Street, Veselka Bowery, and were struck by how dead the place seemed compared to its northern sibling (seriously, it was a ghost town). Apparently we weren't the only ones concerned. As EVGrieve notes, this weekend the venerable East Village institution started offering free pedicab rides from the mothership all the way down Second Avenue to the newcomer.
Video: Bottles Tossed In Clash Between NYPD & OWS, 12 Arrested
The NYPD says 12 people were arrested during an Occupy Wall Street march last night held in solidarity with the protesters detained in Oakland over the weekend. At times the march became violent, as several protesters out of the nearly 300 who attended hurled glass bottles and other projectiles in the police's direction, and the NYPD responded by forcefully shoving their way into large crowds of people and arresting those in the vicinity of the bottle-throwers.
Momofuku's New Bar Booker And Dax Runs Very Hot And Cold
The haute cocktails keep coming to the East Village. Enter the latest: the Momofuku crew's new cocktail lounge behind Ssäm Bar, Booker and Dax. The whole thing is very science-y and should very much appeal to the WD-50 set. Liquid nitrogen-cooled glasses anyone?
Check Out The Old Theater That's Been Hiding Out Over A Bodega In The East Village
East Village Farms on Avenue A, between 6th and 7th streets, is closing its doors in early February, and sadly, according to EV Grieve, the building it's housed in will be demolished. Local photographer Kevin Shea Adams recently got curious about what condition the old theater above the bodega was in, and here's what he found when he was granted permission to explore it after midnight one night.
Snap, Crackle, Pot: Police Say EV Dealer Sold Pot Krispie Treats
A pot bust on Wednesday in Manhattan gave the Post the chance to crack wise today: "Pot vendor a 'cereal' dealer," the tabloid crows this morning. Why? Because the dealer in question wasn't just selling bud—he was also allegedly selling pot Rice Krispies Treats—get it? "I guess these guys wanted to take care of the high and the munchies all at once," a hilarious anonymous law enforcement source joked to the paper.
East Village Restaurant Gets Into The Spirit Of MLK Day With Inappropriate Brunch Deal
Yes, we've seen our fair share of awkward Martin Luther King Jr.-themed menus in this city, but this one is by far the most questionable: EV Grieve caught sight of East Village's 24-hour hangover helper 7A's "I had a dream"-themed "Brunch Pre Fixe." A step back for civil rights and spelling, all in one fell swoop! In the restaurant's defense, however: at least they know what "MLK" stands for. [via Eater]
East Village Flyer Campaign Calls For Boycott Of Bar Veloce
Well, here's an interesting little bit of neighborhood drama: Bar Veloce, whose East Village location was once famous for being the scene of a batsh*t crazy kerosene-fueled crime, is once again under attack, but this time from a slightly less dangerous assailant. Someone has been posting incriminating flyers along Second Ave urging patrons to boycott Veloce (which also has a location in Chelsea) because its owners allegedly refuse to pay staff overtime and dip into the staff tip jar on a regular basis.
Japadog Brings Japanese-Style Canadian Hot Dogs To St. Mark's
Fans of hot dogs, Canadians and Japanese food will want to head down to St. Mark's Place pronto: Japadog has landed. The hyped Vancouver transplant opened its doors last night to hungry folks looking to indulge in the kind of hot dogs you just won't get at Gray's Papaya. Like the Terimayo, a hot dog topped with teriyaki sauce, mayo and seaweed.
Woman Attacked In Her East Village Building On New Year's
Police arrested a man accused of attacking a woman in her East 7th Street apartment early on New Year's Day. According to the Post, passers-by heard the victim yelling, "Please don't rape me!"
Bowery 7-Eleven Also Has A $1 Pizza Slice
Good news for budget-conscious diners who don't care about crushing whatever soul was left in the East Village: the brand-new 7-Eleven on The Bowery is offering $1 pizza slices! EV Grieve posted a shot of the ad today, nothing that 7-Eleven is bravely entering the East Village $1 pizza war (more on that here), with little more than a double-chambered Slurpee machine as its strongest ally.
Old-School East Village Diner Polonia Bites The Dust
Polonia, the Polish diner with the Gothic-looking sign on First Avenue in the East Village, has served its last pierogi, posting a goodbye note to its fans:
East Village Principal's Dress Code Deprives Teachers Of Jeans
It's bad enough that teachers have to inculcate The Future according to the whims of state bureaucrats while dodging acid and waiting for the mayoral axe to fall on their school. Can't a pedagogue pad around the classroom in Crocs and a Black Flag t-shirt in peace? The principal of an East Village elementary school was fed up with the slovenly appearance of his staff, and instituted a dress code banning spaghetti straps, flip-flops, gym clothes and—gasp—jeans. "We want to transform this school to make it a more professional learning environment," Marlon Hosang, principal of P.S. 64, tells DNAinfo. No word on whether teachers are still allowed to trade their sandwiches for Dunkaroos.
Celebrate Festivus For A Good Cause At The Big Gay Ice Cream Store
As you already know, this Friday is Festivus (Observed). It's also the last day of business this year for the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop in the East Village, and they'd like to to offer you the opportunity to Air your Grievances while getting a last lick of Salty Pimp at the same time.
Ramen Report: Misoya's Greasy Mess
With single-digit temperatures finally upon us, the time for ramen is now. Fortunately, one-stop ramen shops are opening up all over this town, providing refuge for the legions who can't bear to wait in the epic Ippudo line (though there is a way around that). Unfortunately, not all ramen is created equal, as evidenced by a recent visit to East Village newcomer Ramen Misoya.
Sunburnt Cow Shuttered In NYPD Drug Bust
The Sunburnt Cow, the East Village's pre-eminent Australian all-you-can-drink brunch emporium, was shuttered last night due to "criminal sale and possession of controlled substances," which in layman's terms, means: dudes were selling drugs! (Okay, it means someone was using the restaurant as a space to sell drugs, but still.)
How To Skip The Line At Ippudo
Hands down, some of the best ramen in the city can be found on Fourth Avenue in Manhattan at the only American outpost of Japan's Ippudo chain. But to slurp down their noodles coated in that delicious, delicious porky broth diners often have to deal with an endless wait at a crowded bar that can stretch for well over an hour. There has to be another way, right? There is.
The Bean Bounces Back, Reopens In New Third Street Digs
And The Bean is back on Third Street! After the East Village coffeeshop was kicked out of its First Avenue home of nearly ten years to make way for a much needed Starbucks outpost, the java joint upped and moved down the block to Second Avenue. It still has all the coffee, bites, comfy seating, big windows and dog-friendly policy. Now it just has them a little further west. Plus, a lovely new mosaic by the local mosaic man, Jim Powers.
Man Shot Twice In Alphabet City Last Night
A man was shot twice in the courtyard of the NYCHA's Campos Plaza complex last night in Alphabet City. At 12:13 a.m. police received several 911 calls indicating that around six shots had been fired, and that someone who may have been the shooter was last seen running towards 12th Street. The victim, whose name has not yet been released, was shot once in each leg and was taken by car to Beth Israel.
Where Is The Ultimate Pizza Neighborhood In NYC?
Since the dawn of humanity, uptowners have battled downtowners, and east siders have fought brutally against west siders, to retain the title of champion pizza-eating neighborhood of New York. Today, the New York City Economic Development Corporation has released the statistics that can finally put this battle to rest, declaring the areas in each borough with the highest number of pizza establishments. And the winners are...
"Drag Capital Of The World" Lucky Cheng's Leaving East Village For Times Square
Lucky Cheng's, the self-proclaimed "Drag Capital of the World," apparently does not include the East Village in their world anymore, with the news that the bachelorette favorite is leaving their longtime home on First Avenue in coming months to chase the tourists down in Times Square.
A Guide To Filipino Food Around The City
Many of our Ethnic Eating Adventures have taken place in the outer boroughs. For example: for years now, Woodside, Queens, has been nicknamed "Little Manila" thanks to its large Filipino population (currently clocking in at about 15%), which naturally leads to dozens of Filipino restaurants, bakeries and groceries along the area's main drag, Roosevelt Avenue. More recently, a handful of Filipino restaurants have opened in Manhattan, particularly in the East Village, some with less traditional takes on the cuisine than their outer-borough counterparts. For those who can't tell a sinigang from a sisig, here's where to start.
Here's Some Pudding Porn To Tide You Over Til Puddin' Opens On St. Mark's Place
A dessert shop devoted entirely to pudding is set to open in the East Village later this month (in the space formerly occupied by Marco Polo Cafe). It's simply called Puddin', and chef/owner Clio Goodman tells us she's just pudding the finishing touches on the place while waiting for the city to issue her one last permit. In the meantime, if these graphic photos leave you panting for pudding, she says she'd be happy to cater your holiday party.
Jimmy "Rent Is Too Damn High" McMillan Faces Eviction From Rent-Stabilized East Village Apartment
Jimmy McMillan may have captured the hearts and minds of New Yorkers with his "Rent Is Too Damn High" platform during last year's gubernatorial election, but his rent for a one-bedroom in the East Village is actually a Damn Sweet $872/month, thanks to rent stabilization. Now, the colorful candidate may be evicted, because his landlord wants to make the rent DAMN HIGH.
East Villagers Oppressed By IHOP's Overwhelming Bacon Odor!
Hard as it is to believe, apparently not everyone digs the smell of bacon! At least not when it permanently permeates their homes. Neighbors of the new bouncer-boasting IHOP on 14th Street are sick of the smell of "rancid bacon" constantly pouring into their apartments. Also? They don't like the restaurant's ventilation system.
Photos: Former Guggenheim Lab Lot Transforms Into East Village Arts Park
The vacant lot near Houston and 2nd Avenue that was transformed into the BMW Guggenheim Lab over the summer has is about to find a new purpose as a community park, thanks to the efforts of neighborhood volunteer group First Street Green. No more ugly asphalt, you guys! Though too bad they chopped down that tree.
JoeDough Brings JoeDoe's Bodacious Brisket To The EV Sandwich Scene
When chef Joe Dobias first decided to open up his own place he originally wanted to open a food truck or a sandwich shop. Instead his girlfriend and partner Jill Schulster persuaded him it was better to start with a restaurant and then work their way down, and so JoeDoe was born (for which we are thankful). But now, three years later, Dobias is realizing his dream. Yesterday afternoon Joe and Jill opened up their second eatery, a sandwich shop on First Avenue and Eighth Street called JoeDough, of course. Finally, East Villagers can dine on brisket sandwiches from noon till all hours of the night.
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