“Nighthawks Ramen! - Raymun not Ramen”
Chef Douglas Kim from Per Se, Nobu, and Gordon Ramsey fame has opened a new ramen based restaurant in the Nighthawks space on Greenwich and Christopher named Jeju. Supposedly the venue was the basis for Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks painting of the three lonely patrons sitting at a wooden bar.
On my last visit Chef Kim said he was looking at two spaces, one in East Village and this one in the West Village and the West Village location “just felt right”. The newly designed restaurant looks nothing like the old Nighthawks or Classic Cafe as it was also known (and an Oyster Bar at one point), gone is the long dark wood bar and replaced by wide open spaces, with retractable tables, light wood effects and smooth lighting. The large windows provide plenty of natural lighting and the views are peaceful onto Christopher. I managed to try Jeju's chicken wings with their secret sauce and it was out of this world. I tried getting the ingredients of the sauce but was meet with CIA like “it’s classified” type responses.
”BoBo Renovation, dark tones be gone”
Bobo on West 10th has been undergoing a renovation and soon to reopen, possibly this week (I was told Thursday); I was allowed to take a sneak peek at the new bar area and take a snap, gone is the dark wooden floors and replaced with light woods and furnishings.
BoBo became popular as the number one date spot in the Village and with its new interiors that might continue, at least now you’ll be able to see the menus! Boy,was that place dark! Fingers crossed the amazing $6 wine and margarita Happy Hour remains through the week.
“Complimentary wine tasting (free!)"
Turks & Frogs on West 11th the fabulous antique wine bar just down from the Spotted Pig is holding a special event this Thursday 21st. From 5:30pm - 7:30pm will hold a complimentary wine tasting event from renowned Turkish winemakers Vinkara. Come along, enjoy a few glasses on Turks and Vinkara. The food and wine media will be attendance along with neighborhood folk who treat this bar as their own.
“I would walk five hundred miles”
Hundred Acres a brunch time favorite on MacDougal St in Soho (South Village?!!) shuttered recently for a remodel, a menu change and the addition of Moroccan styled soft pillows on all the chairs. Hundred Acres has now become Shuka and features a constantly changing menu of Mediterranean dishes so it will be a different restaurant almost every day. If you're into sharing, they will be cooking up some amazing large shared plates, like a Turkish breakfast. If the weather is good his is great brunch spot when the main doors are swung wide open. Open now.
“Swine no more”
Swine Bar is no more. It closed down just after Labor Day weekend. What is Next is anyone’s guess. The space is nice with duel level layout, could make a perfect upstairs bar / downstairs speakeasy concept work or build karaoke downstairs with pizza slices and a one lane bowling alley upstairs. I know how to build these things!
Happy Hour of the Week
As per above, Turks and Frogs, free wine tasting event is enough reason to go along and drink for two hours just for fun and learn a little about wine.
Don't forget our Wild West Village Caps in the store!! On sale now! (plug!)
