BY CAROLINE BENVENISTE | Carmine Street was the scene of two exciting openings, and a beloved Village institution has closed but will reopen under new ownership. Two popular Italian restaurants have opened new locations.
Top Openings:
Postcard — 31 Carmine St., between Bedford and Bleecker Streets
The partners at Nami Nori, the inventive temaki sushi restaurant, have opened Postcard, a gluten-free bakery, next door. The spot has a tranquil vibe with minimalist Japanese decor and lots of red. The food is so artistically arranged that it almost looks as if it’s not real – but it is. There are sweet and savory options, and the sandos (sandwiches), which include katsu chicken and egg salad, as well as strawberry, orange and grape, are all good choices. The “bread” in the sandos is soft and cloudlike and is made without yeast. For dessert, the mochi donuts, which are more like mochi donut holes and come in different flavors, are great. And if you’re not a fan of mochi, there is a sesame miso chocolate chip cookie, and a yuzu langue de chat. Lisa Limb, the managing partner, explained that one of her partners, who is the chef at Postcard, is gluten free and therefore had to create a gluten-free menu so he could taste his creations. There are “milky” drinks, fresh puree shaken with milk, and the shaking is done in an ingenious device with rotating wheels that move the cups up and down. While the bakery is open until 8, many of the items sell out well before that.
Demo — 34 Carmine St., between Bedford and Bleecker Streets
Last month we noted that the front portion of Demo Natural Wines and Fine Food, which operates as a cafe during the day, had opened. In February, the back room, which serves as a wine bar and restaurant, came online as well, and the name was shortened to Demo. The wine list has offerings from lesser-known regions, like the Jura (and the vin jaune, an unusual yellow wine from that region, makes an appearance in the half chicken). A sparkling Petillant Naturel on the by-the-glass list comes not from France, but from Germany’s Rheinhessen region. Many of the dishes are Mediterranean style and focus on seafood, but steak is also on the menu, available in two sizes. Focaccia is available as a starter, and can and should be ordered with cultured butter. The table seating area is quite attractive, but the area behind the bar serves as a salad and dessert station and the backdrop is marred by shelves of deli containers.
Cappone’s Italian Sandwich Shop and Salumeria — 11 Abingdon Square, at Eighth Avenue, between Bleecker and West 12th Streets
Cappone’s, a beloved sandwich shop, has spent time in various food halls, including Gansevoort Market and, most recently, Chelsea Market. Last April, Cappone’s left the latter and set up shop on the sidewalk outside Common Ground Bar in the Meatpacking District. Around that time, signage appeared at the Abingdon Square spot, but when asked about it, folks at the pop-up said: “We don’t know, still waiting for Landmarks.” Finally, their stand-alone shop has opened in the space that used to house Ethiopian restaurant Injera. The place features over a dozen of their popular sandwiches, served on a choice of bread and topped with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Also Open:
L’Artusi Supper Club, at 105 Christopher St., between Bleecker and Bedford Streets, has opened where I Sodi used to be (before relocating around the corner to Bleecker Street). This is the latest addition to the L’Artusi empire, which includes L’Artusi, b’artusi (a wine bar) and Via Porta (a breakfast, lunch and takeout spot). The Supper Club will feature ticketed events, a guest chef series and be available for private parties. Pickle (21 Eighth Ave., between W. 12th and Jane Streets) is the IRL incarnation of the peer-to-peer clothing rental marketplace where customers can rent out their clothing, or borrow clothing from others. A reader alerted us to a new cafe called Hungry Llama, at 679 Washington St., at Charles Street. The space has the feel of someone’s living room with lots of flowers (the flowers are for sale, as well) and llama-themed decorations. There are also cute pastries, like a madeleine bear. A new veterinarian office, GoodVets, has opened at 544 Hudson St., between Charles and Perry Streets. They have locations across the U.S., but this is their first New York City location, with two offices opening soon in Brooklyn. Roma Pizza has opened at 465 Sixth Ave., at 11th Street. In addition to pizza, there is a large menu, including salads, wraps, cheesesteaks, subs, pasta and seafood. The sauces are applied in crisscrossing lines, giving the pizzas an unusual appearance. There is another branch of Roma Pizza on Fifth Avenue near 19th Street.
Closing/Closed:
The Levi’s Store, at 25 W. 14th St., between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, has closed. Last month, we noted that Juice and Joy, at 434 Sixth Ave., had abruptly shuttered. More recently, a marshal’s legal possession sign has appeared on the door. Two tasting-menu spots, Wicked Jane (15 W. Eighth St., between Fifth Avenue and MacDougal Street) and Coarse NY (306 W. 13th St., between Eighth Ave. and W. Fourth Street) are now gone. Bloom Chicken (162 W. Fourth St., at Cornelia Street), a Korean fried chicken spot that opened in April 2023, and Oppa Bistro, a Korean small plates restaurant and karaoke bar that shared the space, have both closed. A sign on the door of The Hangar, a long-standing gay bar at 115 Christopher St. (between Bleecker and Hudson Streets) announces their closing: “It is with heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of our beloved bar, The Hangar, after 31+ years. We are saddened by the sudden closure, but it could not be helped.”
Coming Soon:
Zimmi’s will be opening at 72 Bedford St. (between Commerce and Morton Streets) where the Brazilian restaurant Casa used to be until it closed in February 2023. In their application for a liquor license, they describe themselves as a “full-service farm to table wine-centric restaurant.” Their sample menu features a selection of European dishes, including pasta, schnitzel, rosti and coq au vin. Sofia’s Gelato (Caffe Creperia Pasticceria) will open at 496 Hudson St. (between Christopher and Grove Streets) where Cloud917, the short-lived kakigōri (Japanese shave ice) spot, was located. According to a loyal reader, it is from the Sofia’s Bagels folks. Work is ongoing at San Sabino, the new restaurant from the Don Angie team. They have taken over the former Bennie’s Burritos spot at 113 Greenwich Ave., at Jane Street, and an opening seems imminent. Baobab Swim will be opening on March 21 at 392 Bleecker St. (between Perry and W. 11th Streets). This Colombian swimwear brand, like many other boutiques on Bleecker Street, labels itself as a sustainable fashion brand, and claims that, “For every swimsuit purchased, you are helping restore the San Andrés Coral Reef in San Andrés, Colombia.”
Other:
Patisserie Claude is closed for renovations, but when they reopen it will no longer be Pablo Valdez at the helm. A sign on the door says: “After decades of working 7 days a week cranking out the croissants and pastries that this neighborhood loves, Pablo has decided he needs a break! We are going to take the opportunity to do a bit of renovation to this West Village institution. And we will be open again soon with all the great baked goods and coffee that Claude’s has been serving since 1982. We look forward to welcoming you all soon. By Next Genegation (sic) of Patisserie Claude.” Patisserie Claude, at 187 W. Fourth St., was started by Claude le Brenne in the 1980s, and after he retired in 2008, his second in command, Pablo Valdez, who had been working with him for more than 20 years, took over and continued to turn out the same French pastries that Claude had made. In 2017, Patisserie Claude was awarded a Village Award, and as recently as last summer, Eater ranked Claude’s croissants as No. 2 in the city. (Claude retired to North Carolina, but sometimes returned and could be seen working alongside Pablo, until Claude’s death last year.) According to an article in ConsumerMojo, Pablo has sold the shop to someone from London. A year or so ago, a Village Sun reader alerted us to the opening of Euljiro Korean Bistro, at 70 Seventh Ave. South (between Commerce and Barrow Streets). Recently, the name has changed to Seochon West Village and the menu has also been updated to feature more classic Korean dishes. Murray’s Cheese holds a Raclette Night every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in its Bleecker Street store, at 254 Bleecker St., at Leroy Street.
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