Franco/Japanese Patisserie Arrives

Yet another place to get coffee: Le Cafe Coffee on 4th Ave. between 13th and 14th.

Next week (November 12 to November 16), Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on the lower floors will proceed along 14th st. inside the construction site. The crane that is on site will remain for the duration of curtain wall installation and will not affect pedestrian or automotive traffic.

The following week (November 19 to November 23) Material and equipment deliveries and installation work will continue on all floors. Curtain wall installation on the lower floors will proceed along 14th st. inside the construction site. The site will be closed on November 22 for the holiday.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, November 17th for superstructure related activities and curtain wall installation between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City. Con Ed will be working in the street.

Finally, the new Union Square playground, three times its former size, is open.

As reported by Eater.com
Corkbuzz was up first, Laura Maniec, formerly the beverage director at BR Guest and one of 18 female Master Sommeliers, seeks to open Corkbuzz at 13 East 13th Street and obviously needs a full liquor license for this restaurant… or is it obvious? Corkbuzz would primarily be a restaurant but would also seek to celebrate, explore and enjoy wine. The community was very mixed on this one. Although there was tons of support for the wine-centric restaurant coming to the neighborhood, some wondered why they were seeking a full license and not just wine and beer. The community members did not want another full license on this block, especially since this location had not been licensed before. One board member actually had the audacity to grill her on her experience, even though she clearly mentioned that she had been involved in nearly 10 restaurant openings and was made partner at BR Guest after a relatively brief time there. In the end, they voted to deny the application unless certain stipulations were met (including closing at 1AM on Thursday-Saturday, not using outside promoters), because they thought the applicant was unique and special.

2) The man behind Caliente Cab Company is looking to pick up the old Buona Sera space at 94 University Place. They were hoping for a full liquor license for their restaurant, which would be a sort of Mexican and Asian-fusion. There would be a limited food counter and a limited bar and they’re working with a chef at Nobu on the menu development. They actually came having already reduced their hours, but they still received somewhat mixed reviews from the community. They were approved with a deny unless they agreed to certain stipulations. Oh, and don’t expect a happy hour here…they think it isn’t pro-community and attracts the college crowds.

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Vanity Fair reports:

A month after its opening, the new Union Square Café is booming. With two bars, an extensive mezzanine, and two spaces for private dining, it holds 198, as opposed to the 152 it could accommodate on 16th Street. Some of the old art is on the walls, and the menu, though revised, still includes the bibb and red-oak-leaf lettuces salad and the tuna burger (now the 19th Street Yellowfin Tuna Burger). It also features a New York strip steak with marrow mashed potatoes and radish salad, which two women friends, on separate evenings, pronounced the best they had ever eaten. On one of those nights, I had the roasted pork rack with shell beans, kale, and fennel-apple mostarda, which was choice. The other time I chose the very rich, very satisfying pappardelle with duck and chanterelle sugo, Brussels sprouts, and winter squash. For any and every meal I would recommend for dessert the pumpkin-bread pudding with caramelized white-chocolate ice cream, because it is unforgettable and unmatchable.

Like its sister restaurant, Gramercy Tavern, only two blocks away, Union Square Cafe now stays open straight through from noon to 10 P.M. The sharp, better-paid staff, still warm and welcoming, now wear white shirts, open at the neck