New School Construction Update

Patisserie Fouet on 13th St. is gone, and now we know what will be next in the space:

After more than a decade serving noodles at Smorgasburg and two years running Noodle Lane in Park Slope, Lane Li and Chris Wang are opening the 40-seat bistro Rulin. The specialty will be Chinese knife-shaved and hand-pulled noodles — like dan dan mian with pork, Sichuan vegetables, and scallions — and a signature “Rulin” noodle served with mustard greens and chicken broth.

Oops. 61 5th Ave. did not sell, so they’re going to change its color and hire a new broker. Details here.

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/03/17/61_fifth_avenue_changes_facade_design_will_relaunch_sales.php

An interesting photo of Lane’s Department Store, before it was transformed into the New School back in the mid-’60s.

On October 26, the owners of the upcoming Reyna restaurant, which is taking over the Le Midi space on 13th St., held an introductory Zoom call. Attendance was sparse, but it was interesting to hear their plans and to have the chance to voice concerns pre-emptively.

The restaurant will likely be open until 11 on weekdays and midnight on weekends. It is meant to be an upscale drinking/dining experience, not a noisy bar. They will also be using the Karaoke Cave space as a site for “French Karaoke” as well as sort of a holding space for people who may be waiting for a table (a problem Le Midi certainly never had).

They also plan to build a street-side dining shed, most of which will occupy the space now being used by Corkbuzz.

In general, they seemed quite eager to hear about any issues that nervous neighbors like us might have ahead of time, rather than deal with our anger later. They hope to open in the March/April time frame.

You can get an idea of what Reyna will be like by visiting the Web site for their two locations in Toronto:  www.barreyna.com 
If you have any questions, you can contact them directly:

Nicki at nicki@barreyna.com
Etienne at 646-421-4242.

Sad news from University Place, where the University Diner, one of the last of its kind, is closing today. One can only wonder what will appear in its place, not to mention what will appear at the corner of University and 13th and the corner of Broadway and 14th. The malling of the neighborhood continues.

Join Union Square Wines in celebrating five years at their new location. Taste nearly one hundred wines in six hours during our Anniversary Party. Our favorite purveyors from the wine biz will be on hand to pour a wide range of varietals, regions, and styles for all attendess. Guest pourers will be showcasing their wines through two shifts, 1pm to 4pm and 4pm to 7pm – when all is said and done marathon tasters will have enjoyed a little something from almost every wine region in the world! This incredible tasting event is certain to inspire selections for the upcoming summer months. In addition to a legion of wine offerings, guest spirit Fidencio Mezcal will be serving up Joven and Classico Mezcal as well as the complex agave spirit Pechuga all day! There will be something for everyone in celebrating five years at 140 Fourth!