We’ve heard from a source close to the Mott that investors have pushed Emma Cleary out of the restaurant she’s been working to open for over two years. When we attempted to confirm this through the Mott’s new PR company (the old one is no longer involved), we received the following statement from an anonymous insider: “We do not have a successor named yet, but I can confirm that Emma was terminated from the project. She’s not an active participant in this project anymore.” Asked whether this was indeed the case and when the restaurant would open, Cleary told us, “I can’t comment on whether it’s opening or not — we are having legal disputes and I can’t comment any further.” (Cleary is, of course, still listed as a principal of Mott Group Ltd. on the liquor license.) Needless to say, the Mott won’t be opening July 3 as OpenTable indicated — those involved in the project are still tweaking the menu and décor and are aiming to launch next Wednesday. The downstairs lounge has been put on hold, meaning one of the city’s storied bar spaces will remain in limbo.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: beef, emma cleary, investors, soho, the mott

• 0 Comments

In its latest effort to regain coffee-chain dominance (after closing 600 locations and pledging to build “green” stores), Starbucks introduced its new “all-natural” bakery items today throughout the U.S. For the calorie-conscious, the portion sizes are smaller. For the cost-conscious, the prices are about the same. The formerly dinner-plate–size cookies have been reduced by about a third, and their Marshmallow Dream bars (the Starbucks take on a Rice Krispie treat) is a practically virtuous 210 calories, down from a sinful 360. Also gone are ingredients that are bad for you, like high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors and dyes. (The banana bread, formerly artificially flavored, now gets a quarter of its weight from real live bananas, nutritionist Keith-Thomas Ayoob said yesterday at a press preview.) Starbucks is also particularly proud of the provenance of the fruit components, though Michigan cherries, Oregon blueberries, and Washington apples are not exactly local. There are new, non-bakery items, too. We tried to order one of the new Protein Plates (cheese, peanut butter, fruit, a mini-bagel, and a hard-boiled egg; 370 calories) later, to balance out the baked goods, and it was sold out.

Read more posts by Helen Rosner

Filed Under: baked goods, gambits, starbucks

• 0 Comments

Eater’s link to our interview with Joe Dobias caused an outpouring of comments similar to the ones on Grub Street, and one of them came from Joe Doe himself:

you guys are true to form at eater. Read nymag before you glance material for your bloodbath. Thanks for all the comments. I assure you you will make me famous and for that I love you little bloggers sticking together. “thick as thieves right!?” Just an FYI I cleary said I was not of the level of dainel nor chef hamilton ….. still only see what you want to see. I am proud of my nonconformist style and mt “silly names” are obviously offending the grand culinary palletes at eater! THanks for the coverage. Funny how we couldn’t ever get you guys to pay attention and now you love us, well some hate us, but HEY THANKS GUYS! F Eater

Rest assured Joe Doe doesn’t hate all bloggers — tonight he’s providing food (along with Van Leeuwen, Mama’s, Cupcake Stop, and others) for a private launch party for the Young and Hungry, which had nice things to say about his brunch back in May.

Earlier: Chef Joe Doe Speaks Out About the New York Dining Circus

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: beef, bloggers, eater, joedoe, joseph dobias, mama’s, the young and the hungry, van leeuwen

• 0 Comments

Chelsea: The Fancy Food Show handed out Sofi Awards last night (for specialty outstanding food innovation), and Sarabeth’s Kitchen Blood Orange Marmalade won for the best “Classic” product. [Blondie and Brownie]
Harlem: An Applebee’s is opening at 125th and Fifth Avenue, but not everyone wants one. [Uptown Flavor]
Morningside Heights: After closing because of a kitchen fire in April, Community Food & Juice hopes to reopen July 15. [Community Food & Juice]
West Village: Elettaria has introduced a tiki-bar-themed Monday-night happy hour with zombies, scorpion bowls, and mai tais half-price from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. [NY Barfly]

Read more posts by Alexandra Vallis

Filed Under: harlem, hell’s kitchen, midtown west, morningside heights, neighborhood watch, upper west side

• 0 Comments

BB Sandwich Bar’s cheesesteak met the ire of Joey Campanero when he picked the city’s best (how many points did he give it? “Across the board: zero, zero, zero. Each aspect is no way near a cheesesteak”), and it placed dead last in Rob Patronite’s and Robin Raisfeld’s cheesesteak rankings. But now that the owner doesn’t have his hands tied up at Shea (he says he couldn’t afford the sponsor fee at the new stadium), he’s offering to give up the recipe for “this unbelievable money-making product.” For just $250, the secret of the hot sauce will be revealed and you’ll learn how to “blow away your patrons” with a poppy-seed Kaiser roll, Spanish onions, and Wisconsin American cheese. Here’s the Craigslist ad.

Chef/Owner of BB Sandwich Bar, creator of the New York City version of the classic Philly Cheesteak will provide you with the secret ingredients, recipe and the method of creating this unbelievable money making product. Now you have the opportunity to serve the “Best Damn Cheesteak, Period … in your restaurant exactly as it was served at Shea Stadium for the New York Mets. Not able to afford the astronomical sponsor fee for Citi Fields, I now have the time and ability to teach you this fabulous product. I will share all the specific details so you too can blow away your patrons. This is the same sandwich that was done on the Sara Molton Show on the Food Network Channel, New York Times, 2004 Zagat Review, Time Out, New York Magazine

Well, to be fair, BB Sandwich Bar is still standing while 99 Miles to Philly (per Midtown Lunch) has closed its midtown location (its East Village location remains open). Still, this has to be the best damn Craigslist ad, period.

“Best Damn Cheese Steak, Period… on your restaurant menu – $250 (5 Borough, NJ, Conn.) [Craigslist]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: bb sandwich bar, cheesesteaks, interesting strategies, joey campanero

• 0 Comments

The licensed operator of your favorite food cart might be dead. A two-year city investigation estimated that at least 500 vendor licenses are fakes — either registered to dead people or held by those who are no longer in the business. Vendor advocates say that market conditions encourage fraud, because only a dozen or so permits a year are legally available through the Department of Health. Once you have a permit, you can renew it indefinitely by mail. The city arrested six people this morning on charges related to submitting false documents and putting valid permits on illegal carts.

Six Arrested in Probe of City’s Food Vendors [Diner's Journal/NYT]

Read more posts by Aileen Gallagher

Filed Under: cartography, street vending licenses

• 0 Comments

Back when he picked the West Village’s best outdoor margarita, Mayahuel’s Philip Ward gave us the basics of how he makes his own. Over to Time Out for the step-by-step breakdown. [TONY]

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: margaritas, mayahuel, philip ward, recipes, west village

• 0 Comments

It’s 4 p.m., and that means it’s time to play Two for Eight. We just asked ten restaurants the best time they can squeeze a couple in for dinner; you need only make your chosen reservation. (As always, we make the calls but don’t guarantee the results.) Today: Romance.

Allen & Delancey (Menu)
212-253-5400
Two for eight? No
Best available: 6:45 p.m.

Alta (Menu)
212-505-7777
Two for eight? Yes

Annisa (Menu)
212-741-6699
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Bobo (Menu)
212-488-2626
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:30 p.m.

Convivio (Menu)
212-599-5045
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

Elettaria (Menu)
212-677-3833
Two for eight? Yes

One If by Land, Two If by Sea (Menu)
212-255-8649
Two for eight? No
Best available: 8:30 p.m.

River Café (Menu)
718-522-5200
Two for eight? No
Best available: 6 p.m.

Scarpetta (Menu)
212-966-6960
Two for eight? No
Best available: 10 p.m.

Wallsé (Menu)
212-352-2300
Two for eight? No
Best available: 9:15 p.m.

Filed Under: allen & delancey, alta, annisa, bobo, convivio, elettaria, one if by land two if by sea, river cafe, scarpetta, two for eight, wallse

• 0 Comments

While Gus & Gabriel opens in the old Kefi space without Donatella Arpaia’s involvement, Eater reports that another space she pulled out of, Ama, has closed in Soho. Especially sad since New York food editors Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld liked the food. But in the realm of Pugliese dining, there’s this bit of consolation: As evidenced by a video uploaded to YouTube yesterday, they’re still shaking their napkins over at Little Italy’s Puglia.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: ama, closings, little italy, puglia, soho

• 0 Comments

Thomas Harlan is now hiring.

No, being a line cook at Spice Market (and helping Vongerichten win back those stars) isn’t the most exciting opportunity on Craigslist. That would be this:

Mars 2112 is a theme restaurant is seeking actors and actresses for interactive acting. Please contact Thomas M Harlan @ tomharlan@inorbit to set up and appointment to audition please bring a head shot and resume and a one min. monolouge. If you cannot audition please send your resume and head shot to: Thomas M. Harlan Supervisor of the Martians @ Mars 2112

Want to be the next Dr. Mars? Compensation: $10 an hour. Opportunity to hit on Princess Glorianna over post-shift Marstinis: priceless.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: jean-georges vongerichten, job opportunities, mars 2112, spice market

• 0 Comments

Brooklyn Bowl has kept its opening date a closely guarded secret, promising to reveal it to Twitter followers first. But it seems to have finally snagged its Certificate of Occupancy, because a June 28 posting on its website promises, “The good news is, we’ve decided on our open date, and it’s very, very close.” How close? A Times article and slideshow about the club’s green policy says it’s opening this week, though it won’t start serving Blue Ribbon comfort food till later. Buy some fresh socks, kids; it’s time to go bowling.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: brooklyn bowl, openings, williamsburg

• 0 Comments

First Jarnac and Payard, and now Ludlow Street fixture Le Père Pinard has shuttered, according to an Eater tipster. Owner Yassine Bentaleb confirms with us that June 13 was the last day of business. Bentaleb tells us the landlord wanted to triple the lease, signed ten years ago. “Business was pretty good, but it was not what it used to be,” Bentaleb says. “The area changed because of the construction going on, which killed business a bit.” Instead of jacking up prices to accommodate the rent increase, Bentaleb and his partner, Fabrice Vautrin, decided to concentrate on their other restaurants, Ten Bells and Les Enfants Terribles. Le Père Pinard’s fixtures are currently in storage, and though the owners are taking it easy this summer, they may have discussions in September about bringing the bistro back.

Read more posts by Daniel Maurer

Filed Under: closings, fabrice vautrin, french, jarnac, le pere pinard, les enfants terribles, lower east side, payard patisserie and bistro, ten bells, yassine bentaleb

• 0 Comments