Joaquin Baca’s Teo and Günter Seeger NY Both Close After Short Runs

May 14, 2019 by Leave a Comment

“(…) Short-lived restaurants don’t get the same treatment, for obvious reasons, but it’s still unfortunate when ambitious places from established players fizzle out fast. There are all kinds of reasons why these closings happen. But it’s still a bummer to hear that Bushwick’s Teo has closed after just five months of serving cast-iron-skillet okonomiyakis.

The closing came out of nowhere, given what the restaurant had going for it. It wasn’t a rookie chef’s project. The owner was Joaquin Baca, who was David Chang’s first employee at Momofuku Noodle Bar and helped right the ship at Ssäm Bar after a rocky start. Baca helped shape Momofuku in its earliest years before going on to open Williamsburg’s the Brooklyn Star, which closed in May after nine years in Williamsburg. He’s a talented chef who was cooking food people want to eat; short rib over kimchee fried rice, oysters coated in cornmeal and then fried, a confit duck-leg ramen. The news was announced on the restaurant’s Instagram and website, but no reason was given.

Read more here.

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Simply Cooked Seafood Turns Luxurious at Taverna Kos

May 13, 2019 by Leave a Comment

“An important omission on the menu at Taverna Kos in Astoria, Queens, is the enormous plate of feta you may see passing your table en route to a smarter party of people. Heaps of the imported cheese, which the restaurant buys in 28-pound containers, come flecked with dried oregano and slicked with olive oil, and act as a soft, creamy condiment for fried or broiled seafood, or dainty lamb chops.

The off-menu cheese course, which anyone can ask for, will remind you that feta can be just as slouchy as any washed-rind French cheese, as long as you buy the right stuff and put it on something hot. You could also just order a plate of feta fries, in which the crumbles melt into the soft, fresh-cut potatoes like a tangy, higher-quality Cheez Whiz.

Taverna Kos has been open to members of the Pancoan Society, a private club with which it shares a building, for 11 years; in 2016 the restaurant opened its doors to the public, and last summer began serving on weekends. There’s a lightly celebratory air about the place: String lights abound, tangled into the trees outside and lining the ceiling of the enclosed patio, where televisions play a constant stream of poppy Greek music videos.”

Read more here.

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Climate change tax for dining out? California restaurants add 1% fee to the bill

May 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Hundreds of new restaurants open in the U.S. each year. These are the best of 2018

“Eating out is already getting more expensive, as restaurants nationwide raise prices to cover rising rents and employee costs.

Now, some California diners will get hit with a climate change tax.

Spurred by a Bay Area restaurateur, eateries across the state will have the option this fall of joining the Restore California Renewable Restaurant program, which adds 1% to the bill. The program is optional for restaurants and consumers alike. Funds from the initiative go to help farmers make changes in their fields that would help capture carbon dioxide. CO2 is considered among the chief contributors to climate change.”

“The new initiative comes against a backdrop of rising dining prices. In January, full-service restaurant prices were up 2.7 percent from a year earlier, well above the 1.6 percent annual rise for inflation overall, according to the consumer price index.”

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Where to Eat Ice Cream in New York Right Now

May 9, 2019 by Leave a Comment

“Visit the new Flushing outpost of the Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory.
Since 1978, the Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory has been cranking out ice cream in flavors like durian, litchi, Thai iced tea, and pandan to critical acclaim. This year, the family-owned business expanded its footprint with a second location in the city’s second-largest Chinatown: Flushing, Queens. With the new location come exclusive new flavors, including gochujang chocolate as well as misugaru (a Korean grain powder) and cookies that’ll taste great after a self-guided Flushing food tour.”

See more spots for ice cream here.

 

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This New York Restaurant Sets the Standard for American Fine Dining

May 8, 2019 by Leave a Comment

“Their questions might start near where coats are collected, or in the bar. (“Your first time with us?” “Where are you from?”) And their eavesdropping determines whether you might be the sort of diner to welcome lamb chops or lamb brain. Unbeknownst to diners, the intel makes its way back to the kitchen, where an assembly of cooks and servers use it to create one-of-a-kind meals for people who might have booked months ahead for one of 75 seats.

You don’t get a menu when you sit down, in other words. You’re asked to trust chef Dan Barber and associates with your appetite. Barber, 49, opened the dining destination — a 35-minute express train ride from Manhattan, home to the original Blue Hill — with family members 15 years ago, on land donated by the late David Rockefeller Sr. Almost from the start, the one-time dairy barn and its environs, located within the nonprofit Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture, have redefined American fine dining.”

Read more here.

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East Village’s Jiang Diner Is a Magnetic New Entry Into NYC’s Chinese Dining Scene

May 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Lamb stuffed shumai dumplings

“(…) Jiang Diner also refers to its purse-shaped manti dumplings as shumai, even though they are not the sort of fragile little dumplings one finds in a Cantonese or Japanese restaurants. They are nevertheless quite good, bulging with a wet lamb or beef filling. The dumpling skins are way more delicate than the doughy ones found in, say, a Uzbekistan restaurant like Nargis Cafe.

The greatest strength of Jiang Diner lies in its introduction of dishes we hadn’t really seen before in New York. Most brilliant of all, but also on the expensive side, is its plate of lamb ribs ($26), either steamed or roasted, and presented with dipping reservoirs of powdered Asian cumin and thick chile paste. Those who eschew fat should avoid these, but there is no more flavorful lamb in town, except perhaps some local versions of Mexican barbacoa. Another dish that shouldn’t be missed is the steamed eggplant with fresh garlic paste ($8), which will feel somewhat familiar to anyone who frequents local Sichuan restaurants. This one also features potatoes, while red bell peppers add sweetness. I liked it so much that I tried it twice, and the time it was served to me warm, it was transcendent.”

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KFC Is Ready For Nationwide Delivery Launch

May 6, 2019 by Leave a Comment
kfc nationwide delivery.gif

“KFC, which plans to launch nationwide delivery later this year, contributed to strong sales growth at parent company Yum Brands Inc., which reported global same-store sales growth of 4% for the first quarter.

Yum CEO Greg Creed said KFC’s strong numbers were driven by strong results in international markets, including double-digit same-store gains in Japan and Indonesia.

“This global powerhouse saw widespread strength, coupled with standout performances in some of our larger markets,” Creed told investors during a Wednesday morning conference call.

In the U.S., Creed said KFC delivery is now available in 2,200 restaurants through Grubhub. He said most orders are coming at dinner, where larger family packs are popular. He called the KFC classic bucket an “incredible delivery device” as food shows up piping hot.”

View more here.

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Best NYC Mexican Restaurants To Celebrate Cinco de Mayo 2019

May 3, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Taqueria Santa Fe

Topping the list is Taqueria Santa Fe. Located at 4708 47th Ave. in Sunnyside, it is the highest-rated Mexican restaurant in New York City, boasting 4.5 stars out of 305 reviews on Yelp.

See more restaurant here.

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May 2, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Request for Proposals

For the development, operation, and maintenance of food, beverage and/or merchandise concessions at three Kiosks (Kiosks 1, 2 and 3) at Fordham Plaza in the Borough of the Bronx. 

Solicitation Numbers: Kiosk 1: 84119BXAD338, Kiosk 2: 84119BXAD339, Kiosk 3: 84119BXAD340
Issue Date: May 2, 2019
Due Date: June 6, 2019 at 2PM
In a public plaza, a small building stands. The building is closed and the doors are shuttered.
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (KIOSK RFPS)

The Department of Transportation (“DOT”) is seeking concessionaires for the development, operation, and maintenance of a food, beverage and/or merchandise concession at three Kiosks (Kiosks 1, 2 and 3) at Fordham Plaza located at Fordham Road, Third Avenue and East 189th Street in the Borough of the Bronx (“Plaza”). DOT is releasing a Request for Proposal for each kiosk available on the City Record at the following links or enter the Solicitation number in the search field of the City Record homepage for the publication.

Kiosk 1: 84119BXAD338
https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20190425025

Kiosk 2: 84119BXAD339
https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20190425026

Kiosk 3: 84119BXAD340
https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20190502021

DOT is also seeking proposals for food, beverage and/or merchandise concession in the Café Building at Fordham Plaza. The Request for Proposals for the Café Building is found here: https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20190402014. Prospective proposers are encouraged to consider applying to as many of these RFPs as they are interested in.

TERM
In each Kiosk RFP, DOT is seeking a kiosk concessionaire for one (1) five-year term with three (3) five-year renewal options, exercisable at DOT’s sole discretion. No longer term will be considered. This concession will be operated pursuant to a license agreement issued by DOT; no leasehold or other proprietary right is offered.

SITE VISIT 
There will be a strongly recommended on-site proposer meeting and tour of Fordham Plaza. The tour will take place on May 15, 2019 and will include a tour of the Café Building starting at 10AM and a tour of the kiosks at 11AM. We will be meeting at Fordham Plaza under the canopy at the Café Building doors in the northeast corner of the plaza near the corner of Fordham Road and Third Avenue. If you are considering responding to this RFP, please make every effort to attend this meeting and site tour. DOT will view favorably proposers that attended the site visit.

PROJECT MANAGER
The Project Manager for this concession is Brandon Budelman. All RFP questions and/or inquiries should be directed to him. He may be reached at:

Phone: (212) 839-9625
Email: concessions@dot.nyc.gov

You are receiving this email because you are on the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) mailing list for Food and Beverage or Merchandise solicitations.
Hard copies of the Kiosk RFPs can be obtained, at no cost, commencing on Thursday, May 2, 2019 through Thursday, June 6, 2019 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., excluding weekends and holidays, at the ACCO Contract Management Unit (CMU), 55 Water, Ground Floor; New York, NY 10041. The entrance to the CMU office is located on the south side of the building facing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Proper government issued identification is required for entry to the building.

https://paigepapers.com/2019/05/02/17585/

Filed Under: Baking, Coffee, Cooking, Customer Trends, Events, Heard on The Street, Local Market Buzz, Openings, Operations, Opportunities, Proposals, Trending Now, Your Restaurant Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Starbucks Launches Summer LTOs

May 2, 2019 by Leave a Comment

“It’s already summer at Starbucks as the chain brought back three of its limited-time Frappuccino flavors this week and also created a few other LTOs. The Frappuccino optons include the:

  • S’mores Frappuccino, which combines marshmallow whipped cream and milk chocolate sauce along with a blend of coffee, milk and ice. It’s finished off with more whipped cream and a graham cracker crumble.
  • Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, made with mocha sauce and Frappuccino chips blended with coffee, milk and ice layered on top of whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumble and finished off with whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumbles.
  • Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, a dark caramel sauce blended with coffee, milk and ice on top of whipped cream and dark caramel sauce then topped with another layer of dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle  and crunchy caramel sugar topping.”

Read more here.

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