Neighborhood Notebook

August 12, 2003 Time's a-wasting! Let's get right to it!... Latest word from inside the vast empire that is Keith McNally's new LES celeb haven-to-be Schiller's: opening has been recalibrated by about a week. Tastings begin next Tuesday, the 19th, with public opening set for Saturday the 23rd. We also hear that the total cost of the renovation is an eyezapoppin' $2.5 million. Kitchen equipment alone is said to have cost $400k... Over on Clinton Street, where several storefronts inexpicably have not yet been converted to upscale eateries, the plywood next door to Clinton St. Baking Co. is set to become TOC (which stands for "Thai On Clinton"—not, sadly, "The Orange County.") [tip o' the derby to Jennifer L. and KG]... Down a block from TOC-to-be, we poked our head into just-opened dumpling house Chibitini on Saturday night following a typically tasty meal at AKA Cafe. The creation of LES resident Marja Samson, who operates the Kitchen Club (and Chibi's Bar) in Nolita, Chibitini is tiny but elegant. Full report soon. (Don't miss its wacky website, if pugs french bulldogs are your thing)... On the bar side of the coin, Ian reports that new tequila bar Barrio Chino (Broome @ Ludlow) has opened... We hesitate to break out the m-word in this space, but it sure sounds like new Ludlow (@ Houston/Stanton) men's herbal spa/smoothie joint Vitality is catering to an, uh, particular crowd. Opening soon... Word on Page 6 today that Lenny Kravitz and Denzel Washington are opening a club called Koz on Bowery below Houston looks to be the finishing chrome on the coffin that Mission pounded the first nail into earlier this year. Damn, and we used to like the Bowery... Finally, for those who dare venture Above 14th, check out tasty new NYC restaurant blog nyc eats.

I am a French Bulldog.

Posted by: Chibi at August 13, 2003 12:38 PM

Woof! Noted for the record.

Posted by: Lock at August 13, 2003 03:32 PM

They opened up the facade of Shillers, wow,
quite an investment...giant neon signs...
wonder if he bought the building?

Posted by: JQP at August 14, 2003 02:30 PM

You know, we're old pals and everything Lock, so I wasn't going to mention it, but due to my explosive nature, I just couldn't resist. What's with you busting on me for not maintaining my bad-boy image during the blackout? You know me better than that... You know I can come to your house in the middle of a blizzard, cook your old throwback Puma sneaker and feed it straight into your eager mouth... I'm a badass man, and you *know* this. I can cook up a feast with only a lighter, a spoon and some mouse droppings. The LES used to be a rough place, and I've sometimes had even less to work with. Hell, I can probably just focus my near-mystical culinary energy into some sort of beam, and cook without a source of heat at all. It hurts me that you would doubt me like that. Clearly, old Wylie had something more important to do... like bringing bottles of water up to apartments of people too old to function without A/C... Hah - that's a good one! The truth is, I'm breeding a batch of delicate veal that will make the juiciest steak you've ever had taste like a rusty nail. The poor things need just the right temperature, so when the power went off, I spent 29 straight hours pumping bellows, cooling them down, while my sous chef brought me gourmet energy bars for strength. Perhaps this is too much information - some say that honesty is a sign of weakness. Keith McNally, if you're reading this, just try me. Just fucking try me. I'm just as good with a lead pipe as I am with a baster. Oh, and everyone - make sure to catch the O.C. Tuesday night - that hunky, brooding outsider is almost as tasty as my sable.. almost!

Posted by: Wylie Dufresne at August 18, 2003 10:28 PM

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Posted by: airfare at February 12, 2004 07:40 PM