Going Public

November 04, 2003 Finally, finally, some new downtown restaurant controversy (even if we have to manufacture it ourselves). Over in Nolita, a charming little "neighborhood" just to the west of the Lower East Side, much-hyped restaurant newcomer Public opens this week for friends & family tastings. Backgrounder: Set in a monstrous space on Elizabeth that previously held the kitchen for Connecticut Muffin, Public overlooks the Elizabeth St. monument garden from the east side of the street. Folks, this space is big. But will it also be good? B14 correspondent FV has his doubts: "Stopped by yesterday for a quick peek—it's owned by a consortium of designers and architects who are said to be disagreeing (if not squabbling) over many of the details, with the food rumoured to be low down on the priority list. I understand the owners are somehow connected to a swank London restaurant, and have connections to some NZ kitchen talent who've been brought over for it. Decor looks like it was supposed to be impressive, but it doesn't hang together at all: there's a lot of un-capped cheesy aluminum extrusions evident, and some incongruous vintage fittings in there as well, although of course these are early days and this may all be sorted out soon enough. Mind you, there's plenty of wank factor at work here: a separate 'wine lounge' area, and some very funky banks of retro post-office boxes up front, the idea being to assign keys to VIP customers for keeping a fancy bottle of wine on-site... that kind of thing." Rebuts another B14 correspondent who stopped by the space, "I am all for all sorts of 'perspectives,' but in this world certain people feel that the only way to be heard is to be negative. Ahem. Brad, the head chef, is a brother of one of the owners/ designers, and the NZ chefs who trained him at The Providores in London were visiting from there for a few weeks. He worked there for something like 9 years and it's one of the best in London. I talked to one of the visiting mentors, a lady named Anne, and she is super cool and lovely." So, which way will Public swing? Full report later this week after we go Public ourselves.

FV rebuts his rebutter: "heh heh. my rebutter seems keen to change topics and focus back on Public's solid pedigree rather than the space itself. won't anyone defend the aluminum? surely they can't be leaving the wine rack divider with an unfinished end??"

Posted by: Lock at November 4, 2003 04:40 PM

but oh how i miss the providores - my london backup that i haven't quite replaced in ny. but it was really brunch that distinguished the place...

Posted by: kaz at November 4, 2003 07:44 PM

DailyCandy goes Public today, too.

Posted by: Lock at November 5, 2003 10:03 AM

You guys will never get FD if you keep jocking these resturants!
Heh heh...

Posted by: Lock at November 6, 2003 12:34 AM

Grilled Kangaroo?!

Posted by: mike at November 7, 2003 10:47 PM

Mr Lasagna Andrew Krukoff is against Shillers. He has a long history of public work begining in the 8th grade when he fought "parachute pants".

(his quote):As far as my trend-spotting street cred, allow me to boast that I was the first person in my 8th grade class to point out the stupidity of parachute pants. I now proudly own two pairs of white summer French pants (NEVER stupid or out of style) for what it's worth. Furthermore, for the past 7 years I have drank and ate in every haunt south of 14th Street and have only been kicked out of no more than 5. I watch the Metro and Style channels religiously. I give the Barracudas - thumbs down, Coco Chanel - thumbs up. I find magazines such as W and Time Out NY humorous only because I am amazed writing so bad and unimaginative can get published. Still, I keep going back for more. When I hang in Manhattan bars and hear gossip like 'Heather Graham and Pete Yorn were caught in the bathroom at Bungalow 8' I immediately check the shoes of the person talking and can easily discern the validity of such a statement. (end quote)

So this is how one determines if barf is from a Herme's scarf wearer...hmm.

btw your Lasgana .com is about to expire.

Posted by: Bill Moyers at November 9, 2003 10:34 AM

Nice detective work, "Mr. Moyers." You found my DailyCandy.com cover letter. (Can you believe they didn't hire me?? Yeah, crazy.) I guess the cat's outta the bag now and damn are those claws sharp! Am I shallow and guilty of conspicuous consumption? (Maybe, but that's not the point.) In truth, this prima facie evidence would be flatly rejected for admission in the court of ironic humor. The cover letter was penned during an undercover assignment commissioned by "People for the Economical Treatment of Other People's Fashion Sense." You know, sometimes to fight the system you have to join it.

Posted by: krucoff at November 10, 2003 04:35 PM

Only when we have nothing to say do we say anything at all.

Posted by: Hale Scott at December 10, 2003 11:12 PM

Brad Farmerie can cook....!

While the kangaroo looks like a gimick, it tastes great... and so do the other unusual combinations that seem like fusion gone wrong. In this case they are fusion gone right.

I must admit to being a bit surprised myself... but pleasantly so. Public is for real, and the food brings it to life and builds a bridge beyond the design eccentricities.

Posted by: chifoodie at March 24, 2004 09:38 PM