But Luise, She's All Right, She's Just Near

September 17, 2003 As we crossed Norfolk on our way to brunch at (please, avert your eyes) Schiller's Sunday morning (hint: it's all about the french toast), we couldn't help but feel a pang for the remade Cafe Luise welcoming guests on the opposite corner. Throwing open its doors the night before, this new restaurant from the team behind Alicia’s in Brooklyn Heights (full disclosure: we have never been to Brooklyn) looked adorable, but compared to the din at Schiller's, forlorn. Now comes word from Felix that Luise serves up "the best burger I've had in months." We recommend you follow Felix's lead and take a window table at Luise, from which vantage to give the Schiller's masses a slow shake of the head and the you-are-so-passé look. [Also of Sunday note: since sometime late last month, WD-50 is now open for dinner on Sunday. As one Citysearch user puts it, "it's no Applebees."]

So what's up with the crew of miscreants hanging at Schiller's? Maybe y'all are hip to the wacky LES pack -- the '80s glam-band reject in silver pants and sundry trash pickins (my first guess: fashion week), the old dapper-but-just-this-side-of-nuts fella in a fur stole talking about Fosse to the waiters, our very nice but persistant neighbor in the dyed red hair and her Aunt's earrings (did you know her Aunt was in Ziegfield's Follies? I'll bet you did) and various other loiterers/fashion victims...Someone, please explain.

Posted by: midge at September 17, 2003 08:37 PM

dear midge,
it's the lower east side.
love it or hate it, but don't ask it to change.

Posted by: drez at September 18, 2003 05:29 PM

Is the title of this a reference to a Dylan song lyric?

Posted by: glenn lazzaro at September 26, 2003 09:40 AM