Redd's Roster of Restaurants of the Old Weird New York

Must...go to sleep ... before I kill thread.

Dojo!! my god. That place was like service industry boot camp for many friends of mine

do you guys remember Decibel? tiny, Japanese, dark, LES.

Yes, of course. Went there many times, the small menu had what, edamame and some sort of flaky pancake thingy. I was thinking of mentioning that place, along with Candy B1 (was it in the same spot?) -a karaoke bar, but with a live Japanese backup band instead of recordings- and Angel's Share, which last still seems to be there, although perhaps whatever was below it- Sunrise Mart? - had gone. Just don't bring too large a party! (i.e., no fapping)

Two different NYT articles, from the same day!
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/31/arts/sing-along-clubs-with-a-difference.html
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/31/arts/the-east-village-becomes-japan-west.html?pagewanted=all

The first is more zoomed in on karaoke and Candy B1 though. Which was at 240 E 9th, (between 2nd and 3rd) which is indeed where Decibel ( or "deshibearu" as we liked to say) was and still is apparently.

I steered clear of Dojo, perhaps even held my nose a little high, because it was for people who were still college kids, but I'm glad to know someone who actually was a college kid was there and can report on the doings within. Although come to think of it, I did go to a place around the corner, Jack the Ribber, which later became Continental Divide and then just Continental.

Of course, there are blog posts by Alex in NYC (two!) and The Hound as well

http://vassifer.blogs.com/alexinnyc/2014/02/the-dinosaur-on-third-avenue.html

http://vassifer.blogs.com/alexinnyc/2015/04/back-to-old-st-marks-the-revenge-of-the-third-avenue-dinosaur.html

http://thehoundblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/readin-rockin-literate-books-for.html?m=1

I believe I may have seen one ilxor with a screenname that is NSFW to Google play there with his band once.

Sunrise Mart, still there too.

What has brexited the area though is The Telephone Bar, 149 E 2nd.

I always ate at the Chinese place on E4 St (?) and 2nd Ave before or after Anthology Film Archives. Gone at least a dozen years.

Did you ever cross paths with Michael Musto at the Anthology?

Because I have a clear picture of seeing him waiting there once, although I have no recollection of what film was showing or whether he just happened to be standing on that block.

Think I remember what was showing when I saw Susan Sontag there though, or at least which director(s).

Ah yes i guess Decibel was E Village wasn't it?

How about a shout out for Sweet n Tart on Mott Street.

And while we're down there, Good World! It's not quite 'old' but it was a bit weird New York. I met Momus there once.

http://nymag.com/listings/bar/good_world_bar_and_grill/

What's that whole area like these days? East Broadway, down under the bridge? When I lived in New York it was solidly impenetrable Chinatown, just no way through. Tenement after tenement, off limits entirely to the likes of me.

Wouldn't know, never go past Confucius Plaza myself.

it's... changed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKEQm10-n84

Has it all totally been converted into luxury flats or something? :( It was honestly like a place out of time. Old men crouching on their stoops, pouring soapy water out of bowls into the street, washing strung up behind them.

I think it's all gourmet yogurt wifi cafe cross fitness training now.

At least last time I checked, perhaps there are some new bleeding edge developments I am not hip to.

Did I mention craft beer and artisanal won tons?

yes, it is a mix. plus a new rep cinema near Canal and the East Broadway station.

Decibel still there. Dojo on the NYU campus as well? I really liked Sweet N tart.

Saw Allen Ginsberg getting takeout at the Mee Noodle restaurant on 13th and 2nd (?) once. But he was always walking around that area in the early 90s. Ran into him a couple of times at St. Mark's Books and talked about Paterson, NJ with him for a few minutes each time (both from there). Nice man and hero of course. Always with his camera.

A few really good stories about him in August Kleinzahler's memoir.

There was a little Vietnamese takeout on 1st Ave between 2nd and 3rd i think. Looked like your average Chinese takeout but their food was excellent.

xpost need to check that out!

Ginsberg's apartment was on 12th between 1st and A. Richard Hell lived upstairs from him (& maybe still lives there)

Arthur Russell lived there as well ( and got free electricity by sending an extension cord into Ginsberg's apartment!).

It looks like the Dojo on W. 4th is still open, but the one on St. Marks is long gone. I have fond memories of ordering the stir-fried vegetables over rice with tofu AND melted cheese on top.

I mostly can't remember the food except that it wasn't especially good. I do have this memory of a waiter saying to me "would you like carrot ginger?" Like I was just supposed to know what that was (dressing, it turns out). It seems as though "carrot ginger" was some sort of signature item.

The BBQ/Dallas BBQ at 21 W 8th (8th and University) was not good enough for you?

http://www.grubstreet.com/2009/03/bbq_not_dallas_bbq_will_reopen.html

Also http://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/22/style/night-life-the-latest-clubs.html

Looks like Madame Rosa's, which was what I was googling, later housed a Tibetan Buddhist organization: http://tricycle.org/magazine/nothing-hide/

One more nightlife roundup from a year later: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/27/arts/glitz-funk-and-victoriana-enliven-new-york-s-discos.html?pagewanted=all

And I know I still owe you some more restaurants.

But right now repurposed this thread with similar purpose for bookstores: TOMORROW, Sat. Jan 6, is the last day of COLISEUM BOOKS in NYC

Friend of mine just reminded me of a piece of the Brownstone Brooklyn puzzle that has been ticking at the back of my mind:

Patois, 255 Smith Street, between Douglass and DeGraw Streets. Lasted from 1997-2009. Paved the way for all the other restaurants on Smith Street.

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/1/32_1_mm_patois.html

Keep trying to figure out what was the place across the street from the Cobble Hill Cinema at 254 Court Street, which is now Kitchen At Cobble Hill, previously was Karloff with same owners I think, but what was it back in, say, 2000?

Good article about the man behind Patois:
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/20/dining/brooklyn-restaurant-pioneer-alan-harding-reshapes-his-career.html

Ah, the prior place at 254 Court Street I was thinking of was called Kalio.

Ah, struck some paydirt with this link:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/brooklyn-for-beginners

Montague Street coffee shop for a few minutes back there, up above street level:
Ozzie's 136 Montague St

Just needed the address:
La Bouillabaisse, 145 Atlantic Ave

Had forgotten, but used to enjoy going to
Meson Flamenco, 135 Atlantic Ave

Trying to remember, thought this place had an outdoor garden
Camille's Clover Hill, 272 Court Street
http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/borough-bites-affordable-dining-article-1.794959

Never really liked this place too much
Harvest 218 Court St

Old school Italian, still there:
Marco Polo, 345 Court Street
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/marco-polo-ristorante/

Article about the P & G cafe, mentioned upthread- with before and after photos! Wonder if it ever really reopened?

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/west-side-loses-a-neon-landmark/

Can't remember much about Max & Moritz, mentioned by Josefa upthread, but I must have been there a few times, I even found there phone number in an old address book the other day. Did it have a (beer)garden in the back?

Tribeca:
Bazzini, 339 Greenwich
https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20091021/soho-tribeca-nolita/tribeca-staple-bazzini-set-close-after-123-years-the-neighborhood
http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_339/wholesalechange.html

Pão, 322 Spring Street (Spring and Greenwich)
http://tribecacitizen.com/2015/01/05/pao-has-closed/
(This link includes mention of several other restaurant closings, including that of 508 Microbrewery, right down the block from Pão, which had previously been Giorgione 508, a joint venture with Giorgione DeLuca and Jorge, the owner of Pão)

Gone more than a decade:
El Teddy's, 219 West Broadway
http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_35/crownjewelofa.html
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/04/16/just-a-bar
http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/20/garden/at-el-teddy-s-60-years-of-design-history-in-bits-and-pieces.html

Here's a review of the short-lived Giorgione 508
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/dining/reviews/hoho-wevar-wherever-its-there.html

West Village:
Aggie's, 146 West Houston Street, at MacDougal
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/15/nyregion/neighborhood-report-west-village-doyenne-macdougal-st-lays-down-her-omelet-pan.html

At one point after her restaurant closed, Aggie was working for a while at
(Back to Tribeca)
Walker's, 16 North Moore Street

Which is still there although I don't know if they have jazz on Sunday's anymore since Peter Leitch had to retire from playing due to medical issues.

More from Iberia on the same block as Pão in Tri- sorry Hudson Square (just learned this neighborhood name)
Pintxos, 510 Greenwich
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/pintxos/

More from Tribeca proper:
City Hall, 131 Duane Street
http://www.grubstreet.com/2015/12/city-hall-restaurant-closing.html
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/city-hall-restaurant/

Still open, the food is just okay, I think, but you can't beat the funky authentic decor:
Square Diner, 33 Leonard Street
http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2013/11/square-diner-tribeca-sandwich-happy-hour.html
http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/square-diner/

Okay, I am linking to this fascinating ribute to Don Hill (the print version, just cancel printing and read because regular version has problems)

http://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/remembering-don-hill/print/

which ties in here because his club was across the street from Pão, where he used to hang out. In fact the owner of Pão is interviewed and tells a very good story, and the restaurant is mentioned by the brother of a Soprano's cast member. I saw his brother in Pão once whilst we were all watching the 2004 Euro. In fact I think a bunch of other cast members used to hang out there, including the big guy himself, James Gandolfini, along with Johnny V (Artie Bucco). A bunch of celebrities or other people you may know are also interviewed along with a fascinating guy you may not have heard of, Steely Dan sound man and road manager Nitebob Czaykowski, who is actually pictured in the piece but not identified, and who also has many other credits with many other musicians -read about him and Iggy in Open Up and Bleed- who all seem to like him a lot, perhaps as much as he likes cats.

More about Nite Bob:
https://newtopiamagazine.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/mongrel-patriot-review-nitebob/

OMG just laughed out loud at story about watching This Is Spinal Tap with Steven Tyler. Probably should be reposted on more appropriate thread.