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

Should be noted here that Lucien Bahaj of the East Village French bistro Lucien passed away recently. Apparently his son Zac will keep the restaurant going. Lucien has been in business since 1998 and still has an "old, weird" clientele.

Think I went there at least once maybe four or five years ago, although sometimes I confuse Lucien with Jules

Teresas :(

https://brooklyneagle.com/articles/2020/01/10/brooklyn-heights-mourns-as-teresas-restaurant-closes-its-doors-after-31-years/

Teresa’s

Never went there!

Then you’re banned from Redd’s Roster!

Sorry, j/k

Lol

But you will need to call ahead for a reservation.

Lucky Strike for real this time:
https://ny.eater.com/2020/4/15/21222837/lucky-strike-soho-restaurant-closed-nyc-coronavirus

RIP Gem Spa

RIP

I liked Gem Spa better when they sold tons of magazines, but still, legendary. Looking at recent photos it appears they were selling hats... and luggage (?!)

Judging by the last one I had there, the egg creams died long ago.

Eggs creams never lived up to their billing no matter where or when I had them, to be honest.

I only trust homemade.

Aquagrill

Robert Sietsema's tribute to the East Village's Odessa:

https://ny.eater.com/2020/7/14/21322961/odessa-closure-east-village-robert-sietsema-lookback

I have many fond memories of stuffed cabbages consumed there.

And his tribute to La Caridad 78, along with a historical discussion of the NYC Cuban-Chinese restaurant phenomenon:

https://ny.eater.com/2020/8/3/21349711/la-caridad-78-closing-cuban-chinese-restaurants-upper-west-side

I don’t know if it’s old enough or weird enough, but I used to eat at both locations of the wrap place mentioned here at #3 all the time: https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/02/arts/eating-out-making-it-to-go.html

Mentioned here too, with a link to a relevant New York Magazine spot about its opening: https://ny.eater.com/2013/6/10/6422987/this-month-in-new-york-city-dining-1997

I used to get lunch at the #11 place on that Times list when I worked downtown: Tokyo Lunch. The chicken katsu-don was my go-to order.

Barely now why I ended up at this roundup just posting it here now as a memory jog:

https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/24/arts/diner-s-journal.html

Barely know, I guess I meant to to type.

But came to type Jazz Standard/Blue Smoke Flatiron.

Cafe Steinhof in Park Slope has closed for good. I remember when it opened, circa 2000, as a more casual spinoff of Max & Moritz a block away. In the end it became a beloved neighborhood joint with a popular goulash night and film screenings and lasted far longer than its parent restaurant (though I still miss Max & Moritz).

In other Park Slope news, Rose Water closed back in November of last year. That was possibly my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. It's where I once eavesdropped on Paul Auster, Siri Hustvedt, and Salman Rushdie dining at the table next to me. Still coming to grips with that loss. Was not a business issue, the owner simply wanted to move on to a different phase in his life. I know Mr. Fine Wine used to eat there sometimes.

I've been to Manhattan about four times since Covid. I have the suspicion that when I next walk the streets of it all my favorite old restaurants will be gone, like ghosts, and my memories put in the trash bin.

Le Veau d'Or on E. 60th St., which was supposed to reopen under new management pre-pandemic, never did and I assume never will. So that's an 82-year operation gone for good.

Did you ever eat at that place with Mr. Fine Wine, Josefa?

No. But the owner was friends with him. The owner was somehow involved in the soul music scene & was good friends with the late Warren Lee of Subway Soul Club.

Empire State Soul Club, I mean

Of course. I knew what you meant.

Feel like the pandemic is redefining what Old Weird New York means.

Like the closing of the brick and mortar locations of Otto’s Tacos, does that belong on this thread? Nowadays I might say maybe.

Totally. Everything pre-pandemic seems a little old and weird now. It's like when the asteroid hit and killed off the dinosaurs. Something will survive but we don't know what.

But came to type Jazz Standard/Blue Smoke Flatiron.

― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, December 5, 2020 5:16 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

Hard to think of this place as in any way old or weird, but still long enough running and significant enough to be an NYC institution, crazy to hear this

Spain on W13th, apparently
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/nyregion/a-bohemian-pedigree-and-free-tapas-in-greenwich-village.html

Oh man Spain really was old and weird. You could get reliably stuffed there, the free appetizers alone almost did the job. Authenticity was questionable - I had to send back some awful gazpacho once.

I guess the old school "Little Spain" of the West Village has dwindled to two places: Sevilla and the refurbished La Nacional on 14th St

xpost RIP. Loved that place. Went for years for tapas and cheap wine pre-clubbing/bar hopping. The paella could be hit or miss but wonderful when it was on.

Bunch of places here: https://www.curbed.com/article/nyc-businesses-closed-2020-pandemic.html

The Paris Hotel/Café, 119 South Street, at Peck Slip
has reopened after dealing with Sandy damage.

Closed back in May, according to this: https://tribecacitizen.com/2020/05/06/after-147-years-at-the-seaport-the-paris-cafe-is-closing-for-good/

omg that list

Lotta closures in my neighborhood I didn't even know about

Can only assume it will be much much worse by the end of winter

It's like we are at home on out-of-signal FTL spaceships and don't know what to expect when we finally slow down and land.

Should have said LOS WFH FTL spacesship. Anyway, your asteroid/dinosaur scenario was already better.

which btw Curbed stole from me, haha

Oh yeah

Truth be told, I was sort of surprised Angry Wade's was still open, although I have walked by it relatively recently.

I'll really miss Bar Robert from that general area (Boerum Hill)

That's too bad. I would go there now and again when I was in the neighborhood, joined forces with some strangers once for Trivia Night.