Looks like prolific Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff, who's best known for the nationally renowned burger at Au Cheval, is making moves in NYC. A Manhattan Community Board 2 agenda for the month says that Sodikoff is applying for a liquor license at 4 Charles St. in the West Village, while his restaurant group Hogsalt is requesting a transfer at the same address. It's still unclear what the to-be-named restaurant may be, and a spokeswoman for Hogsalt did not yet want to offer a comment.
Sodikoff has diverse portfolio with more than a dozen concepts, so his New York entrance is not guaranteed to be modeled after Au Cheval, arguably his most famous restaurant. People wait hours for the hip diner's cheeseburger, and it's made it to national rankings for the best burger in the United States. He recently opened a spin-off in Chicago called Small Cheval. His other projects are wide-ranging, including steakhouse Bavette's Bar and Bouef, sweets shop Doughnut Vault, and barbecue place Green Street Smoked Meats. Sodikoff also opened a wine bar in Chicago's flagship Restoration Hardware in the fall.
The address for the West Village spot is a basement space that currently houses El Charro Espanol, a neighborhood Spanish restaurant that has possibly been around for more than 60 years. The restaurant is still in business, and staff there did not know what was happening with El Charro. The owner did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the landlord of the building. A meeting for the community to discuss Sodikoff's liquor license request will take place on January 14, when more information will likely be revealed. Stay tuned for more details.