Freemans' owner William Tigertt writes in late last night with an update:
Freeman's is open as of tonight and it's packed. I have no idea where all the people came from, because we didn't call or tell anyone. Pent up demand for artichoke dip, I guess.Things about this we appreciate, other than the obvious that the renovation is on schedule: 1) Their recognition of the bathroom situation as being important; 2) Only filling the dining room to an extent that the kitchen can handle; 3) An appreciation of this caliber for Victorian-era bird box taxidermy, because, indeed, the early colonialist stuff is total shit.Anyway, right now it's just the old space. The kitchen is re-done and the bathrooms are working (three of the four), but we won't open the new dining room, until we get the go ahead from Con-Ed to turn the gas on. We are still using our old electric ovens right now, and can't support more seats than the old dining room.
We plan on having the whole shebang open in April. The menu will expand with the new kitchen, and we have the biggest collection of Victorian-era bird box taxidermy in America clearing customs as we speak - Taavo did a special trans-Atlantic jaunt to Cornwall just for the birds... There will be a whole wall of 100+ year old pieces with a museum style plaque behind the new bar. Can't wait...
· Eater Exclusive: Freemans' Facelift! [~E~]
