LOWER EAST SIDE—We hear from a regular of neighborhood haunt Marshall Stack that the place 1) opens at noon as of last Friday, 2) has free WiFi and 3) is now serving coffee and tea. Also, they "plan to finally put the toaster to appropriate use by rolling out a breakfast-y menu sometime soon." [EaterWire Inbox]
ASTORIA— A reader discovers Top Chef Josie Malave at a new restaurant in Long Island City/Astoria. The early report, "went to island cafe bar and grill in astoria tonight, where josie malave from top chef is executive chef. i guess it's only been open for about a week or so? anyway, the space is really big (it's right next to the way oversized cup diner, in a building that i guess has a ton of room to spare) and my fiance and i had a couple of small plates -- some spring rolls that were a little too salty and a trio of decent dips. the prices seem ok for astoria, although i prefer the cocktails at ace's around the corner." [EaterWire Inbox]
WEST VILLAGE—Brace, people, brace. This just in on the MorandiWire, SMS line: "Right now. Morandi. Walked by. Sidewalk seating. People drinking. Sunshine. Thought you should know." [EaterWire SMS]
NEW YORK CITY—A high-level Eater tipster, and assumed English major, drops us a follow-up to yesterday's business re resy scammer WeekendEpicure (© 2007 Wayne Falkland LLC. All rights reserved), "in case no one else has brought this to your attention, the wayne-falkland hotel makes an appearance in ayn rand's 'atlas shrugged.' so the person who is/was scamming people through weekend epicure is also apparently some kind of randian asshole." [EaterWire Inbox]
CARROLL GARDENS—West Village trattoria Po may be getting its Smith Street sibling sooner than expected. TONY has the place opening next week, which means we're no more than three or four weeks out. [TONY]
