RED HOOK—The news that the City has threatened to reorganize the Red Hook Ballfields, and potentially shut down many of its smallest vendors, has the city's food-loving community seeing red. Over at Serious Eats, Ed Levine has posted a call to arms, promising a petition to save the vendors. On Chowhound, there's a thread on the subject, including contact info for key players in City Hall. Though Chowhound moderators have closed the thread -- "the issue is politically loaded" -- devotees are not going to take this news lying down. This is day one of a spectacular opposition. City Hall, if you're serious about the move, brace yourselves. [Cutlets; SE; Chowhound]
EAST VILLAGE—Several readers have emailed asking if Momofuku Ssam Bar had changed its dinner hours, and the answer is yes. From the man Chang himself, "we started about a month and half ago. dinner starts at 5pm-12am. we had to cut back hours, love to cook for the industry and late night dining was fun, but keeping the morale of the staff high is more important. The hours and the intense pace were just killing people...Late night isn't dead...just a break, trying to figure out a better system." So there you have it. [EaterWire]
WEST VILLAGE—While troubled eatery Central Kitchen takes a break, its next-door neighbor, tapas restaurant Tasca (under the same ownership) seems to be going through some rough times as well. From a reader, "I think there is a chef change at tasca, I called earlier and they said chef Craig Wilson no longer works there." [EaterWire Inbox]
MIDTOWN EAST—Steve Cuozzo of the Post shines a light on the sneaky dealings of Alain Ducasse today. Per Cuozzo: "...it sure looks like Rachou has unloaded [Brasserie LCB] to Alain Ducasse, as Gael Greene first suggested on her new blog last week...According to the city Finance Department, on May 7, Rachou's company, Le Pays Basque Inc., received $400,000 from 'BB at 55th & 5th LLC' - an amount a Finance Department spokesman terms a 'consideration.'" Way to dig, Steve. [NY Post]
GRAMURRAY—The DOH has closed down countrified hang Rodeo Bar on Third Avenue and 27th Street. From a tipster: "Don't know if you guys still care about the DOH'ing of Manhattan, but Rodeo Bar has been DOH'ed since 5/31/07 according to the big yellow stickers on their windows -- though they have put up their own sign that says something like, 'Hey Y'All, we've closed for two weeks to repair our duct system.'" That "y'all" is a nice touch. [EaterWire Inbox]
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