Few bar proprietors in New York can make us drool over a closed gate and black painted door, but one of those people is Sasha Petraske and above is to be his Mighty Ocelot (which Mutlets had been gamely following to date) and we are drooling, indeed. Mighty Ocelot is said to be Petraske's version of a Belgium beer bar by night and cafe by day, the latter being a concession to the community board. There's no chance this opening will be marked by an announcement -- it is Petraske's way and we love him for it -- so we'll be relying on locals to follow this one for us. Report from today: "Can't really confirm any details, but on my walk to work today I passed by the former Jack's Luxury Oyster Bar and saw the vibrant red exterior being painted completely black, with more work being done inside. I'd love to think that Sascha Petraske is actually opening a space on my block, and it's even more fun to think it'll be a speakeasy secretive enough that the CB won't find out."
The CB knows, alas, but here's some bonus sketchiness for you. We stopped by the location just an hour's time ago and met with a construction worker who mumbled, with an Eastern European accent, natch, "coffee shop." Swoon.