MIDTOWN WEST—First tucked into the bottom of a July 27 press release, the news that Renzo Piano's towering New York Times headquarters will serve as home to the first American outpost of legendary Tokyo eatery Inakaya has just been confirmed in another press release. Why our excitement? From a NYT report from 1984: "Upon entering, you are greeted by a chorus of hearty welcoming shouts, and escorted to the counter by a waitress wearing a blue and white kimono with the sleeves turned back. Two chefs sit behind the counter on a large platform kneeling samurai-style in front of a charcoal burner and heaps of artfully arranged fresh ingredients. The charcoal burner, or robata, is the big square sunken fireplace of a traditional Japanese living room." Opening set for first half of 2008; shoppers will want to note that this will be next door to a Muji outpost and, wait for it, a Dean and Deluca, too. [EaterWire Inbox]
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