EaterWire: Construction Halted at Union Square Pavillion, Maccioni Family's New Project, Schnabel, and Iron Chef Japan

UNION SQUARE— Urbanite has the news from Union Square, where construction has stopped on the new pavillion and restaurant: "A group of area and residents and activists have gotten an injunction to stop any further work at the pavilion in Union Square. The city has hoped to put a new, high-end restaurant in the area that was previously a children’s play area...the suit alleges that if the city is going to take away park land in order to give it to private interests, it must receive permission from the state legislature." [Urbanite]

MIDTOWN EAST— Cutlets reports that the Maccioni family will be opening a new restaurant in the Beekman Tower: "'We haven’t signed yet, but we’re very close,' Maccioni says. The family will run the restaurant, but Beekman Tower will front the costs, he adds...'we are either leaning toward an Italian restaurant emphasizing on the cuisine of Tuscany or an Italian-seafood restaurant emulating what some of the Greek estiatorios are doing, but with an Italian twist.'" [Cutlets]

WEST VILLAGE— Julian Schnabel, friend to chef and restaurateur Kurt Gutenbrunner, has lent the restaurant Wallse a number of his pieces. In an outburst last week, he made it known he wants them treated better: "He gestured towards my companion's dining chair, which had, unbeknownst to us, been scratching up against a wall-sized, monochromatic painting hanging behind it. 'That's ruining my painting!' he bellowed...'It's not your fault,' the aging enfant terrible continued, 'it's this restaurant's!' Then he threatened to remove his paintings if they didn't get more respect." [W Editor's Blog]

TEE-VEE— Big fans of the original Iron Chef will pine no more. Fine Living is picking it up: "...starting May 5th, Iron Chef Japan is back on the air after a way-too-long hiatus. Now every weeknight at 11pm you can catch Chairman Kaga, the Iron Chefs, and a stream of challengers sweating it out on Fine Living Network." [EaterWire]
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