Checking in on the Fall Previews: The Late Openings

Given that it's a whole new year and that we're well into the beginning of winter, we figured it was about time to check in on the fall previews. Out of the 50 or so restaurants predicted to open last season by the city's paper of record (and NYM, TONY, Metromix, etc.), the majority actually opened. Shang made the cut, Co just debuted just after the New Year, and even 10 Downing managed to open with time to spare. But about a dozen restaurants have yet to make an entrance. A look at the tardy spots:

Aldea
31 West 17th St., Union Square
Former Toqueville chef and Hottest Chef in New York contestant George Mendes has been planning his upcoming restaurant for over two years now, and it doesn't look any closer to opening.
Fall Preview Projection: Late November
Latest Word: January

Bovindo
30 Irving Place, Union Square
The new casual Italian trattoria from the owners of Irving Mill.
Fall Preview Projection: Late November
Latest Word: Last we spoke to the folks at Irving Mill they projected it around April-May.

Casa La Femme
140 Charles St., West Village
Famed Mediterranean spot Casa La Femme has been set to reopen back downtown at 140 Charles for a good while now.
Fall Preview Projection: September
Latest Word: The first trickles of press are coming out about Casa La Femme, but there's still no set projection. We'd be surprised if it didn't open in the next two months. UPDATE: It opened for an event, should open to the public soon.

Fatty Cue and Fatty Crab
91 S. 6th St., Williamsburg; 2170 Broadway, UWS
The two newest projects from Zak Pelaccio. The latter is an outpost of his West Village favorite Fatty Crab, the former a barbecue spot with former Hill Country pitmaster Robbie Richter.
Fall Preview Projection: November and October, respectively
Latest Word: Not a peep since the previews, except for a boiler incident at Fatty Crab, one possible culprit for the delay.

La Fonda del Sol
200 Park Avenue, Midtown East
Designer Adam Thiany resurrects the old lavish Rockefeller Center Latino spot La Fonda Del Sol in the MetLife Building with chef Josh DeChellis
Fall Preview Projection: December
Latest Word: per Andrea Strong, January 26

La Otra and Permanent Brunch
95 Ave A & 95 First Ave., East Village
Two restaurants primarily linked to former Tasting Room chef and owner Colin Alevras. The first a Cuban restaurant, the second a brunch-all-day spot, both located in the East Village.
Fall Preview Projection: Late September and mid-October, respectively
Latest Word: There seems to be some major delays here, leading main chef Colin Alevras to take up a job at Boulud's project on the Bowery. The backers still plan on opening with him at some point.

Nuela
43 West 23rd St., Flatiron
Douglas Rodriguez was supposedly taking over the closed Sapa space to open "nuevo-Latino" spot Nuela last summer. By the time fall previews got around, the projection was October.
Fall Preview Projection: October
Latest Word: "Early 2009"

Pies 'n' Thighs
166 South 4th St., Williamsburg
The tragically shuttered Pies 'n' Thighs was meant to make their debut in a new South 4th Street space as early as last summer. Now there's no opening in sight.
Fall Preview Projection: November
Latest Word: No word since a September report on their DOB ordeals, putting the opening at December '08.

SHO Shaun Hergatt
40 Broad St., FiDi
The Australian chef Shaun Hergatt's eponymous restaurant in the Setai condominium.
Fall Preview Projection: October/November
Latest Word: According to PR, they plan to open "in the next few months"

Table 8
25 Cooper Sq., Noho
Govind Armstrong's third location of Table 8 is currently being built out in the Cooper Square Hotel, now with ex Country's chef Willis Loughhead running the kitchen full time.
Fall Preview Projection: December
Latest Word: Mid-February
· Fall Tracking Report: Checking in on The Fall Openings [~E~]
· Fall Previewing 2008, A Primer [~E~]