1) Crown Heights: Brownstoner has word that a new café called Glass Shop is opening on Classon Ave: “Good news for Crown Heights (and those in Prospect Heights who don't mind walking a couple of blocks): A new cafe called Glass Shop is set to open 766 Classon Avenue (in the space to the left) between St. Johns and Sterling place. Not sure when the opening is, but when we passed by this weekend it didn't look too imminent.” [PLYWOOD]
2) Park Slope: Gowanus Lounge reports that a Slope bodega will make way for a new eatery: “A good friend of GL emails to say: “I noticed today that the old bodega/berkely clothing store on the corner of 16th and 5th ave has a work permit in the window for a restaurant/bar establishment.” And, indeed, DOB records show the building officially known as 197 16th Street or, to us, 568 Fifth Avenue, has permits to become a “drinking and eating establishment.” [PLYWOOD]
3) Upper West Side: The poorly-named yet popular Flex Mussels is apparently expanding to the West Side, according to Gael Greene: “Next move for Flex Mussels is the Upper West Side, I heard Saturday night at dinner. Just opened in November on East 82nd Street where Bobby Shapiro’s Zocalo used to be, and flooded with hungry beach combers, daughter Alexandra says the UWS is next, “once we feel we’re doing our best here.” The spot where Neptune sank on Amsterdam between 84th and 85th looks good right now. But with bruised restaurateurs forseeing more fallout, spaces will be opening up and the Shapiros are counting on rents to soften.” [PLYWOOD]
4) Midtown West: Lady Strongbuzz has the scoop on a soon-to-open Japanese eatery Inakaya in the NYTimes building: “Inakaya, the first restaurant brought to New York by WDI, a Japanese based International Restaurant Group, will open to the public on February 26. The restaurant, which is based in Roppongi, aims to deliver New Yorkers with their first taste of true Robatayaki. Inakaya is located in the New York Times Building at 620 Eighth Avenue (231 West 40 Street is the actual street address.)” [PLYWOOD]
5) Red Hook: Update: Slice reports that recent plywood vet Anselmo’s Pizzeria on Van Brunt is getting closer to opening: “Looks like there's been some progress at Anselmo's Pizzeria on Van Brunt Street in Red Hook. The dining room looks just about finished, and the oven has been fired up. The last time I peeked in the windows (mid November), it looked nowhere near ready. But Anselmo himself says that they'll be doing a day of oven testing soon, and then opening to the public after that.” [PLYWOOD]
6) Hell’s Kitchen: A tipster notices that the Bar X space on 45th and 10th ave is boarded up with some green plywood. Life with Food and Drink shed some light on the mystery back in January: “After seeing that tantalizing green plywood for weeks on end, I finally got back in touch with the folks at Lansdowne Road to see when we could expect the triumphant debut of The Pony (remember The Pony?). Apparently they're still moving forward with the construction and look to be a few weeks out at this point. They're aiming for a mid-February debut, but no promises... As always, will deliver any updates as I receive them.” [PLYWOOD]
7) Upper East Side: And finally, a commenter shares this tidbit about some east side plywood: “Smokey Bar-B-Que on East 63 between 2nd & 3rd is being replaced by an orange juice bar! Whaaa?” [PLYWOOD]
