Talay, a Thai restaurant headed up by Kuma Inn's King Phojanakong said to be a game changer for the Hamilton Heights section of Harlem, has been transformed into Pancho Gringo. It's never good news when a restaurant transforms into something called Pancho Gringo, but the story seems somewhat more unfortunate given the restaurant's short history. Even though Talay opened last May in a part of Manhattan not heavily frequented by the foodie set, it garnered reviews from Alan Richman, The Observer, and a brief from Frank Bruni himself. Allen Salkin included it in his list of new places reviving a "once forsaken area" of West Harlem. And now this. Greasy Guide laments the change, adding the decor change "makes it feel more like a cheesy Mexican spot instead of the sexy and posh spot that it once was."
· Harlem’s Talay Restaurant is Dead. Pancho Gringo Rises [GreasyGuide]
· Vital Signs Under the Viaduct [NYT]
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