Last night, 25 restaurants set up booths in Madison Square Park for one of the more civilized tasting events of the year, Celebrate Flatiron Chefs. It was a sweaty affair given the 100% humidity, but the lack of lines and abundance of booze, Shack Burgers, and live music more than made up for it. And so did the previews of some big new Flatiron restaurants. Park Avenue Summer chef Craig Koketsu said his giant Polynesian-themed restaurant The Hurricane Club will be open by the end of summer. Though it's massive in size, the room will be broken up into various sections, giving it a more intimate feel.
Meanwhile, the folks at Eataly offered a blueprint of the space, reminding observers of just how humongous this project will be. They're shooting for a August 31 opening. And Hill Country Chicken served up a very delicious version McDonald's Snack Wrap, with juicy fried white meat, slaw, and a hot pepper jelly. They wouldn't give up the goods on an opening date, but say "late summer" is a safe bet.
