Jean-Georges' Tribeca Soba Shop Matsugen to Close

Matsugen, celeb chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's excellent high-end Japanese restaurant and soba palace in Tribeca, is closing after service on Saturday, the Tribeca Citizen confirms. The restaurant, which earned three stars from Frank Bruni and was panned by Platt shortly after it opened in early 2008, was a favorite with New York chefs but was for the most part underpopulated.

This is JGV's second restaurant in this grand space. It was once the home to his Chinese restaurant 66. We've reached out, but there's no word yet on whether he'll keep it for a third concept.
Update: A worker at the restaurant says they're unsure whether or not the space will be kept, and that there were multiple reasons for closing. He adds that the Matsushita brothers, the co-owners with JGV, would like to return to Tokyo.
Update No. 2: PR tells Fork in the Road the restaurant is closing because JGV's contract with the Matsushita brothers is up and most of their Japanese based chefs' visas are going to expire. Which only kind of makes sense as a reason to close a giant restaurant.
· Sayonara Matsugen [Tribeca Citizen]
· All Coverage of Matsugen [~ENY~]