clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Esquire's Top Newcomers, Sarma on the Lam, Santina's Truffle Shuffle, and More Intel

Delaney Chicken introduces online ordering, plus more restaurant news and gossip from around New York City.

[The bleacher seating at Corkbuzz Chelsea. A fine choice for a glass of wine or four, especially if you work in the area.]
[The bleacher seating at Corkbuzz Chelsea. A fine choice for a glass of wine or four, especially if you work in the area.]
Daniel Krieger

Little Park, Mountain Bird, Shuko, Santina, and Chris Cannon's Jockey Hollow are included in Esquire's "Best New Restaurants in America" listicle. The magazine declares that Alon Shaya's New Orleans hot spot Shaya is the restaurant of the year. The new issues of the magazine also includes remembrances of late, great food writer Josh Ozerksy from his wife Danit Lidor, and chef pals Eric Ripert and Zak Pelaccio.

— Yesterday, police arrested the gunman who shot three people outside Flatiron District club Motivo on Monday morning. He's being charged with murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and assault. Detectives believe that the shooter was seeking revenge after getting booted from the club, but authorities don't think he "knew who he was shooting at."

Pure Food and Wine restaurateur Sarma Melngailis is still on the lam. Earlier this year, Melngailis disappeared after she allegedly stiffed her servers of two months' pay. The Post notes that her phone is disconnected, and although her former employees have filed a lawsuit, she hasn't been served with the papers because nobody knows where she's living these days.

— ExpansionWatch: The Le Cafe team is opening a new coffee shop at 145 Fourth Avenue, Upper East Side Mexican restaurant Two Lizards is expanding to Astoria, and rumor has it that the owners of Seaport taqueria El Luchador are planning a spinoff at 132 Ludlow.

Justin Warner reflects on the recent closure of his Bed-Stuy restaurant Do or Dine: "We opened Do or Dine because we realized it was the right time, at the right place, with the right people, with the right attitude, and getting all of those things together was difficult. That's why most people don't own restaurants. We didn't really factor in that we needed the right money. We just figured any money would be fine, and then it was the same in closing. " Warner notes that he'd be interested in opening another restaurant, but the "previous Venn diagrams would have to apply, and it would have to be with the right money."

— Several tipsters send word that white truffles have arrived at MePa hot spot Santina. The servers will happily shave white truffles over whatever you want, if you're willing to fork over the cash for it. (But note that some people at your table may not be impressed by this add-on.) Gabriel Kreuther is also serving a chestnut and fennel pasta dish with white truffles, and George Mendes is shaving white truffles over salt cod and scrambled eggs at Aldea. Casa Lever, La Villetta, and East 12th Street Osteria are also doing the truffle shuffle right now.

Delaney Chicken is now offering "lunch packs" that you can preorder online. The packs come with 10 chicken sandwiches plus sides.They're available for pick-up at 11 a.m., and the restaurant only makes five packs per day.

— And finally, Questlove and Jimmy Fallon got to try their hands at expediting the other night at EMP.  Here's Quest on the line:

Little Park

85 W Broadway, New York, NY 10007 (212) 220-4110

Gabriel Kreuther

41 West 42nd Street, Manhattan, NY 10036 (212) 257-5826 Visit Website