The Plot to Take Over Carnegie Deli, ESquared Expands to the LES, and More Intel

— A restaurateur by the name of Sammy Musovic held a press conference outside of Carnegie Deli yesterday to drum up support for his plan to take over the famed Midtown dining establishment, which is slated to close at the end of the year. After emigrating from then-Yugoslavia as a teen, Musovic’s first job in New York was washing dishes at the deli. He wants to raise $5 million to buy the restaurant and offer current owner Marian Harper Levine a portion of the future proceeds. But a rep for the deli’s current owner tells the Post: "There is no interest in discussing the sale of Carnegie Deli on Seventh Avenue with Musovic at this time." Musovic currently operates the restaurants Vero, Selena Rosa, and Sojourn.

— In other Carnegie Deli news, the announcement about the impending closure has apparently been very good for business. Here’s a photo of the line yesterday a little before noon:

[Nick Solares]

— Tribeca Citizen offers his first impressions of Wolfgang Puck’s Cut NYC: "It was all very good! The starters and the salmon, in particular: Puck probably first served salmon in soy-chile sauce at Santa Monica’s Chinois sometime in the mid-80s, and it’s become a bit hackneyed over the years, so I had forgotten how satisfying the dish can be when the fish is both high-quality and perfectly cooked."

— Massive restaurant group ESquared is opening a small-ish Italian fast-casual restaurant at 52 Kenmare Street called The Sosta. The shop, which will serve sandwiches, salads, and pasta, is slated to open by the end of the year.

— This weekend’s Desert Trip festival in Indio, California — essentially a version of Coachella for baby boomers — is going to feature food from The Cannibal, The Nomad, Pok Pok, and Roberta’s. Here’s a photo of Roberta’s master pizza slingers Anthony Falco and Pete litschi arriving in the desert:

— Roosevelt Island might be getting its first-ever wine bar. Or at least a cafe/sandwich shop that will serve wine, beer, and cider at night. Either way, it’s a win for the restaurant-starved Roosevelt Island community.

— Gael Greene visits sprawling Upper East Side Greek restaurant, Avra: "The 1.29 lb., $45.09 sea bass has more flavor than the 1.10 lb., $34.05 snapper. I'll grant that neither is overcooked, but neither is especially thrilling. Alas, neither is totally boned. Frankly, I don't share Avra-fans affection for pristine grilled sea creatures. Next time, I might order charcoal-grilled swordfish with warm Yukon potato salad or Chilean Sea Bass 'Plaki' for more fun."

— The SLA denied a West Village liquor license application from Real Housewives star Sonja Morgan for a proposed West Eighth Street bar called Tipsy Girl. According to Page Six, Morgan and her team have already sunk a bunch of money into this project, and now they have to change their plans. The entire saga may ultimately be featured on a future season of Real Housewives.

— And finally, here’s a look at the pies at Joe & Pat’s on Staten Island: