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Dahlia’s Gone Healthy, Mekelburg's Fried Chicken, and More Intel

Plus: a Chipotle for Long Island City

Mr. Donahue's
The counter at Mr. Donahue’s, an American restaurant in Nolita
Nick Solares

— The former space of Dahlia’s — which closed after getting busted for underage drinking — is now a quick-service salad restaurant called 100% Healthy Blend. It opened on Saturday and serves DIY salads, juices, smoothies, arepas, and empanadas. The owners of Dahlia’s reportedly also own this alcohol-free venture.

— Clinton Hill gourmet grocery store, bar, and restaurant Mekelburg's is now open late and offering a special late night menu with a fried chicken sandwich. It's served from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. during the week and from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Along with the new late night food menu, all wine and beer will be $1 off for a late night happy hour.

Dough pastry chef Fany Gerson’s brick-and-mortar location of her paletas concept, La Newyorkina in Greenwich Village will now be opening in September or October. She’ll be making traditional nieve de garrafa, a water-based Mexican sorbet, daily, as well as ice cream and fruit sorbets. Her popular paletas will be sold in several new flavors at the shop as well, including avocado-passion fruit, flan, and fresa fields, a strawberry paleta with Maria cookies.

Times critic Pete Wells debuted his first non-New York review today, of critical darling Cassia in Los Angeles. He awarded the upscale Southeast Asian restaurant three stars.

— Farm-to-table restaurant Black Tree’s Lower East Side location has officially closed in preparation for a revamp. A location in Williamsburg remains open.

— East Village tea shop Thirstea has closed after seven years in the neighborhood. The owner cited typical reasoning for the closure, like rent costs.

— An outpost of bakery and sandwich chain Paris Baguette is opening in Stuy-Town.

— Upper East Side diner Big Daddy’s is closing after 15 years on Second Avenue. The parent company Branded Restaurants plans to move it elsewhere in the neighborhood and put Southern restaurant Duke’s in the space instead.

Chipotle is opening its first location in Long Island City this month.

— Food hall Union Fare will be launching brunch this weekend. The Union Square cafeteria's full-service sit-down restaurant area will offer options like an apple sausage and egg breakfast sandwich on a cinnamon roll, a grain bowl with guacamole, and a breakfast mac and cheese. Eater critic Robert Sietsema recently reviewed Union Fare.

— And finally, here’s how they make pita and hummus at Chelsea Market hotspot Dizengoff: