A Peek at ABCV, a Chocolate Disorder, and More Intel

Behind the Scenes at the Newest Restaurant from Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Florence Fabricant takes a tour of abcV, which opens the end of the month. “Who knew that vegetables would take this long to prepare?” she writes of the long-delayed opening. Former Pure Food and Wine chef, Neal Harden is the chef de cuisine and he’s ensured that there is no shortage of avocado on the menu. Breakfast might include “avocado toast, a hemp protein shake, assorted dosas, steamed tofu with roasted cauliflower and harissa, fried eggs with smoked potatoes and vegetables, and congee, the Cantonese porridge, made with forbidden rice and millet.” There are no veggie burgers or fake meats. And there is “a full bar with locally made organic spirits and a list of biodynamic and organic wines.”

Receipt Fallout

Top Chef alum, Mark Simmons of Brooklyn’s Kiwiana talks about the response to the message on his receipts that read, “Immigrants make America great (they also cooked your food and served you today),” creating a story that went viral. “Someone did call the restaurant and yell ‘Seig Heil Trump.’ Another person called up and threatened me with physical violence. I said, ‘I’ll be here until 11 p.m.’”

A New Chocolate Shop

Sebastien Brecht (grandson of Bertolt Brecht) is opening Obsessive Chocolate Disorder at 64 E. 4th St., a chocolate shop and art gallery. “Brecht also writes funny comics for kids and gets artists to illustrate them,” reports Bedford+ Bowery. “Endearingly, he will be self-publishing these books to sell in the store, along with chocolates for children that come molded into shapes of various characters from the books.”

Bigger Digs

Xian Famous Foods opens a bigger Chinatown spot at 45 Bayard St., Bowery Boogie reports. From the website: “Our old Chinatown location 67 Bayard Street just down the street is one of our oldest and smallest stores. Over the years, the store has gotten busier and it came to a point where that location is just too small to operate.”

The First Sip

Eric Asimov explores whether restaurants should offer guests that first taste of wine. “Back when guests were responsible themselves for detecting flaws, this was the sole purpose of the taste. . . .I was to taste the wine for flaws, not to determine whether I liked it or not,” he wrote. “But we live in more enlightened times in restaurants now, and hospitality reigns.”

Why Do Americans Refrigerate Their Eggs?

Kim Severson addresses why we do, while elsewhere “culinary compatriots in Europe, Asia and other parts of world happily leave beautiful bowls of eggs on their kitchen counters.” Mostly, she says, it’s about washing.

In openings

The Trestle (32-02 Broadway) has opened in Astoria, a transportation-themed pub from Joe Brown. Shawn Hewitt, former chef of Bar Bacon in Hell’s Kitchen running the kitchen, serving a menu of steaks, chops, and seafood.

In closings

Margot Patisserie has closed on the Upper West Side (2585 Broadway) and The Drink is also closing in Williamsburg.

For today, here are some “little hugs” from Dana Confections: