After 15 Years, Soy Closes on the LES This Weekend — and More Intel

— After 15 years on the Lower East Side, Soy (102 Suffolk Street) is closing on Saturday, April 30. The owner Etsuko Kizawa announced on Facebook the business is relocating upstate. The owner told Bowery Boogie, “I feel the Lower East Side (also the whole NYC) has become too much about façade, money and lifestyle and a small business like me is not as appreciated as it used to. I was so ready to leave.”

— Mile End Delicatessen is closing its Midtown location at Urbanspace Vanderbilt (230 Park Avenue), also on Saturday. Mile End will maintain its Boerum Hill spot at 79 Hoyt St. and the Manhattan location at 53 Bond St. No word yet on what vendor will take over the space.

— On Tasting Table, Devra Ferst writes a piece on rise of Filipino fare, with a look at LA-based Alvin Cailan of Eggslut, who has an a.m. residency at the newly-opened Chefs Club Counter. This summer, Cailan will be hosting a New York pop-up called Amboy at sibling Chefs Club at 275 Mulberry.

— In menu change-ups, Quality Eats (19 Greenwich Ave.) is launching three days of brunch starting tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with eggs all ways, monkey bread, and an array of salads on the menu. And Mimi Cheng’s launches a collaboration with Daniel Humm with a dumpling inspired by the roast chicken for two at The NoMad — stuffed with brioche, black truffle, and foie gras. The truffle foie gras soup dumplings are available starting Monday for dine-in only and cost $13.75 for six.

— Last week we brought you discussion on why desserts in New York are better than ever. This week the Times rolls out its “On Desserts” column, with Dorie Greenspan writing on the language of baking through a piece on buttermilk biscuit shortcakes.

— Speaking of dessert, check out Eater’s top five cakes:

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Serafina will be opening at 2735 Broadway between West 104th and West 105th Streets in Manhattan Valley, the neighborhood north of the Upper West Side, Commercial Observer has learned.

Today the Northern Italian restaurant chain signed a 15-year lease for 4,200 square feet—2,200 square feet of it on the ground floor and the remainder below grade for storage and prep work, according to Jarrett Sharp of Murro Realty, who represented Serafina in the deal. Serafina will also have outdoor dining for 35.