East Village Shots Bar Bans Guests from Saying ‘Literally’

East Village bar bans the word “literally”

The grimy East Village dive bar Continental apparently wants to keep up its esteemed reputation, issuing a new decree that the word “literally” has been banned within its hallowed halls. A sign posted on the door declares that if anyone says the word “literally,” they have five minutes to finish their drink and then must leave, which is actually pretty generous considering the bar’s flagship drink is shots. Starting a sentence with “I literally” leads to an automatic expulsion. “STOP KARDASHIANISM NOW!” the sign screams at the end. Owner Trigger Smith tells Grub Street the policy is tongue-in-cheek and laughed off accusations of sexism, adding that he’s a feminist who “is 100 percent behind this whole ‘Me Too’ thing.” Continental is set to literally close this year.

Bareburger might expand to Hell Square

Bowery Boogie reports that burger chain Bareburger is slated on the Community Board 3 docket for February, applying for a full on-premise liquor license at 173 Orchard Street in LES’ Hell Square. Bareburger has grown far beyond its roots in Queens, its emphasis on organic, natural, sustainable ingredients appealing to environmentally conscious burger lovers. In addition to an elk burger and a duck burger, the chain offers a vegan burger made with a plant-based patty and coconut oil. The space in Hell Square formerly housed Nicaraguan restaurant A Casa Fox, which closed in July 2017 after nine years in the neighborhood. If approved, the new location would be the first Bareburger located in LES proper, but there’s one nearby on Second Avenue and E 5th St.

Bowery gets an early taste of Taco Bell’s new nacho fries

Taco Bell opened a pop-up yesterday in the space that used to hold the Michelin-starred Rebelle. Designed to look like a movie premiere, the pop-up is promoting the brand’s new nacho fries. The pop-up is open through today, and the fries will be available in Taco Bell locations starting today. The fries are seasoned and served with a side of nacho cheese. They cost $1 but are also available in “supreme” and “bell grande” iterations for an upcharge. The pop-up is open from noon to 4 p.m. today and again from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and reservations are available on OpenTable.

East Village gets a new bar/lounge with pan-Latin influence

Boticarios is now open at 58 E. First St., between First and Second avenues, EV Grieve reports. September’s SLA committee meeting described the new restaurant as “pan-Latin.” The menu includes appetizers like cachaça-cured fluke with passion fruit foam and tapioca; queso fundido with black beans, peepers, onion, and chorizo; and huarache. Main courses include red snapper with nopales, poblano peppers, and green chipotle salsa; grilled skirt steak with chilaquiles, shishito peppers, charred onion, and refried beans; and smoky aguachile de mole seafood.

Some of New York’s top pastry chefs started in architecture

A feature in the New York Times spotlights pastry chefs who have studied or practiced architecture, bringing a whole new level in the form of structural complexity to their pastry-making. These architect-pastry-chefs include Ron Paprocki at Gotham Bar and Grill in West Village. Pastry chef and former architect Jennifer Yee works at C. Ellet’s in Atlanta, but before she landed there, she was the pastry chef at Lafayette in NYC from 2013 to 2016, where she brought spontaneity and approachability to her signature éclairs. Jansen Chan, the current director of pastry at the International Culinary Center in New York and the Bay Area — which produced Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi and Melissa Weller of Sadelle’s bakery in SoHo — is also a former architect, and the program now has strong architectural influences.

Watch a pastry chef in action