Noise Has Turned NYC Dining Into an ‘Ear-Splitting Hell,’ Critic Says

Steve Cuozzo complains about noisy restaurants

The Post’s critic Steve Cuozzo goes in on “the ear-splitting hell of New York dining” in his latest, a diatribe against the city’s noisiest restaurants. Cote and Quality Eats are among the loud restaurants called out, and Cuozzo argues that this is a problem that young people care about, too. He tries out the crowd-sourced noise app SoundPrint, which allows users to measure the decibel levels at restaurants and enter them in a database. About 3,000 NYC restaurants are in that database, though Cuozzo writes that it’s “spotty when it came to forecasting how noisy a restaurant might be.” But some of the data on the app tracks, like the fact that downtown is the loudest place to eat in Manhattan and that LES restaurants have a very high average sound level at 81 decibels. Comparatively, the UWS is the quietest eating zone, coming in at an average of 73 decibels.

Essex Street Market to add two LES-based sweet shops

More vendors have been announced for the upcoming Essex Street Market food hall. LES’s Roni-Sue’s Chocolates, a handmade sweets shop making butter crunch toffee, caramel popcorn, and chocolate truffles, heads to the market this fall. Also bringing sweets to the market, LES-based cupcake shop Sugar Sweet Sunshine will sell cakes, cupcakes, cookies, puddings, and pies.

Bergdorf Goodman revamps its downstairs cafe

Department store Bergdorf Goodman has souped up its cafe with tons of color and sparkle — an attempt to “appeal to a younger customer in the Instagram age.” The new version of the 50-seat restaurant has decor from New Orleans artist Ashley Longshore, including a bright portrait of Frida Khalo and a sign that says “There’s no crying at Bergdorf Goodman.” Food includes a fried bologna sandwich, a crab cake Benedict, and a confetti sundae.

A spotlight on one of NYC’s highly successful restaurateurs

A Times profile of Maguy Le Coze looks at the iconic restaurateur’s legacy as a powerful behind-the-scenes force. Working in restaurants for 60 years, Le Coze co-owns Le Bernardin with her brother, but despite her success, she isn’t a household name. Eric Ripert, the chef and other owner of Le Bernardin calls her “the most underrated, ultrasuccessful woman in the restaurant world.” Dirt Candy’s Amanda Cohen notes that “so many of the people who do the hard work behind the scenes are women.” With her leadership, Le Bernardin remains one of the city’s few three Michelin-starred restaurants.

Closings and openings

On the UWS, new Kosher restaurant Milk & Honey closed mere days after opening. Canteen 82 on the UWS recently closed for renovations. Down in East Village, the owner of Tokuyama Salon at 627 E. Sixth St. has acquired the cafe next door, opening it as Tokuyama Salon Cafe. The cafe sells coffee and espresso drinks along with typical coffee shop pastry fare like croissants, muffins, and scones.