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Antony Nassif, a chef known for his Smorgasburg shawarma stand, has a new fast-casual restaurant in the East Village. Hen House, a counter-service spot at 120 First Avenue, at East Seventh Street in the East Village, is now open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. with dine-in, an expanded menu, and extended hours coming in December. The restaurant serves several types of Lebanese shawarma, with influence from Montreal. The late-night menu will eventually include loaded-up shawarma poutine, Lebanese crunchwraps, and a piri piri sourdough fried chicken sandwich. Nassif moved to New York from Montreal to work at Mile End Deli and was later an executive chef of the Spotted Pig, before the restaurant’s unceremonious closing. Before launching at Smorgasburg, Nassif hosted pop-ups at the Clinton Hill bar, the Holler. He also operates a satellite food stand at Barclays Center. — Emma Orlow, reporter
A Montauk dive bar shows up in Manhattan
Montauk’s popular bar the Memory Motel set up shop in the East Village late last month. The bar will be open, as a seasonal pop-up, from Thursday to Monday until the end of the year. The building at 103 Third Avenue, and East 13th Street, has been modeled after the original in Montauk, a rowdy dive bar that inspired the Rolling Stones song “Memory Hotel.” The pop-up is open from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., Monday, Thursday, and Friday, and from 12 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
A takeout spot with Korean Vietnamese wraps
Gary Hur, a first-time restaurant operator and longtime accountant, is serving Korean Vietnamese rice paper wraps at his business, the Ssam. The takeout and delivery restaurant operates in a shared commercial kitchen at 307 W. 38th Street, near Eighth Avenue, in Midtown. The full menu is online. — Emma Orlow, reporter
Superiority Burger now has brunch
Superiority Burger is now open for brunch on weekends. The East Village vegetarian restaurant kicked off service last Saturday with a separate menu that has waffles, grits, hash browns, and bloody marys. Brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.
