A New Menu to Support a Chinatown Business Affected by the Mega Jail

Grace Young, a Chinatown historian, cookbook author, and activist, has put together a special menu at the neighborhood’s oldest Vietnamese spot, Pasteur Grill & Noodles, to bring awareness to how the Chinatown mega jail is “swallowing” local businesses. The “A Seat at the Table” prix-fixe menu — priced at $44 per person with all proceeds going back to the restaurant — launched last week and is offered Wednesdays through Fridays; reservations must be made 24 hours in advance via phone, a minimum of two per party. The offering will continue as long as the rebuilding of the Manhattan Detention complexes “continues to threaten the community and its local mom and pops,” according to a spokesperson. In addition to its regular cadence, there will also be two dinners planned for November 16 and December 1 where Young will be present alongside community leaders from Neighbors United Below Canal and Welcome to Chinatown. Pasteur Grill & Noodles is located at 85 Baxter Street, directly across from the Manhattan Detention Center, currently under construction: “After the compounded effects of 9/11, the pandemic, AAPI hate, and now the mega jail, these businesses need our support to ensure that the Chinatown we know and love survives and thrives,” said Young in a release.

A new bagel shop is coming to Sunnyside

The forthcoming Curley’s Bagels comes from Mark Curley and Bridget Kane, who worked in film and television and decided to take a chance on a bagel shop, during the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Their breakfast spot is set to open in February 2024, at 43-04 47th Avenue. For the launch of Curley’s Bagels, they’ve teamed up with Anne Muldoon and Killian Hunt, behind the Lowery Bar & Kitchen, also in Sunnyside.

Lil’ Deb’s Oasis makes its bagel pop-up permanent

In other bagel news, Circles, which ran as a weekend pop-up at the Hudson, New York, James Beard-nominated restaurant Lil’ Deb’s is making the offering permanent. Using a Circles will offer bagels — using levain entirely made from rye — such as a version with cream cheese, tomatoes, red onion, and dill; bacon, egg, and cheese; peanut butter and jelly; with specials that have included a version of grilled corn cream cheese with chile or one with black sesame. Find Circles bagels on Sundays, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lavish RH Guesthouse adds a caviar lounge

Champagne & Caviar Bar at RH Guesthouse New York opens next week. The 32-seat lounge is located on the cellar level of the Meatpacking District restaurant. It’s owned by the interior design company and lifestyle brand formerly known as Restoration Hardware — the same brand that also offers private jets for its very fancy customers.