Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Most openings/closings news in the neighborhood has been coming in the form of openings lately… perhaps the economy is starting to pick up after all.  West Side Independent reports on the opening of Ditch Plains, the seafood joint run by chef/owner Marc Murphy (who also owns the Time Warner Center’s Landmarc) with a location in the West Village.  The restaurant is expanding to a second location at 82nd and Columbus, in the former Bar Bao location.  Another opening in a now-closed spot is the healthy food joint Energy Kitchen.  The quickly-expanding restaurant is opening a location in the old Natural Food Market on 72nd between Amsterdam and Columbus.

Although Ollie’s Noodle Shop has received attention in the past couple of years for its financial woes, that hasn’t stopped it from trying to keep a presence in the neighborhood.  After closing its location on 84th and Broadway last September and filing for bankruptcy in March, several tipsters report that the restaurant will open a take-out-only location, Ollie’s To Go, in the former Haku Sushi spot on Broadway between 88th and 89th.

In real estate news, the soaring glass building containing luxury apartments at 67th and Amsterdam, AIRE, has opened its leasing office.  The rental homes, which include amenities like a garden with reflecting pool, an event deck with a catering pavilion, and top-of-the line finishes and breathtaking views in each unit, run from $3,795 and up for a one-bedroom.

Finally, the still-unnamed restaurant under the undulating rooftop lawn on Lincoln Center’s campus (near 65th between Broadway and Amsterdam) is getting closer to opening.  The restaurant, which will be headed up by Per Se’s current Chef de Cuisine Jonathan Benno, has applied for a liquor license through Community Board 7.

Did you spot an opening or closing in the neighborhood recently?  Tell us… send as much information as possible to “alerts [at] myupperwest.com,” and we might post it!

Filed under: Food & Drink, News, Upper West Side, Upper West Side Blog 1 Comment »
Tags: AIRE, Bar Bao, Ditch Plains, Energy Kitchen, Haku Sushi, Marc Murphy, Natural Food Market, Ollie's To Go, Openings/Closings