Momofuku Milk Bar, a savory snack and dessert spot, opened this morning on 87th Street and Columbus Avenue. The opening has gotten a ton of press (or free publicity) and we acknowledge our coverage has been a little over the top. But here’s why I think people are going a little nuts over a small restaurant that sells pie and pork buns: Upper West Siders like our neighborhood restaurants, but people still feel like they have to leave the neighborhood to try new kinds of food. With rents in the ‘hood so high, it’s hard for an inventive new restaurant run by an unproven chef to open here, so our best bet to get new kinds of food is to have a proven chef come to the neighborhood. Christina Tosi, who will run the Milk Bar, and David Chang, who runs the Momofuku chains, don’t have to worry about their financing drying up. If you feel differently, let us know in the comments.
If you do one thing outside this weekend…
Pick an outdoor event on Saturday, because there’s a 70% chance of rain on Sunday. How about a tour of Seneca Village, a historic African-American village that was displaced to make room for Central Park? That tour starts at noon just outside the Diana Ross Playground, which is inside the Park at 85th Street and Central Park West, and it’s free.
If you do one thing inside this weekend…
Check out Shakespeare’s Gospel Parodies at West-Park Presbyterian Church on 86th and Amsterdam at 4 p.m. on Sunday. The audience gets to walk around the historic church as they follow the story. It’s the show’s last performance and it’s free.
For more great local events, check out our weekly calendar. And the HBO show Boardwalk Empire will be handing out FREE metrocards outside of the Times Square and 72nd Street subway stations. The show debuts this Sunday.
If you’re traveling…
Check traffic info at traffic.com for delays. As for the subway, the MTA has a map detailing all of the weekend changes, but it looks like there are no service interruptions on the Upper West Side.
