Biscuits and beer are here. What more do you need?
Big-Bottom Biscuit Bar has opened a special coffee and biscuit window inside Osteria Cotta at 513 Columbus Avenue (85th street), serving their famed biscuits with various toppings. “Initially we are open from Wed-Fri from 7 until 2 and Sat-Sun from 8-11 and will be serving up the famous biscuits from the big bottom market in Guerneville CA,” says a rep for the shop. “The menu is simple and focused on the biscuit. The hero is the Sea Biscuit – smoked salmon, Creme Fraiche, pickled onions and capers – or what we are calling our challenge to bagels and lox. We have some sweet and savory versions as well as drip coffee and cold brew in partnership with Stumptown Coffee.” For $5 you can get a biscuit with butter and jam and a cup of drip coffee on weekdays.
Communal on 72nd street between Columbus and Broadway, closed this week. It had been around for three years, replacing Rigoletto, and is part of the same restaurant group as Cafe Frida, Ella and El Mitote. Thanks to Sue for the photo.
Gebhard’s Beer Culture, famous for its massive beer list, is set to open next week at 228 72nd street on the South side of 72nd street between West End and Broadway. “The new location will feature dart boards, an enclosed ‘beer lounge’, table hockey and pool table in the upstairs area,” Marjorie from NY Restaurant Blog tells us. “It will also have an enclosed outdoor space watch the shoppers on their way to and from the Bloomingdale’s Outlet store and Trader Joe’s.” Andrea snapped a photo of the menu that you can see here. We wrote more about it here. Thanks to Andrea for the tip.
Tara Hill Tavern on 108th street and Broadway is closing on July 1. The Columbia Spectator reports that the spot has been a bar since the 1930’s and was a favorite of the late George Carlin.
Cannon’s Pub had closed in 2004 after 70 years in business due to an ownership change and returned a few months later as O’Connell’s. The pub was remodeled in 2013 and officially reopened as Tara Hill Irish Tavern, but has continued to be known as Cannon’s among Columbia students.
The UPS store on Broadway between 97th and 98th street has closed, India tells us.
Tenzan at 285 Columbus Avenue (73rd-74th) was shuttered by the health department. Among the violations: evidence of roaches, mice and flies. Thanks to Morgan and Craig for the tips.
Mitchell’s Liquors on 86th street is closing for three weeks for renovations. They took down their awesome neon sign, and it’s not clear if it’s coming back. Jeremiah Moss from Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY blog says it’s gone for good. “The owners have decided to remove it and replace it with something new. Perhaps a lovely sheet of plastic?” Say it ain’t so!
Thanks to everyone who sent in tips. We got so many that we’ll be posting another openings and closings posts shortly. If we forgot to thank you, it was just a dumb oversight, so please let us know. Send tips to westsiderag at gmail.
I never went back to Communal after seeing its contradictory marching order, “No negative thoughts allowed.” Why not “Positive thoughts please” ?
I hope Mitchell’s neon sign isn’t gone for good!I loved the old school look of it.
Re: “For $5 you can get a biscuit with butter and jam and a cup of drip coffee.”
Maybe THAT’s why it’s called “Big-Bottom Biscuit Bar”, ’cause anyone who keeps eating fattening biscuits with butter AND jam is sure to develop QUITE a BIG BOTTOM…as well as big other anatomical attributes!
See the latest stats claiming 40% of U.S. females and 35% of U.S. males are OBESE ! Or just go down to Times Square and watch the tourists!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0
that jackson hole hamburger pictured in the article on their closing will give you a big bottom and a whole lot more!
ScooterStan, you have no compassion for us skinny people. We’ve got to have a tasty way to put on the weight our doctors are always nagging us about. Big Bottom Biscuits sounds like a lovely way to gain a pound or two. The rest of you can eat in moderation and you won’t get obese. Enjoy life Scooter, don’t be such a killjoy!
I, too, have an underweight problem, but I don’t want to risk diabetes by eating sweets. I favor nuts and other good fats.
Try a banana dipped in a dollop of peanut butter (and maybe a glass of warm milk on the side) — delicious. 1/2 an avocado spread on a na’an — superb. (The Whole Foods 365 white-flour na’ans, are out of this world — and fattening.) You can put a little salad dressing on the avocado if you want (made with extra-virgin olive oil, of course).
I limit my fats to these because pancreas cancer runs in my family –- and (I read somewhere) that the only fats that don’t impact the risk are those from certain seeds.
Otherwise, I eat in moderation.
Us small-bottomed non-tourists don’t bother eating meals, except the occasional kale leaf with lemon water sprinkled with sand (to trick the belly)…
Correction to WSR: Cheapest combo is $7 ($4 biscuit, $3 small coffee). Still pretty tasty!
Must you ALWAYS be such a jerk on this site? You are part of the reason they closed down comments for a while. Grow up!
Re: “You are part of the reason they closed down comments for a while.”
NO, the REAL reason comments were shuttered was people like YOU attacking commenters for having opinions with which they disagreed.
But in this Facebook-era, when everyone MUST “like” everything, we can expect that any dissenting opinion will seem anti-social to members of the herd.
B.W. – isn’t the answer evident. Why yes, yes he does!
But toddler behavior is fed by attention. Just ignore it.
Aww, shoot, I saw the Liquor sign still up and didn’t catch that the front of the store’s was gone. :'(
I was just admiring that neon sign the other day, thinking how nice it was that it still existed. How sad if it doesn’t come back!
That’s really a bummer about the neon sign at Mitchell’s. FWIW, Beacon Wine at 74th & Broadway also took down its neon sign like a year ago (supposedly it broke) and replaced it with a plastic one, although the original was much less striking than the one at Mitchell’s.
Gebhard’s @ 228 West 72nd St. will be on the SOUTH side of 72nd St. (Even-numbered addresses on the south side, odd-numbered addresses on the north.)
Thanks, fixed.
A biscuit bar sounds heavenly. I cannot wait to try it!
How I miss Rigoletto’s Pizza .
Looks like D’agostino on Col & 91st will be closing,was in there today lots of shelves are empty. Saw a story in Post that they are trying to sell stores http://nypost.com/2016/06/05/citys-last-original-grocer-quietly-shopping-manhattan-stores/
Shelves in that D’Ags have become progressively more empty over the last couple of weeks. I read in another article that vendors were requiring prepayment for deliveries because of D’Ags’ poor credit. Disappointing to see the neighborhood lose a business and to see people losing their jobs, but I have been surprised to see D’Ags hang on this long. It has become like a big convenience store, with limited, inconsistent selection, uncompetitive pricing, high employee turnover, poor service and sketchy hygiene. The new Trader Joe’s rumored to be opening on Columbus/92nd would have been lethal competition, even for a healthier D’Ags.
So many vacant spaces up and down Columbus, and staying vacant for years. That kind of instability is not good for the ‘hood. How do landlords hold on to non-producing prime real estate for years at a time?
I saw the owner of Mitchell’s sitting outside when the sign was coming down and I asked him if the sign was coming back and he said yes. If you look at the facade that it was hanging on, it probably was dangerous and had to be replaced. Let’s hope he meant it when he said the sign was coming back.
Anyone here interested in Gebhard’s? I never went in when it was Mike’s Bistro and it’s been empty for a couple of years, so I’m just curious.
After patronizing Mitchell’s for many years, I was treated very rudely there a couple of weeks ago. It’s off my list now, so they can take their sign and do whatever with it.
I’m still missing the great sign on Shankman’s dry cleaners on the 87th street side. There’s a great print ad for Law & Order that features the sign above Orbach and Noth chasing some off-camera miscreant down Amsterdam.
OMG!! I am so totally bummed about Tenzen. When to a meeting there and they served Sushi.
Guess I should consider myself lucky I only ate the veggie Sushi. But live roaches. Gross.
If this place is serving raw fish, i.e., Sushi, it should be held to an even higher standard than your average restaurant.
Curious I thought this place had a good rating with the Board of Health?
Re: “If this place is serving raw fish, i.e., Sushi, it should be held to an even higher standard ….”
Mais Oui (but of course) for their motto is:
“If you knew Sushi / as we know Sushi / Oh, Oh, wit’ such a dish you just can’t miss”
(With apologies to Asa Yoelson (Al Jolson), for whom “If You Knew Susie” was first written AND to Edward Israel Itzkowitz (Eddie Cantor) who popularized it…and to Wikipedia for all the great info!)
For next time: Wikipedia info isn’t really Commenting.
Re: “Wikipedia info isn’t really Commenting.”
NO, but it’s ESSENTIAL for FACT-CHECKING, something absolutely necessary to avoid being attacked by the Trolls who live to pick apart another’s post.
If the shoe fits………………….
Once again, you have lost me. What are you Commenting about?