Openings & Closings: The Calaveras, Pasta Franco, The New Bustan, West Side Cafe
The Calaveras is opening at 949 Columbus Avenue, the former home of Fat Monk located between 106th and 107th Streets. The website says it will serve “modern Mexican food” and its Facebook page says it will open “in just a few weeks.” The menu includes unique dishes like steamed salmon cooked in a bamboo steamer, along with more familiar selections like tacos and enchiladas. Thanks to Tanya and Evan for the tip.
Pasta Franco is a new Northern Italian restaurant opening at 508 Columbus Avenue between 84th and 85th Streets. Details about the new spot are slim so far, but one job listing for a server says it will offer “the captivating food and wines of Tuscany.” Servers “must have working knowledge of chianti, bistec a florentine and various prosciuttos. Should be able to handle large sections while maintaining service and rounding out guest’s experience by offering our salumi, pasta and customs steaks.”
Mediterranean restaurant Bustan has reopened at 487 Amsterdam Avenue, near 84th Street. A release from a rep said that the had closed in December because of “a devastating fire.” There’s a new executive chef named Eli Buliskeria. The new menu has “a melding of Mediterranean and Israeli dishes all designed to be shared and passed, inspiring a family-style dining. While there are several new dishes, almost everything is still done in their custom hand-built wood-fired brick taboon, a Middle Eastern oven that has a 360-degree rotating base.” For now they’re just serving diner but brunch will also be launching soon.
West Side Cafe & Pizza at 218 West 72nd Street has closed. That place had it all, from smoothies and coffee to breakfast sandwiches, pizza, salads and gyros.
Really enjoy the opening and closing coverage – any word of what’s going on with the Jack’s Stir Brew on Amsterdam and 77th? Seems like no movement in a year!
West Side Cafe was the only delivery place in the hood that had anywhere near to reasonable prices. I guess I have to readjust my reasonable-ness meter upwards again.
Their pizza was surprisingly good too
Jacob M, that ‘promised’ Jack’s Stir Brewery is on Columbus near 77th (next door to Cafe Frida), and I too have wondered if it’s ever going to open. If it does, that should bring the average number of coffee spots on Columbus and Amsterdam to almost 1 per block, 🙂
Any word on the proposed mexican restaurant from Julian Medina on 67th and Amsterdam? That has also been idle for at least 6 months.
Sad to see West Side Cafe close.
So disappointing! They were the only place in the neighborhood that would make us cheese-free pizza (best sauce ever). 🙁
Petland Discounts at 2708 Broadway has closed, as all the stores across New York are closing by April 18, 2019