Tasca, a Spanish and Latin-Caribbean restaurant, plans to open on Thursday at 505 Columbus Avenue at 84th Street, the former home of Kefi. That space has two levels and it’s large enough to seat 65 inside at a 25% capacity. It also has seats for 30 outside. The menu has both Spanish and Latin American flavors: “cassava-crusted scallop paired with 25-year-old Spanish sherry vinaigrette; sancochito, a Caribbean vegetable, saffron and seafood soup; duck magret over a tower of sofrito goat cheese and sweet plantains; and paella for two.” Tasca (Spanish for Tavern) has the same owners as Upper East Side restaurant Don Pedro’s. Check out the menu here, courtesy of Debi.
Japanese restaurant Shinbashi 72 has opened at 218 West 72nd Street between Broadway and West End. It’s got noodle and rice dishes, including several curry rices. The menu is posted on Yelp here.
The 7-Eleven at 2567 Broadway between 96th and 97th Streets has closed, according to Nina, who lives nearby.
A new bar called The Upside has opened at 588 Amsterdam Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets. It’s got seating outside, and people can sit there and watch the TVs inside the bar. It’s got a unique beer list that you can see here.
This Friday, Columbia University Irving Medical Center will hold a grand opening for a brand new primary care practice at 2702 Broadway (at 103rd Street). The office will offer checkups, screenings, vaccinations, COVID-testing, and referrals to Columbia specialists. “Columbia Primary Care’s team of family physicians, internal medicine specialists, and pediatricians will offer same-day appointments, in-person or via telehealth.” Watch the live-streamed ribbon-cutting at 1 p.m. Friday here.
not safe
Paella and tapas al fresco sounds divine.
The old Firehouse (Columbus and 85th) is undergoing yet another (their 4th or 5th??) renovation/transformation. Crossing fingers that they are resurrecting the beloved Firehouse at last.
Like Amsterdam Avenue doesn’t have enough bars….
It’s a small, understated spot. Be glad something is actually opening.
whats opening at 2350 broadway where cafe 86 is? I saw some work being done there
I passed by the Upside yesterday. When did it open, and what does it replace? The Dominican restaurant?
Place was COVID-crowded. Looked good
I was constantly seeing people go in the 7 eleven without masks. I’m sure they were a great convenience for people, but at what cost. And the poor employees.
Couldn’t keep that comment in your pants, I see.
Went to the Upside last week. It is a very nice addition to the neighborhood. A much calmer bar than the “party” bars like Gin Mill.
Do they serve food as required by law? I don’t see a menu anywhere 🙁
you have a typo on the Japanese restaurant. It is Shinbashi not Shinbasi
Thank you. Fixed.
So relevant and such a scoop. Have you nothing better to do, Bill?
That area around 96th continues to be a ghost town. 7-11 was a good option to pop in for something quick. Sorry to see them go.
$68 for paella for two; I can see the rush to go there!
effy’s on 96th just reopened, too!! the best news i’ve received in weeks.
Not a good time to open any place. Things are being shut down AGAIN. Terrible times.
I’m curious if in time Tasca will embrace a bit more from the Spanish Caribbean — I was hoping the menu would include their takes on dishes like mofongo and lechon, for instance. But I think the blend of Spain and the Spanish Caribbean is fascinating for what it is. This area has needed a good Spanish restaurant anyway, and I love all the Caribbean touches. Paella and cocktails with some sides of yuca and tostones sounds fantastic.
That 7-11 on Bdwy 96th/97th had some crazy eyed lunatics hanging around all the time. Won;t miss it .. How about a Wawa for a replacement ? A gal can dream
Boy, I used to spend some quality time in that 7-11. It was too narrow, so you were constantly awkwardly edging past people waiting in line at the cashier. You think of those kinds of stores as being more or less immune to changes in economic conditions, but of course they’re not. The loss of the traffic flow from the 1/2/3 stop right there must have been brutal for them.
“…The UPSIDE … has seating OUTSIDE,… sit there and watch the TVs INSIDE ….”
Guess there’s no DOWNSIDE?
Does anyone know what is happening to Cafe Lalo? Has it closed done completely?
Or Saiguette? Or Kefi?
West side rag, please follow up on saiguette. Give us the news we need to know!
Hopefully the city and state wisens up and doesn’t roll back due to this uptick. They knew once winter rolled around and things opened up, this would happen. This was never supposed to be a shutdown until a vaccine was available. Just make the surge manageable so hospitals don’t get overrun. At 1700 statewide hospitalizations, we are no where near the number that would cause a lockdown. The impact on businesses would be too great a second time when they got virtually no help the first time either.
Per Yelp, Don Pedro’s East Side Restaurant is no longer open.