By Lisa Kava and Sara Lewin Lebwohl
Chalait, the matcha shop and cafe at 461 Amsterdam Avenue (at West 82nd Street), is closing on Friday, November 28th at 12 p.m. but will maintain a web presence, a representative confirmed to West Side Rag. The cafe serves a variety of freshly prepared matcha (a Japanese green tea), such as matcha americano, matcha cappuccino, matcha latte, and matcha hot chocolate. The menu also includes cold matcha drinks, including matcha iced tea, and matcha Arnold Palmer, as well as regular coffee and tea, sandwiches, grain bowls, and all-day breakfast. While the physical cafe will close, the website will remain active and customers will be able to order Chalait-brand matcha and matchaware (whisks, bowls, flasks), online. Chalait opened the Upper West Side cafe in August 2018. (Thanks to Nicole for the tip.)
Polanco Social, a Mexican kosher restaurant, opened on November 13th at 476 Columbus Avenue (at West 83rd Street). It is under the same ownership as Thyme & Tonic, which had rebranded as Prime Thyme Kitchen & Bar, and was previously in the space. Prime Thyme closed in October, and at that time, the manager told West Side Rag that the owners were brainstorming to come up with a new concept to serve the community. “That concept became Polanco Social,” he said. “We had a Mexican menu in mind when making the change.” Polanco Social is meant to be a “vibrant fusion of Jewish and Mexican culinary traditions.” The menu features a raw bar with menu items such as tuna tostadas and fluke ceviche, along with taco dishes, enchiladas, chicken schnitzel, and a pastrami sandwich. The restaurant is open six nights a week for dinner (closed on Fridays for shabbat). It also is open for brunch on Sundays. (Thanks to Laura for the tip.)
Skipper’s, a holiday popup gift shop, opened on November 22nd at 2876 Broadway (between West 111th and West 112th streets). Owned by longtime West Harlem resident Claire Manship, Skippers sells candles, puzzles, toys, books, greeting cards, arts and crafts, and more. They also sell local goods such as Harissa Hot Honey from Washington Heights, and Boss Dotty Paper Company greeting cards from Williamsburg. “We feature unique and fun finds for everyone you love,” Manship told West Side Rag. The median price for everything in the shop is $12. “I work really hard to source gifts that speak to New Yorkers who want to treat themselves without budget guilt,” Manship said. Skippers will be open through January 4th, but Manship is hopeful that this will be a “starter” location, and that she will eventually find it a permanent home. “I wanted to build something for our community that brings positivity, features local vendors, and gives back to the city that I love so much,” she told the Rag. The Shoe Tree which closed in May was previously in the space. (Thanks to Chris for the tip.)
Dough Doughnuts, a shop that sells handmade artisanal doughnuts, is expected to open in early December at 133 West 72nd Street (between Columbus Avenue and Broadway). Dough Doughnuts was founded in 2010 in the Bed-Stuy section of Brooklyn. “We make fresh, elevated doughnuts,” Steven Klein, one of the owners, told West Side Rag on a phone call. “We are not Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts. Our doughnuts are handmade and we make them in small batches throughout the day at our Flatiron location,” Klein said. The doughnuts are considered “brioche doughnuts,” which means they are made of yeast rather than cake based, he explained. “Yeast doughnuts are light and fluffy.” Year-round flavors include glazed vanilla, chocolate cocoa, lemon poppy seed, blueberry lemon and more. Seasonal flavors include cheesecake, white chocolate raspberry, apple, and pecan pie among others. This will be the seventh NYC location for the doughnut chain; others are in Flatiron, Rockefeller Center, the Upper East Side, Astoria and Prospect Heights, as well as Smorgasburg, the Brooklyn outdoor market. Tanya Luxury Boutique which closed in April was previously in the space. (Thanks to Eduardo for the tip.)
Gelme, a nail salon specializing in Russian manicures, opened on November 6th at 211 West 71st Street (between Broadway and West End Avenue). Gelme has another location on the Upper East Side and previously had a location in Midtown. Services include hard gel manicures, nail extensions, and design add-ons such as chrome, cat eye, and custom art. The shop also offers brow services. Another nail salon, Greenwich Nail Spa, was previously in the space.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to say we are grateful for all of our tipsters and for our loyal readers. Please keep the tips coming, we couldn’t do this column without all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Funny how New Yorkers complain about the City’s affordability crisis, yet we’ve got artisanal doughnut shops opening up!
It’s not an either/or.
No one is saying “my already expensive doughnut is now more expensive and that’s making NYC unaffordable”.
Funny how the comments section on WestSide Rag is so often chock full of nutty conservatives moaning and moaning away! Donut or doughnut?
there’s a lot of people here. some can afford fancy donuts.
That comment makes no sense. What does one have to do with the other?
Ironically, the liberals complaining about NYC’s affordability crisis are the ones who feel they are entitled to artisanal doughnuts.
Okay Otis. Lets see your data behind this claim. We’ll wait.
Otis,
How does that work if say you’re a liberal living on a limited budget, who points out that prices of life’s basics (not artisanal doughnuts) have gone up?
You’ve painted with, to say the least, a broad brush, or , using modern painting technology, a powered paint sprayer, and you’ve not cut in the molding.
No one feels entitled to doughnuts, get a grip. This is simply a business opening
Very unhappy Chalait will be closing! They were wonderful, delicious and friendly. A go-to place. It was an addition to the UWS. I wish them luck.
I like everything about it except the prices…. Maybe that’s why?
Big bummer indeed. They always seemed busy too.
‘’Handmade artisanal donuts” They left out bespoke.
Cage free
flashbacks to Sean Connery on SNL Jeopardy.
bespoke is custom by a different name.
Dough doughnuts are really fluffy and good, we don’t have a single non-Dunkin (and non-mochi) donut shop in the neighborhood, and haven’t for years, and while a $5-6 dollar doughnut isn’t exactly cheap for what it is, it’s almost half the price of the $8/scoop gelato/ice cream shops that we are suddenly overrun with. This is nice!
Daily Provisions has ridiculously good crullers at the “bargain” price of about $5. Orwashers has pretty good sufganiyot. I personally haven’t found myself feeling too deprived — but the more the merrier!
They also left out “curated.” Buzzwords FTW!
Chalait’s closing will be a tremendous loss for the neighborhood. I wish it wasn’t true!
Like PopUp Bagels, one more overpriced place on the itinerary for the “hip” young trust funders to wait in line. But, good to have occupied storefronts & wishing them long term success. Like many areas, this is the transitioned UWS. No going back.
Funny but I don’t seem to know anyone on the UWS living off a trust fund..
I am shocked that Chalait is closing. It was always busy and had the best matcha in the neighborhood. That’s such a loss
Chalait refused to take cash long after the city passed a law mandating that businesses accept all forms of payment. Not sad one bit
We’re so grateful for you too, especially for the very comprehensive event listings!
I believe years and years ago there was a Krispy Kreme on 72nd. Pretty sure that one closed when Krispy Kreme overexapanded everywhere.. But the Krispy Kreme on 96th barely lasted what 3 or 4 years. And they are considered luxury compared to Dunkin Dobuts. Donuts. I have serious reservations about a bespoke donut place making it on 72nd
Maybe they are better than Dunkin Donuts or Krispy Kreme?
” Russian Manicure ” – I think this might be a new trend. I’ve seen other nail spas recently rebranded with this moniker.. We moved from French to Korean and now to Russian..
Interesting trend. Nail spas jobs are low productivity. Perhaps as France and Korea have become richer countries, Russia has developed a comparative advantage in nail salons workers
Russian here. In Russia a nail salon will take many hours, it’s definitely not high productivity. But the quality is much better.
Not just doughnuts, elevated donuts. So tired of corporate jargon. That said, it will be nice to have a replacement for the Krispy Kreme that used to be on the block, and will provide a service to those shopping at the weed store a few doors down.
UGH. You can get high and get fat on the same block. “Weed Shops” are a curse. Doughnuts are not.
Some places aspire to something better than the mass-produced standards. I wish Dough well and hope they find an appreciative audience.
Now that I’m Donut? (the question mark is part of the name), a Japanese purveyor of fancy yeast doughnuts, has established its first U.S. outpost in Times Square*, I predict the outbreak of the NYC Doughnut Wars and the end of the Great Cupcake Glut. May the better fried doughball win.
*Full details in the December 1 edition of the New Yorker
just in time for Chanukah?
I wish Skippers would keep that a permanent location. We really need a gift and toy shop in Morningside Heights.
I shocked about Chalait. What is the reason for the closing, is it rent? There Greenwich sandwich was my fav. a little pricey so more a treat every few months, but still enjoyed it. This is a loss.
It was too expensive. I went there once, was shocked at the price and never set foot again.
If a sandwich is pricey enough to be only “a treat every few months” then the store’s business model isnt right for the area. No shade on you or the shop owners but it’s a reality check.
I’m glad someone saw a hole in the market : )
Polanco Social is excellent!! The tacos were so delicious — really authentic street tacos just like we’ve eaten in Mexico. 10/10 highly recommend!
Best Russian manicure on the UWS is at One L Professional on Broadway & 72nd street
Dough Donuts are fantastic, been in business for at least 10 years , they started in Bklyn and have been growing ever since. To the weirdos here who make literally everything a culture war, what is wrong with you?
It’s seems so strange that their posts pop up in response to just about every article. I didn’t think we had so many culture warriors on the UWS – maybe there’s just a few and they twist all articles to suit their battles?