Tag Archives: restaurant row

Londel’s Bar, offspring of Londel’s Supper Club in Harlem, to open March 1

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I poked my head into Londel’s Bar, located on the corner of 115th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Harlem, this evening to see what’s up since all the lights were on and people were hanging out inside the place. The ladies inside told me Londel’s Bar was opening tomorrow night, March 1, and that staff are in the bar tonight (Feb. 29) for a staff meeting. So let’s see what happens tomorrow and I guess the touchy situation between the Livmor Condo and the Church got worked out…or not!

Watch Savoring Harlem on the Food Network Friday, February 24


This coming Friday (Feb. 24) at 8 pm our very own celebrity chef, Red Rooster owner, and Harlem local, Marcus Samuelsson, will give Food Network viewers a closer look at Harlem’s food revolution through a special TV program called Savoring Harlem.  In the TV special, Savoring Harlem will showcase the food culture of  several Harlem restaurants, such as Red Rooster Harlem, Melba’s, restaurant pioneer Sylvia’s and more.

Yum! This will be fun to watch and then go out to eat in Harlem afterwards. Turn your tube on at 8 pm to the Food Network!

Bier international in Harlem takes over Society Cafe commercial space

Thank goodness for readers and their juicy tips. Those tips can eventually lead to correct facts. For example, look at our post about a Japanese restaurant opening on Frederick Douglass Blvd. The Winery is opening up the Japanese restaurant. Now the latest tip in is how the owner(s) of bier international in Harlem have taken over the commercial space of where Society Cafe use to be. Society was located on the southeast corner of 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd before it closed in 2011.

Apparently the plans for this space on FDB and 114th Street are to keep it as it was, a cafe, where sandwiches and coffee are sold. The other tip is that the place will more than likely be called Cafe Frederick! Not a bad name…right?

Once this new cafe opens, all the commercial space in the Gateway Tower will be filled and another place can be added to the Frederick Douglass Blvd tourist map, a.k.a. restaurant row, which The Daily News reported on recently.

Update: The name of this establishment ended up being named Frederick Cafe Bistro.

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Is a Japanese restaurant the next place to open on Harlem’s Frederick Douglass Blvd?

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For those of you who were hoping that the next place to open up in Harlem on or near Frederick Douglass Blvd would be a diner, sorry to tell you, it’s not happening. However, if you wanted a Japanese restaurant to open in Harlem, your wish is highly likely to come true! A few reliable readers have tipped off HarlemGal Inc about how the last remaining commercial space in The Douglass Condo, located on the northeast corner of FDB and 114th, has been rented out and the space is being prepped for a restaurant, a Japanese restaurant to be exact! This restaurant would be located to the left of Land Yoga.

We also hear the person behind leasing this space is an existing Harlem business owner. Their first business was on FDB, but then moved the same business around the corner and is still operating there. The planned Japanese restaurant we are talking about will be their second separate business in Harlem-and not far from the first business.

So there you have it! No diner is coming any time soon. Just sushi, sake, edamame and probably a lot more will be offered soon in this space in Harlem. Workers have been seen on site daily so who knows when this new Japanese restaurant will open. Hopefully in 2012! Will keep you posted!

Harlem’s restaurant row, Frederick Douglass Blvd., has its own map and alliance group

It’s official…again! Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem from 110th to 125th Street, also known as restaurant row, has its very own map, according to The New York Daily News. And the folks behind the map is an alliance group called Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance (FDBA). Check out the map below. It mentions all existing businesses from 110th to 124th Street. The map does not include up and coming places on FDB, such as the Harlem Food Bar or Marcos Leatherlab, the cobbler store.

Lia San Filippo, co-owner of 5 and Diamond Harlem restaurant and co-president of the recently formed FDBA, tells the Daily News “the map was created to help people know that Harlem is here and helps customers find us more easily.” Amen Lia!

Back in 2008, I wrote a blog posting asking if FDB is turning into Harlem’s restaurant row? Looks like we have our answer not only in a map but in the form of an alliance group!

Harlem Savour of Seafood is open for business

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A reader has let us know that the old spot where Just Wingin It use to be in Harlem, has been turned upside down and a new eating place has arisen. It’s called Harlem Savour of Seafood and they are open for customers to come in and order-seven days a week. Apparently the place opened this past weekend.

I looked for them online and so far their website is not up, and I can’t seem to find them on Facebook or Twitter. Hmm? I’m sure they’ll be up and online soon.

In the meantime, here is a copy of their menu incase you want to try them out now. Hope you can see the menu!
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Layers start to unfold on story around Harlem church and Livmor developer

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In December, I wrote about how Londel’s Supper Club is planning to open up a second location in Harlem, specifically in the Livmor Condos’ commercial space, located on the corner of 115th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. That blog post garnered some interesting/revealing comments. I recommend reading them.

Fast forward to today, January, where Crain’s New York is reporting that there is a serious dispute taking place between Harlem’s St. Stephen Community Church and the developer of the Livmor. It’s not a good situation, according to the article. And I am guessing the folks that bought (or those that might want to buy) in that building are a wee-bit pissed that this dispute is starting to be played out in the trade press.

I hope this get’s resolved soon. I went by Livmor Condos in Harlem January 9 to take a picture of where the church is supposed to be and as usual there was someone there, who clearly does not have a home and probably needs help, camping out on the front door. It is like that practically every day. And no, the person(s) camping out there is not someone from Occupy Wall Street.

God, hear my prayer. Help resolve this!

David Martinez out, Darryl Burnette in as new chef at 5 and Diamond Harlem

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New York Magazine’s Grub Street reported yesterday that Harlem’s 5 and Diamond has named a new chef…for the third time! It’s Darryl Burnette, who was with BG at Bergdorf Goodman and has been the guest chef at 5 and Diamond Harlem for their Supper Club events.

We have tasted Darryl’s food creations and let us say, it did not disappoint. He is a highly skilled chef and can cook up some great dishes! My only concern is the high turnover rate for this restaurant. It has not been open that long! Maybe chefs and management/owners are like dating? Ya gotta keep dating until you find the one! Once you find the right chef, you’ll marry them and food will be created happily ever after.

Congrats to Darryl and we wish him the best! And here’s hoping to a third times the charm!
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Is there still a possibility for Andy Shallal’s Busboys and Poets to expand into Harlem?

Around this time last year, I blogged that Busboys and Poets’ plans to open in Harlem at 2280 Frederick Douglass went bust. Ironically, I am now blogging about them same time, but a year later, asking: is there still a possibility that Busboys and Poets could open in Harlem?  According to a recent article in The Washington Post, there is a smidgen of hope. Andy Shallal, the owner of the Washington, DC eatery and longtime activist, recently told the Post that “he has been courted to put a Busboys in a proposed National Jazz Museum near the Apollo Theater…” How cool would that be if Busboys and Poets opened in Harlem on 125th Street?

Shallal tried landing the retail space at 2280 Frederick Douglass a little over a year ago, but something happened and the deal went south. I wonder if the developer of 2280 FDB is having any regrets now on not cutting a deal with Shallal, especially given all the enormous/positive press coverage Central Harlem has been receiving over the months? The most recent praising news clip comes from The Wall Street Journal.

In my view, the developer of 2280 FDB totally lost out by not scoring something with Busboys and Poets in their commercial space. As the WSJ said, there’s a restaurant boom happening in Harlem. With this recent article in the Post,  there’s hope the folks behind the National Jazz Museum could pick up where 2280 FDB left off and seal the deal with Shallal. Let’s all hope so! I think Busboys and Poets is a perfect fit in Harlem!

New bar coming to Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem

Harlem’s well-known Londel’s Supper Club is expanding their presence in Upper Manhattan by planning to open up a bar right on the northwest corner of 115th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. That’s the word directly from them to HarlemGal Inc. And from these photos below workers have been present at 2131 FDB address carrying in materials.

A representative at Londel’s said they are hoping to open the new place by the end of the year. This drinking establishment would be their second on FDB. Their first place of business is at 2620 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

As for the Livmor Condo’s, their retail space is practically full. I believe they have one more retail space left?

Congrats to Londel’s on expanding their presence in Harlem. I’m looking forward to checking out their new cocktail establishment! What about you?

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