Tag Archives: restaurants

Vegetarian food now available at Harlem Meer in Central Park

Vegan and vegetarian food is in the news lately. Last week, it was about Seasoned Vegan and now its about Maoz Vegetarian. Through a press release, New York Parks and Recreation announced yesterday (June 13) that Maoz Vegetarian is now located at Harlem Meer in Central Park. Maoz Vegetarian’s newest location in Central Park is its seventh location in the City, and the latest opening is the first in East Harlem.

Maoz Vegetarian at the Harlem Meer will operate seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., subject to seasonal changes and weather related circumstances. Four tables for dining are located in front of the brick concession site, which are perfect for casual dining. Maoz Vegetarian is contracted for an eight year term, closing no earlier than mid-November for each operating term.

Let’s help kickstart Seasoned Vegan in Harlem

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Who was inspired by the recent  New York Daily News article about The Beeners and their effort to open Harlem’s first full-service, vegan soul food restaurant? I certainly was! According to the article, Chef Brenda Beener and her son Aaron (mother and son), plan to open their vegan restaurant in August on Frederick Douglass Blvd. near 116th St., which is also known as Harlem’s restaurant row. But before they can open their establishment there is some major financing they must have in place, around $250k. The Beeners have turned to Kickstarter.com (and to us) to help them reach that sum.

There are various donation levels on their Kickstarter page from $5 to $500. If you are interested in helping Seasoned Vegan in Harlem become a reality, make your donation here.

Is Jado Sushi in Harlem starting off in the community on the wrong foot?

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It has been really fun and exciting lately to blog about some of the recent openings happening in Harlem, such as The Corner Social, Harlem Food Bar and Frederick Cafe Bistro. All these places have opened with such positive fanfare and the management behind these establishments are a delight to work with. However, there is one dining establishment on Frederick Douglass Blvd that is getting ready to open and I am finding it difficult to rave about. I am contemplating not evening dining there. Why? You may or may not know that there’s been an ongoing conflict between the owner of Jado Sushi, which is located in The Douglass Condo retail space (2118 FDB), and the owner of Land Yoga, which has been established in The Douglass for almost a year now and is Jado’s neighbor to the right.

According to online reports, Land Yoga in Harlem has been respectfully asking Jado Sushi, which is owned by the same person who owns The Winery on 116th Street, to kindly sound proof the restaurant so that it does not affect the environment of the yoga studio. Those multiple requests to Jado Sushi have been ignored to date, according to Land Yoga. HarlemGal Inc contacted The Winery asking for comment about Land Yoga’s request to sound proof and they did not respond.

Another reason I am blogging about this now is ’cause multiple readers have asked, why have you not mentioned anything about Jado Sushi in Harlem on your blog? Well, this is why. I am aware of the conflict going on between Jado and Land Yoga in Harlem.

For conversation sake, I have even asked Harlem business owner(s) about this and most have informally commented it is the responsibility of Jado Sushi  to sound proof the place since they are coming into a retail area that has already been established, apartments above the Jado space will more than likely complain about the noise below so it’s best to sound proof now rather than later and its the politically correct thing to do. Most of the businesses on FDB support each other. Yesterday, I read that the owner of Melba’s stopped by Harlem Food Bar recently to show her support. That’s classy!

Personally, I am not clear on why Jado Sushi would not want to sound proof the place now versus wait until later like when more complaints potentially come in or this get’s escalated into a potential legal matter. Then again, maybe it’s not Jado’s responsibility to sound proof their place or is it? Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Should Jado Sushi in Harlem sound proof its place to accommodate Land Yoga?

And as for dining at Jado Sushi, at the moment I don’t want to even think about going there when it opens knowing this conflict is nowhere near a resolution and that I might be interrupting someone’s yoga practice-if Jado is not sound proofed. It doesn’t feel right as a long time practicing yogi. That’s another reason why I can’t get excited about this place and starting to believe that Jado Sushi just might be starting off in Harlem on the wrong foot leading to an uneventful opening.

Take a look at Harlem Food Bar’s drink and food menu

Harlem Food Bar is officially opening this evening (May 25), it’s a soft launch, and HarlemGal has the menus. Take a look! The most expensive items are $18 and that’s for steak or salmon. The shared plates run from $5 to $8.

As for drinks, prices will start at $7 a glass and will range to $24 for a carafe of wine. The most expensive drink item is French sparkling champagne for $85.

Overall, the menu is inexpensive, which adds to the price point diversity along restaurant row, i.e. Frederick Douglass Blvd. All the items are offered at modest rates and my bet is Harlemites are going to respond well!

Harlem Food Bar officially opens May 25

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Start your Memorial Day weekend at Harlem Food Bar, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 113th and 114th Street. The owner of HFB gave HarlemGal (HG) official notice yesterday that Harlem Food Bar will open its doors to the public May 25 for dinner only. HFB hours will vary over the next two weeks as will the menu offerings since this is a soft opening, however, lunch will start in the next week and brunch is planned for June 9th.

So check out the newest eatery in Harlem and let HG know what you think!

Frederick Cafe Bistro in Harlem is open, stop by for a fresh cup of coffee


On my way home from yoga this morning (May 12), I noticed that Frederick Cafe Bistro in Harlem appeared to be open. I walked in to double-check and it is definitely open for business. I had a delicious cappuccino!

Drop in and check out Frederick Douglass Blvd’s newest eatery. At the moment Frederick Cafe Bistro, located on the corner of 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd., is serving a full line of hot coffees, i.e. latte, cappuccino, etc. and pastries. A complete menu, which will include hot and cold sandwiches, will be available at a later date.

While my hot coffee drink was delicious, sipping it in a freshly decorated place made it that much sweeter. The decor and layout of Frederick Cafe Bistro is fantastic! The Harlem bistro even pays tribute to Frederick Douglass himself with some of his quotes stenciled throughout the cafe. The quotes are simple, classic and thoughtful. Chris and Ousmane clearly want patrons to know that when they visit their bistro they are in Harlem and their place is named after a very famous African-American.

Again, go by and see the place for yourself! Frederick Cafe Bistro is located at 2104 Frederick Douglass Blvd. Phone is 212-222-0075.

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Second wine tasting dinner planned at Lido in Harlem, RSVP today

Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, located in the corner of 117th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd.,is having their second wine tasting dinner May 14 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m with Andrea Wobensmith, a wine expert. Wobensmith will once again take guests through five wines and pair them with the food served at Lido Harlem. The cost for the evening is $95. To make a reservation, call 646-490-8575.

New York Magazine says wet your whistle at two Harlem bars on Lenox Avenue

New York Magazine reports in their “Your New Favorite Bar” section there are two spots in Harlem they recommend to “wet your whistle.” They are: Ginny’s Supper Club, aka the lower level of Red Rooster, and Lenox Social, the new establishment getting picked on by Lenox Lounge!

NY Mag says Ginny’s  is a place where “the young and old can wet their beaks…and you’ll be able to see Asian and French influences.” The weekly magazine calls Lenox Social a place where “there’s something for nearly everyone, with a sturdy comfort-food menu, friendly scattershot decor, and a multipurpose space that simultaneously qualifies as sports bar, group-meeting ground, and quiet dinner destination in Harlem.”

So there you have it!  Two places to check out in Harlem-and on Lenox Avenue-this weekend if you need some ideas on where to go!

See Harlem restaurant grades on NY Health Department Ratings Map

If you were wondering how Harlem’s eating establishments make the grade with the New York Health Department, it’s all right here in a simplified ratings map. The New York Times just updated the page April 5. See how your favorite Harlem restaurants stacks up. I certainly did!

Frederick Cafe Bistro in Harlem aiming to open in late April, logo is ready

If you like the product and services at bier international in Harlem, i.e. great food and beer selection, then you’re probably gonna want to check out their next place of business in Harlem when it opens, which is Frederick Cafe Bistro. The second Harlem business for bier international will be located on the corner of…you guessed it, Frederick Douglass Blvd and 114th, and Chris and Ousmane, co-owners of bier and now Frederick Cafe Bistro, are working around the clock to get the Cafe up and running. The owners are aiming for late April to open the corner bistro. Also, their logo is ready! That’s a promising sign that an opening date is near!

As for the menu, there is no word yet on what will be offered. However, I have complete faith that Frederick Cafe Bistro will be a hit in Harlem. Why? Chris and Ousmane have done a fantastic job with bier international. That place has been hopping since day one of opening and hasn’t slowed down since. I see the results with my own eyes. I walk by bier practically every day.

Furthermore, I will put the success of bier international into baseball terms. Chris and Ousmane hit the ball right out of the park with opening bier in Harlem. They got it right and I have no doubt their business model for Frederick Cafe Bistro in Harlem will be executed with the same level of detail and energy as they did with bier international. The only problem I foresee happening-and Harlemites might agree-is deciding where to hang. Am I  in the mood for bier international or Frederick Cafe Bistro? Ahh, decisions, decisions! That’s what I call a good problem!