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New Mars Bar Will Serve "Quinoa Bowls," Maybe Include A Bathhouse
By
Lauren Evans
Published May 13, 2014
Modified May 13, 2014
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By
Lauren Evans
Published May 13, 2014
Modified May 13, 2014
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Mars Bar is coming back, but it won't be the Mars Bar you once knew. I only saw the trailer for "Transcendence," but the parallels are clear: Fans of the dilapidated hole they loved will rejoice at the news that it's still alive, assuring themselves that an altered Mars Bar is better than no Mars Bar at all. But their delight will turn quickly to horror when they learn what the new version entails: A juice bar. "Meats and cheeses." A bathhouse. As a suddenly platinum Kate Mara warns: "Your friend...crossed the line...they don't know the danger."
Owner Hank Penza's proposal for the reboot reportedly won prompt approval from CB3's SLA Licensing Committee on Monday night, with plans to refurbish the bi-level venue into a place where one could conceivably consume a sandwich or a quinoa bowl without fear of intestinal reprisal. There is also talk of a juice bar on the ground floor, and a "lounge" in the basement. The adjoining TD Bank will look on impassively.
Details on the alleged bathhouse are slim, but the concept is fascinating. Will patrons be able to take a dip in the former Mars Bar's notoriously rancid toilets? Can the old CBGB toilets come, too? Will the fruit flies be fried up and served, Explorers Club style?
At the time, Penza shrugged off questions about the demise of his 26-year-old East Village dive, saying that he was "tired" and that he "didn't want to be bothered." Perhaps nearly three years of rest has renewed Penza's weary bones, inspiring him to partner with various impresarios of Meatpacking nightlife and give his coveted liquor license a sleeker, more polished lease on life.
It's unclear when the new "Mars Bar" will open.
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Lauren Evans
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