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NoHo Community Board Opposes Liquor License For Ken Friedman's New Restaurant
By
Lauren Evans
Published Apr 24, 2015
Modified Apr 24, 2015
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By
Lauren Evans
Published Apr 24, 2015
Modified Apr 24, 2015
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Restaurant mogul Ken Friedman may have trouble serving booze at his proposed new "farm-to-table, whole beast" restaurant on Bond Street, at least until he's able to convince Community Board 2 the place won't immediately become a late-night EDM party once it stops serving dinner.
Friedman, who along with chef April Bloomfield operates the wildly popular West Village gastropub Spotted Pig (as well as The Breslin and John Dory Oyster Bar), is requesting a liquor license for the new 2,900-square-foot restaurant he plans to open at 45 Bond Street, formerly home to Circolo45. Board members voted unanimously last night not to approve the request, at least until Friedman and the affiliated Sheetz Group agree to a variety of stipulations—20 of them, to be exact.
Billed as a "modern upscale restaurant serving farm-to-table fare with an emphasis on seasonal, indigenous ingredients," it's hard to imagine why some of the stipulations are necessary. Can the restaurant be a lounge? A tavern? A sports bar? No. TVs will be banned, as will dancing. There will be no sidewalk cafe nor backyard; there will be no DJs. There will be no alcohol service before noon on weekends, and guests will not be allowed to loiter on the street while awaiting their table. There will be no cover charges nor live music nor promoted events. Fine.
We've reached out to Friedman's spokespeople for comment on whether he'll agree to the board's requirements, and will update when we hear back. It's worth noting that Community Board liquor license decisions are purely advisory, and the State Liquor Authority has been known to disregard them in the past.
Related: Friedman's plans for an East Village sandwich shop were also crushed last March, with board members in neighboring CB3 citing the need for "more retail balance." Man really can't catch a break, can he.
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Lauren Evans
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