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César, The Red Room, the big stay, FlameKeepers Hat Club, best bedding shops, Gotham, MORE
RESTAURANTS • First Word
Hail, César!
The Skinny: César Ramirez, the longtime creative force behind Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare — where his French techniques and embrace of Japanese ingredients earned three Michelin stars before he exited amid a spectacular fallout with that restaurant’s ownership — has struck out on his own, launching César, an elegant 13-course tasting menu ($365 per) in Hudson Square, open to the public as of last night.
The Vibe: Situated in a former printing press building, the space previously housed a deli, not that you’d know it now. A spacious open kitchen — anchored by a custom matte black and stainless steel Bonnet range surrounded by a U-shaped, 13-seat white oak dining counter — claims about half the interior. The dining room is outfitted in shades of cream and black. Roomy, round tables sit directly behind the kitchen, placed so there’s not a bad seat. A stocked custom Champagne cart sits in the center of the room, a fitting showpiece (or signpost).
The Food: Ramirez is known for sourcing the best ingredients from around the world, especially where seafood is concerned. Roughly three-quarters of his new menu is dedicated to the ocean, with starters like his iconic uni and black truffle toast and a buttery new akamutsu (blackthroat seaperch) nigiri.
There’s an ode to tempura — a delicately fried whole kisu fish served with a delicious creamy saffron emulsion — and a phenomenal new caviar presentation, in which giant quenelles of Kristal Kaviari caviar are portioned à la minute atop a porcelain cup filled with diced Norwegian langoustine, herbal broth, and a tomato gelée. Ramirez’s second most iconic dish also makes a return appearance: an ethereally light, frozen soufflé, currently prepared with sweet summer corn and just a hint of Espelette.
The Verdict: A matured Chef’s Table, and as glorious a culinary experience — if not more so. –Kat Odell
→ César (Hudson Square) • 333 Hudson St • Tasting menu $365 per • Reserve.
NYC RESTAURANT LINKS: Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare cuts per-diner price from $430 per to $345 • Greenwich Village’s Silver Apricot closing Aug. 11, plans to flip to new concept • Exhale: Corner Bistro hasn’t closed, was just redoing the floors • Decade-old LIC favorite M Wells to close for good at end of year.
WORK • Tuesday Routine
Turning red
LORI SCHWARZ • owner • LSS Consulting
Neighborhood you work in: East Village & Midtown East
It’s Tuesday morning. What’s the scene at your workplace?
I make coffee, then hop on the East River ferry to Dumbo House for a 9 a.m. exercise class. I check my emails on the way. Working with nightlife venues means the day doesn’t usually start until early afternoon.
I consult with bars and performance venues on whatever aspect of the business they need. At The Red Room at KGB Bar in the East Village, for example, I have to keep up on everything from staffing to menu and liquor inventory, programming and booking, sound and tech, marketing and PR, payroll, and security.
What’s on the agenda for today?
Currently I’m working on build-outs and sourcing accouterments and furnishings for two new venues — The Private Curtain, a 110-seat performance space and bar and The Powder Room, a 10-seat micro bar — that will be opening in the East Village this fall.
This evening, I’ll help with any last-minute opening details for Tuesdays at The Red Room, a comedy show that frequently has SNL regulars on the lineup. Afterward I’ll meet with Anthony Haden-Guest to discuss an event we’re working on, to show his recent artwork and premier The God of New York, a movie being made about him by the Countess Alex Zapak.
Any restaurant plans today, tonight, this weekend?
Sunflower on 2nd Ave. in the East Village is my new lunchtime favorite. The salmon BBLTA — double bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado — is the best sandwich in New York City. Also, I recently discovered a tiny, low-key Italian restaurant on the Upper West Side after going to the Natural History Museum. It's called Bellini, and has housemade pasta, good (and inexpensive) wine, and amazing service. Their outdoor seating has fans, so you can sit in the covered area without suffocating. I’ll definitely trek back up there for it.
How about a little leisure or culture this week?
I’m volunteering at the Bowery Mission for dinner service. Volunteering at the Mission is one of the most calming and satisfying two and a half hours of my week. I put my phone (and my cares) away, and I’m just present with the other volunteers, and the people being served. I might try to catch a show at The Rooftop at Pier 17, which has an amazing summer lineup — I recently saw Trombone Shorty there. The juxtaposition against the Brooklyn Bridge is stunning.
What’s a recent big-ticket purchase you love?
I take private MMA classes to feel like I could defend myself in most situations. After taking a couple group classes and getting injured sparring, private was the only way. They’re so worth it.
What NYC store or service do you love to recommend?
The East River Ferry is the best way to travel in the summer (and only $2.70 a ride if you buy 10). Whether you go to Long Island City or Dumbo, there’s something to do at every stop.
WORK • Happiness
The big stay
The “great resignation” of the pandemic years, when workers quit en masse in search of life’s meaning, has reportedly given way to something much less fun: the “big stay.”
Per a Robert Half survey from the spring, only 35% of U.S. adults plan to look for a new job this year. Last year, 49% were looking. Gen Z workers, particularly, are sheltering in place: Only 44% are on the hunt this year, down from 74% last year.
The WSJ offers a number of reasons for the inertia: more job satisfaction (Robert Half says 77% are happy at work), fewer job postings, a more laborious search process, and diminished prospects for big comp bumps.
All seem plausible (but 77%!). Another anecdotal explanation that tracks: Employees in flexible environments don’t want to risk giving them up. It’s an interesting turn in the RTO-hybrid-remote conversation. Maybe the best way for employers to hold on is to let go after all. –Josh Albertson
WORK LINKS: Five years after shuttering, Tracks Bar is reopening in Penn Station • WeWork opening 15k tenant lounge at 575 Lexington • How the Chrysler Building lost its luster • ‘Leisure sickness’ is real and how to avoid it.
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
A haberdashery in Harlem
The best-kept hat secret in NYC is FlameKeepers Hat Club in Harlem. They offer a colorful selection of fedoras, wide brims, straw hats, beanies, newsboy caps, bucket hats, and the famous Béret KODJIA. Any old hat offers sun protection, but Flamekeepers will level up your cap fashion style. There’s also e-commerce option with a simple return policy if the fit is off. –Brad Inman
→ Shop: FlameKeepers Hat Club (Harlem) • 273 W 121st St • Tues 12-5p, Wed-Sat 12-7p, Sun 12-5p.
GOODS & SERVICES LINKS: On the dispensary beat… Gotham signs 4K SF lease at The Refinery at Domino and William Norgrad opening 10K SF shop in Times Square • Williamsburg stalwart Crest Hardware closing • Hobby Lobby opening first Manhattan store in Tribeca • Away launches first soft-sided luggage collection • What the Saks-Neimans merger means (also a Barneys comeback) • Todd Snyder’s new line dials up the luxury • Meet Napa Valley’s next great cult wine.
GOODS & SERVICES • The Nines
Bedding & pillows
The Nines are FOUND's distilled lists of NYC's best. Additions or subtractions? Hit reply or found@foundny.com.
Stella Tribeca (Tribeca), divine collection of decorative pillows in vivid florals and more