EDEN Local

Located beneath a rental apartment building lies Gotham West Market, a space that is home to a variety of food vendors and a kitchen supply store. The restaurants offer a good variety ranging from American fare to Mexican, Spanish, Japanese, and, of course, a coffee shop. The interior is spacious with large windows flooding the concrete floors with light. Although only in their infant stages, crowds have already been seeking them out, where both on the weekends and after business hours the Market comes to life. I have enjoyed stopping by here both with friends on a bike ride, or while walking with the Manhattan Sideways interns. On one occasion, the students tried the albondigas (lamb meatballs) from El Colmado, a Spanish eatery, and watched, enthusiastically, as the chef prepared the bone marrow brulee at Cannibal for us to sample and photograph. This dish was certainly a first for Maria and Lauren, and they marveled at how the plate was so beautifully presented with the bone marrow served in the bone on a long plate with two pieces of toast and some greens on the side. They were giggling as they scooped the bone marrow onto the bread and topped it with the lettuce. And as we get ready to launch 45th Street, Choza Taqueria is getting ready to open. In 2017, we were able to return to sample their tacos and tamales. Gotham West Market has made Hell's Kitchen a dining destination, offering something suitable for every palette and time of day. The Market offers Hell's Kitchen residents – especially those living right upstairs – a great place to come together and enjoy some of New York's notable cuisine.

On a bright afternoon, I gazed through the windows and marveled at this fairly new restaurant. I was enchanted by the decor and had a sense that this was going to be special. I made reservations for four on a weekend evening and had not only a fabulous meal, but also an overall enjoyable experience. White brick, black chairs, and a glowing wooden bar make stepping into Bea feel a bit like going back in time. The dining room features an upright piano and a projector showing black-and-white movies on the wall. Ranging from spinach tagliatelle to pork dumplings, the menu has a variety of dishes, and our group tried many of them. Beginning with tomato soup and the house made ricotta served on toasted bread with rosemary honey and sea salt, we moved on to a pear salad, the spicy lamb meatballs, a mushroom pizza, the English muffin burger and the steak and tomatoes. Enough for everyone to indulge and to walk away feeling very satisfied and ready to be entertained by the outstanding performance, Satchmo, in the Westside Theatre next door. By the time we were leaving, the bar scene had picked up considerably, as many were ordering Bea's playfully named specialty cocktails, such as the "Lavender Monk” and the "Bitter Duchess. ” There is no doubt that this is a restaurant that I will tell many about and continue to frequent myself.

There’s a trendy tropical paradise in Hell’s Kitchen — if you know where to look. Step through an unmarked door just steps from the chaos of 9th Avenue and down several flights of stairs and you’ll find yourself at The Friki Tiki, a hot new hangout whose beachy beverages, nightly live concerts and funky, irreverent decor is already popular with the Broadway set and in-the-know West Siders. The W44th Street space, previously Reunion Bar, is a semi-speakeasy — friendly door staff are stationed near the entry to help patrons make their way to paradise — but still exudes a hidden-gem quality once you’ve entered the disco-meets-South-Florida lounge that feels not entirely unlike an upscale nightlife version of Midtown’s famous Ripley-Grier rehearsal studios. Featuring vacation-worthy cocktails like the Aloha-Rita and hearty pre- or post-theater bites like Hawaiian sweet bun turkey Cubano sliders and sweet-and-savory candied mango-accented guacamole, Friki Tiki also puts on a nightly piano concert on its spectacularly-marqueed stage, with everything from jazz and rock nights to a weekly show tunes sing-along. Friki Tiki’s quirky-yet-inviting underground space is the work of Broadway producer and hospitality veteran Greg Nobile, designer Eamon Roche and Hell’s Kitchen restaurateur Robert Guarino, who previously ran Reunion Bar in addition to the nearby Marseille and 5 Napkin Burger. The three partners told W42ST that serendipity led them to each other and the Friki Tiki. Greg and Eamon, both from Branford, Connecticut, met through mutual friends and eventually worked together to build barbecue restaurant The Stand and The Friki Tiki's first iteration in their hometown. “We were always interested in potentially moving Friki Tiki to the city, ” said Eamon. In June of 2022, “I fielded Greg’s tri-annual request to go for a walk around the city and look for locations, ” he added. “We looked at a venue that was just horrible, ” he said, “And after we left and were walking down 9th Avenue, we saw this space. We’d been to Reunion before and loved it, and within a week we met the owners and had a handshake deal. ” Robert said the timing couldn’t have been better. “Reunion was the only one of our businesses on the block that we hadn’t reopened since COVID, and we’d been thinking about it and waiting to see what we should do, ” he said. “We had such a great run with Reunion — it was our after-work happy hour bar and we had been waiting to see if we should try to reopen or work up a new concept. Right at that moment we were approached by these two fellas and that hit it off. ” “It’s so funny, when we were about to open last week, my friend sent me a photo of us from years ago at Reunion, it seems full circle to be here now, ” said Greg. Adding to the synchronicity of the transition, “The square footage in Hell’s Kitchen is almost exactly the same as our first space, ” said Eamon. Many design touches — from the cheeky beer can ceiling in the entryway to the tarot card art, mirror wall, furniture and stuffed cockatiel that adorn the bar — have been reimagined for Hell’s Kitchen from their first location. “Everything here basically has been upcycled or recycled, ” said Eamon, pointing to the lounge’s tropical thatch, sourced from a set “rejected by Disney parks. ” Another easy decision was putting The Friki Tiki in the heart of the Theater District. Nobile, whose Broadway producing credits include, appropriately, Escape to Maragaritaville, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Side Show, Moulin Rouge, Slave Play, Funny Girl, POTUS, Mike Birbiglia’s The Old Man and the Pool and the upcoming revival of Parade, knew that the Broadway community and Hell’s Kitchen were ready for another after-show meetup spot. “Having been in the business for 10 years, I know all the tried-and-true go-to hangs for the industry, but I felt like there was space in this world for something new — something a little bit younger and where you could fuse live entertainment, which none of the other spaces like that have, ” he said. “We wanted to cater to both the community and the fans, starting with the cast and crews — it was an obvious thing for us from the jump. ” The bar has already seen Broadway notables like Parade's Micaela Diamond and producer Rachel Sussman stop by, and some have even hopped on the mic for an impromptu song or two, including Tovah Feldshuh and Jackie Hoffman, Nick Fradiani and Alex Newell — a treat that Greg predicts will be a regular occurrence at The Friki Tiki. They plan to premiere exclusive performances from upcoming Broadway shows. “The Broadway community is amazing, and we’ve seen a lot of support early on, ” he said. “They love a stage and a microphone, and it’s not that hard to get anyone up there, which is great! ” He also hopes to bring the energy of the ever-popular Marie’s Crisis from the Village to the bar’s weekly Wednesday singalong. “It’s a wonderful place, but we think there can be more like it, especially uptown, ” said Greg. More than anything, they want the Friki Tiki to feel like a departure from the typical bar experience. “It’s a bit of escapism, which I think in today’s world is really important, ” said Eamon. And as they move forward with Friki Tiki 2. 0, Greg said that they were “excited to learn from the neighborhood and the community that develops around here — it’s always going to evolve. ” He added, “We want everything about this place to feel unexpected. You’re coming down these weird stairs and you think you’re in the wrong place, until you’re not. And then everything that happens down here is a little bit of a surprise! ” This story originally appeared in W42ST. nyc in February 2023 as The Friki Tiki Bar is Hell’s Kitchen’s Hot New Broadway and Staycation Hangout

Mediterranean tapas and other specialties complement an extensive wine list from around the world. Wine Escape was opened in 2012 by a Turkish woman, Humeyra Kocak, who had worked in banking for almost twenty-five years and then decided to follow her passion. She and her husband, Dilaver, joined forces with Azman Dayakli, former owner of Turks & Frogs on 11th Street and present owner of the Drunken Horse. The quaint space is small but comfortable, lit by lazily hanging lights. As we chatted with Mike, the bartender, a regular customer walked by and held court from outside the window, answering Mike's questions about her mom in the hospital. Many places claim to be a neighborhood spot, but here the proof is in the pudding... or perhaps in the pinot.

Manuel Uzhca's story reads like a fairytale. He came to New York from Ecuador when he was seventeen with absolutely nothing to his name and spent time as a dishwasher in a number of restaurants. He met Jean-Claude Baker when both were working at Pronto, an Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. In 2011, Jean-Claude offered Manuel the position of manager at Chez Josephine — little did Manuel know that only four years later, the restaurant would belong to him. Manuel still recalls the day that Jean-Claude asked him to bring in his passport. Confused by his request, Manuel chose not to comply. Jean-Claude teased Manuel by saying, “If you don't bring your passport, that means you don't want my restaurant. ” The next day, still perplexed, Manuel presented his passport. Jean-Claude marched the two of them to the bank and added Manuel's name to his account, giving him permission to sign checks for the restaurant. Shortly after, Jean-Claude announced that he was retiring, but Manuel did not take him seriously. Jean-Claude then told him that he was leaving and insisted, “I won't be back. ” Jean-Claude proceeded to his attorney's office, changed his will, and went off to the Hamptons. He called Manuel to make sure that everything was in order at the restaurant, and then, very sadly, Jean-Claude took his own life. “I did not believe I owned the place, not even when they showed me the will, ” Manuel declared. Jean-Claude was the last of the children adopted into singer-dancer Josephine Baker’s “Rainbow Tribe, ” created with a mission of racial harmony. He lived and performed with her for a time before making his way to New York and eventually opening this restaurant. It quickly became a haven for Broadway clientele, known for its charming and colorful ambiance as much as its haute cuisine. Since taking over in 2015, Manuel has continued running this famed French restaurant exactly how Jean-Claude left it — paying homage to Josephine Baker, who captured the Parisian imagination in the 1920s and did not let go for decades.

Opened on May 23, 1911 on the site of a former reservoir, this main branch of the New York Public Library is a true wonder of the city. Upon its completion, it was the largest marble structure in the United States, and the classical design elements ensure that it remains as breathtaking now as it was then. In 1965, it became a National Historic Landmark. The Main Reading Room is an enormous hall, with murals and intricate relief work lording overhead and large, open windows allowing for bright sunlight to pour across the books being huddled over. Small exhibitions to art and cultural histories pepper the halls. The entire structure is truly a pleasure to explore, one of the grandest and most wonderful buildings in the entire city, and we spent a pleasant afternoon wandering the halls in a book-drunk daze trying to absorb it all.

One of the world leaders in pharmaceuticals is headquartered on 42nd Street in an intriguing metallic facade. Inside, an expansive wall decoration with abstract beaker shapes surrounded by figures from historic eras is a stand out.

Known as the "Center for Social Change, " the Ford Foundation has been committed to helping the world be a better place since 1936. They work diligently to "protect human rights, reform governments, provide education opportunities and create space for artistic creativity and expression. " Without a doubt, one of Manhattan's finest atriums greets visitors. Entering the glass structure from either 42nd or 43rd Street, a world of green awaits. There are trees, plants, a fountain and short paths to wander through. The atrium is a hidden oasis in the middle of the city.

As part of the restoration of Grand Central Terminal in the late '90s, Pershing Square Cafe opened under the Park Avenue viaduct. The fare is American and straightforward, with burgers and chicken pot pies, steaks and fish. The pancakes, served all day, are a big crowd pleaser. Up front, commuters sipping coffee, reading, and chatting while awaiting the next train, inhabit a more cafe-esque area. When speaking with the manager one day, he was proud to tell me that both Friends with Benefits and the Avengers were filmed at Pershing.

On a bright afternoon, I gazed through the windows and marveled at this fairly new restaurant. I was enchanted by the decor and had a sense that this was going to be special. I made reservations for four on a weekend evening and had not only a fabulous meal, but also an overall enjoyable experience. White brick, black chairs, and a glowing wooden bar make stepping into Bea feel a bit like going back in time. The dining room features an upright piano and a projector showing black-and-white movies on the wall. Ranging from spinach tagliatelle to pork dumplings, the menu has a variety of dishes, and our group tried many of them. Beginning with tomato soup and the house made ricotta served on toasted bread with rosemary honey and sea salt, we moved on to a pear salad, the spicy lamb meatballs, a mushroom pizza, the English muffin burger and the steak and tomatoes. Enough for everyone to indulge and to walk away feeling very satisfied and ready to be entertained by the outstanding performance, Satchmo, in the Westside Theatre next door. By the time we were leaving, the bar scene had picked up considerably, as many were ordering Bea's playfully named specialty cocktails, such as the "Lavender Monk” and the "Bitter Duchess. ” There is no doubt that this is a restaurant that I will tell many about and continue to frequent myself.