New Chinese coming to old Tempo space

Subject: new restaurant coming to tempo space on 5th avenue

from otbkb:

Stone Park Cafe Team To Open New Venture in Tempo Space

It seems that my story yesterday about Stone Park Cafe moving to a new location on Fifth Avenue was right and wrong.

Clearly, some phone calls need to be made. But according to a comment on the blog, I was right about the fact that the Stone Park team plus a new partner are opening a restaurant in the space formerly occupied by Tempo and Tempo Presto.

Here's what I may have gotten wrong. The Stone Park Cafe will stay open on Third Street. The new venture in the space on Fifth Avenue between Garfield and 1st Street will be a different restaurant with a different name.

Phew. I thought it was strange that Stone Park Cafe right there on Washington/JJ Byrne Park and near its namesake the Old Stone House, would vacate their perfect Park Slope location.

I am interested to hear what direction the Two Josh's and their new partner are going in. What will it be? Italian, Fusion Mediterranean, American cuisine?

Clearly some phone calls need to be made.

Let's hope they won't repeat the... um ... uh ... mistakes that led to my terrible experience at the original Stone Park.

Ditto

not sure what those mistakes are, but i love stone park.

brought a few friends last weekend for brunch (from manhattan) and they were thoroughly impressed.

I hope they bring back the sandwich shop annex. That place made nice sangwiches.

Yes, I miss Tempo Presto a lot more than I miss
Tempo. Looking forward to Stone park opening a place there!

Stone Park has big shoes to fill after 2 great restaurants in that location (starting with the epic Cucina). I agree with 8thandPrez- hopefully they'll get their act together for this one.

Ah, Cucina! Loved Cucina

LongTimeSloper wrote: Ah, Cucina! Loved Cucina

sigh. I miss Cucina. And Mike and Tony's (and Max and Moritz)

do you really think stone park doesnt have their act together?
ive had one or two not fantastic meals there, butusually i must they its pretty fantastic

"And it gets even more interesting. The Stone Park Cafe folks have a new partner. She is none other than the youngest daughter of the man who used to own Cucina. Indeed, the Cucina family still owns the building where the new Stone Park Cafe will be."

Burns wrote: do you really think stone park doesnt have their act together?
ive had one or two not fantastic meals there, butusually i must they its pretty fantastic

Sorry, we were referring to one specific episode that we won't rehash again here.

Ooh! Ooh! Let's rehash!

Just to put this in perspective, five years in, Stone Park is nearly full every night & at brunch. The act has been together for quite a while. Tempo, on the other hand, was good but seldom as lively.

Also, just put this in perspective - 97% of park Slopers either 1) don't read this board, or 2) don't really give a shit what anyone on this board thinks.

I tend to fall into the vastly overrepresented 3%...

Just kidding.. mark me down in group 2 as described above. Thanks for the mis-information though - real helpful.

OK, the word from my friend who knows the owners is that the new place will be "upscale Chinese/Asian" style. I'm not quite sure what that means, but it could be something interesting at least. I didn't get an opening date estimate.

ahh.. max & moritz.. now that takes me back.

Only went to max & moritz once and didn't care for it much, didn't miss it when it was gone. Now, mike & Tony's......

Pork Slapper wrote: OK, the word from my friend who knows the owners is that the new place will be "upscale Chinese/Asian" style. I'm not quite sure what that means, but it could be something interesting at least. I didn't get an opening date estimate.

Joy! Another Asian influenced restaurant. {sarcasm}

That place would be ideal for a steakhouse. Not so sure on the Asian influence...too much Thai already and if I want authentic cheap Chinese Sunset Park, Chinatown, even Flushing is a train ride away.

Ah Max and Moritz...I remember when they expanded to Cafe Steinhoff and I was like "Ugh, Steinhoff sucks" now it's my favorite go-to place for brunch, lunch and booze. Still miss the vibe at Max and Moritz and the super cute Latina waitress who worked there (strange I remember her after all these years- it must have been her butt).

Upscale Chines, eh? Sounds like a bad gamble to me.
I hope they don't go the "Valet parking" route that both Cucina and Tempo did.
Max and Moritz/Mike and Tony's was great for Cigar lovers.

I just had a conversation last night over dinner regarding the lack of a true steakhouse (not simply places where you can get a steak - such as Blue Ribbon, 12th St., etc) in the area. Somebody should wise up and do some research.

i actually think upscale chinese would be terrific.

there is ZERO good chinese in park slope right now.

something like shun lee on the upper west side, perhaps?

i'm not so sure about a steakhouse...it could work, but i get the feeling that park slope is not a huge meat-eating neighborhood. i could be off base, but even as someone who does eat meat, i only do so about once a week or once every two weeks, so i'm just not sure there's enough people to support it here...

i would have to be a REALLY good place...

I see "upscale" and "good" Chinese as different. If the upscale place is also good, that would be a plus. I just think upscale (read expensive) Chinese is not a great bet at this time. Its funny, I was thinking of Shun Lee as well. That isn't still there, is it? I'd vote for a steakhouse too. There are plenty of meat eaters in Park Slope! I know some of them. And I am one of them!

shun lee is indeed still there! SOO good!!!

there's plenty more open storefronts in the hood for that steakhouse!

I used to go to Shun Lee in the 1970's (I think...) and 80's with my grandparents.
It was a fancy night out. If you told me that Shun Lee was coming, I'd take it. Otherwise, I'm skeptical. True about the empty storefronts....it is a little disconcerting, isn't it?

i'm going to have faith that if the guys behind this new chinese place are from stone park, it isn't going to be terrible.

they've done a really nice job with that place and it's almost always full.

i'm hopeful.

the empty storefront situation could be tons worse. i think it's holding up quite well, in fact given the economic conditions of this past year. stuff is still moving in quite regularly, i must say. park slope is doing better in that department than many manhattan neighborhoods i've been to recently. broadway on the upper west side is a disaster area with regard to empty storefronts. so are parts of the east village and murray hill area.

Ok. I'll be hopeful along with you.

The Upper West Side (where I grew up) has been a disaster
for a long time as far as I'm concerned. I haven't recognized it for a while.
Empty storefronts are not much worse than what was in the storefronts.
There has been no neighborhood feel for years.

Agree with belzjm there... the empty storefronts are not nearly as bad as I had thought it would be. Granted, there's been a lot more churn than usual, but I've been happy to see so much new stuff moving in: Grumpy, Tasti-d-Lite, Henry's, Fonda, Provini, Slope's Bistro, Gialeti's, MAE, Fueng Far, Athena.... that's a lot of new investment in a very uncertain time. Bodes well for the Slope, well South Slope at least. I don't go north of 9th St very often now.

Has anyone actually eaten at Slope's Bistro?

Would love a steakhouse!