UNION SQUARE—In case you wondering about the nature of Laurent Manrique's arrival at Urban Tavern, Donna Scala would like to respond to the Business Times' headline and clarify things a bit:
First of all I am not out of the Tavern. I consult for the Hilton and Blackstone. I design Urban Tavern for them and then it is up to them to hire or lease the space. I still cook at Bistro Don Giovanni. I take care of our gardens and flowers and create the menus I still work on line and love it. That is why I could never lease a restaurant in a Union Hotel. I love what I do and would not change it for anything. I will continue to design and consult for the Hilton and support Laurent in the Tavern. Thank you Donna Scala.
UNION SQUARE—Turns out that those rumors earlier in the week were pretty close to the real deal regarding recent developments at Urban Tavern. Hot off the BizTimes:
Laurent Manrique and Chris Condy of Aqua and Cafe de la Presse fame have signed a lease to take over the restaurant, which is under construction. The restaurant was conceived of and designed by Donna Scala, the Napa restaurateur, who no longer has any involvement with the project.
While a chef has been hired, he has not yet given notice to his current employer, so Michael Dunne, general manager of the Hilton, declined to name the chef and would only say he is currently at a San Francisco restaurant.
Union Square: Even though the most recent (and hopeful) estimates have the already-delayed Urban Tavern opening around the beginning of August, the plywood shell is down, allowing a peek inside Donna Scala's $13 million gastropub within the friendly confines of the Hilton. With a theme modeled on NYC's Gramercy Tavern, the room is already starting to resemble the rendered version—except for the horse-deer animal part—and there's a subtle entrance from the hotel lobby as well. Complete visual plywood tour of 333 O'Farrell's newest restaurant above.
UNION SQUARE—Flying under the radar lately is Urban Tavern, Donna Scala's upcoming restaurant within the friendly confines of the Hilton on O'Farrell Street. Background reading on the $13 million, 240-seat gastropub can be had here, and a possible interior rendering (pictured, right) is available on we believe to be the future online home of the restaurant. As of today, Urban Tavern is slated to open in three weeks' time, with the moving target date being May 29th. [EaterWire]
FOOD TELEVISION—More proof that all your dreams can't necessarily be achieved by winning a reality show, as Food Network shan't be continuing at least one more show next season: "Amy Finley--season 3 winner of The Next Food Network Star--has finally come forth and said that there will be no more new episodes of her show, The Gourmet Next Door. 'I will not be back for another season. The producers offered me more shows, but with my family I decided it was time to move on to other projects,' writes Amy." We didn't even know her show had already started. [FNA]
How about some Monday morning plywood to start the week off? The Plywood Report is your regular, all-encompassing chronicle of the next generation of restaurants and bars to grace town. Notice some rumblings in your neighborhood? Do let us know.
1) The Mission: Residing on the rather desolate corner of Harrison and 21st is Snack Bar, the new project by the good folks behind Nopa. As you can see, the building is quite quaint and this particular stretch of Harrison is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Mission, which should work out perfectly for the Jossel crew. The 40-seat Snack Bar will serve tapas and vino, with summer being the current projection. Odds that Snack Bar might reinvigorate the area, just like the Jossels did Nopa? Solid, wethinks. [PLYWOOD]
2) Financial District: And yet another Subway franchise location will soon be adorning the Market Street corridor. Quoth a (photo-snapping) tipster: "I saw another damn Subway sign on Market, this time between Kearny and Montgomery, right next to the Radio Shack. What's the deal with this sudden super influx of Subways? I mean, it's better than McD but still." [Eater Inbox]
NAPA—It would appear that yet another big name will be opening a new restaurant up in Wine Country, as we have on good authority that Donna Scala—the woman behind 90's stalwarts like Scala's Bistro here and Bistro Don Giovanni up north—has purchased Pilar Restaurant. According to our source, Scala and Pilar chef Pilar Sanchez, the CIA grad who cooked at Meadowood prior to opening her eponymous restaurant, will close the current restaurant at 807 Main Street and reopen it as an Italian eatery. There is talk that at some point, Pilar (the restaurant) might reopen next door at 813 Main in the space that has been vacant for 30 years, but said space must be retrofitted first, which would likely take upwards of a year. Story developing ... [EaterWire]
UNION SQUARE—In case you wondering about the nature of Laurent Manrique's arrival at Urban Tavern, Donna Scala would like to respond to the Business Times' headline and clarify things a bit:
UNION SQUARE—Flying under the radar lately is Urban Tavern, Donna Scala's upcoming restaurant within the friendly confines of the Hilton on O'Farrell Street. Background reading on the $13 million, 240-seat gastropub can be had 
1) The Mission: Residing on the rather desolate corner of Harrison and 21st is Snack Bar, the new project by the good folks behind Nopa. As you can see, the building is quite quaint and this particular stretch of Harrison is a far cry from the hustle and bustle of Mission, which should work out perfectly for the Jossel crew. The 40-seat Snack Bar will serve tapas and vino, with summer being the current projection. Odds that Snack Bar might reinvigorate the area, just like the Jossels did Nopa? Solid, wethinks. [PLYWOOD]
