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Last time we ran a Spot Check, we dropped in on several newly opened East Village restaurants between the hours of 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. to take head counts (though in the case of Cantina, there were no heads to be counted). This Saturday we threw some love to the West Side and repeated the procedure with six new establishments in the West Village and Chelsea.

124 Rabbit Club: 13 at the bar, 8 empties.
Bar Blanc: 26 diners in the dining room, 34 empties; 12 at the bar, no empties.
El Quinto Pino: 24 diners, standing room only.
Gottino: 41 diners, 2 empties.
Lunetta: 64 diners, 6 empties.
Smith’s: 41 diners in the dining room, 4 empties; 5 at bar.

Just for the hell of it we also cruised by Magnolia Bakery where at 9:15 p.m. twelve people were lined up outside in 42-degree weather. The more things change, the more they stay the same…