Bowery: Spanish restaurant Oliva has closed after serving the LES for ten years, but Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield still might open a restaurant there. [Bowery Boogie, Eater]
Brooklyn-wide: Soon-to-launch Snap Food Truck will minimize its impact by recycling the oil it uses to prepare food and turning it into fuel for their truck. The brainchild of enviro-friendly Zeph and Liz Courtney, Snap Food Truck “will focus on quality, local ingredients which they’re sourcing from Ricks Pick’s pickles, Dickson’s Farmsted Meats and Bedford Cheese Shop.” Their Panko-crusted avocado fries look especially delicious. [Food Republic]
Chinatown: Chinese favorite South China Garden closed earlier this week, following reports that a new hotel or condo will be going up on the block. The owner may be considering a location for a new South China. [Chowhound]
Noho: See a talk entitled “Yelp? Help! Is There a Return to Actual Expertise in Food?” at the New York University Fales Library on Wednesday, March 14. The discussion will be led by panelists Eric Asimov, chief food and wine critic at the New York Times; editor-in-chief of TastingTable.com, Scott Hocker; Jonathan Milder, the research librarian at the Food Network; chef Sara Moulton; and author and NYU Food Studies faculty member, Krishnendu Ray. The event will be moderated by food and restaurant consultant Clark Wolf. [Grub Street]
West Village: Beginning Thursday, March 1, the Vinatta Project will host its first weekly T.G.I.B. (“Thank G-d It’s Bespoke”) happy hour from 5-7 p.m., which will include handcrafted cocktails and bites, in addition to daily specials. [Grub Street]
