THERE ARE ALL sorts of reasons why the second act following a surprise hit like Jake Leiber and Aidan O’Neal’s fine little Greenpoint bistro, Chez Ma Tante, can be more difficult and fraught with peril than the first one. Even out in the neighborly, relatively low-key fine-dining precincts of Brooklyn these days, success tends to attract the usual siren song of new money, which often brings with it a whole new set of challenges. How do you manage a larger kitchen staff and a bigger (read: more bankable) room, not to mention a rabble of opinionated new investors? Do you scrap your successful old formulas for an entirely new concept? Or do you reprise beloved recipes for simmered pork shoulder, say, or Chez Ma Tante’s famous brunchtime pancakes, which are popular among the old regulars but may lose a little of their special alchemy in a larger, more impersonal space?
This story is from the February 3 – 16, 2020 edition of New York magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 3 – 16, 2020 edition of New York magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Indecent Exposure
Jerrod Carmichael's reality series attempts to excavate his deepest flaws.
Grave Mysteries
Josh O'Connor searches for the afterlife as a sad-eyed tomb raider.
Not Her First Rodeo
Beyoncé's country album is a history lesson, a rallying cry, and a missed opportunity.
How'd You Make That?
Three masterpieces, from glimmer through struggle to breakthrough.
In the Belly of the Barbz
Fear them. Cheer them. Nicki Minaj fans are sticking by their queen.
At the Altar of Korean Fried Chicken
Coqodaq's owner calls it a cathedral. It feels more like a club.
WHO ATE WHERE
119 YEARS of PUNK BREAKFASTS, UPTOWN LUNCHES, DRUNKEN DEALMAKING, and IMPOSSIBLE RESERVATIONS
Arizona's Split Reality
Ground zero for the rigged-election conspiracy, the border state could decide both the fate of the Senate and the presidency.
98 MINUTES WITH...The Lavery Family
Beloved literary couple Daniel and Grace Lavery and their partner, Lily Woodruff, are all living and working full time in their Brooklyn apartment. Now, they have to find space for a baby.
Neighborhood News: Patrolling With the Rat Czar
On a smokeout with Vermin Enemy No. 1.