In a July 1 altercation inside a West Harlem bodega, owner Jose Alba allegedly fatally stabbed a customer, Austin Simon, who went behind the counter where Alba was working and shoved him. The incident has ignited a political firestorm and shed light on the heightened crimes roiling bodegas, reports Crain’s New York Business. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg classified the stabbing as second-degree murder, drawing public criticism from Mayor Eric Adams and a push led by industry group, United Bodegas of America, for a “Stand Your Ground” law for bodega owners as they face increased crime throughout the city. Overall, compared to last year, robberies at bodega or convenience stores have increased 160 percent, according to NYPD data. According to New York Post, over 25 states have some kind of “Stand Your Ground” law; the likelihood of one passing in New York is slim.
Contra and Wildair chefs partner with Philadelphia cream cheese
Jeremiah Stone and Fabián Von Hauske Valtierra, head chefs and owners of Michelin-starred Contra and Wildair, are partnering up with Philadelphia cream cheese on a three-hour multi-course tasting menu named after feelings like allure and curiosity, according to a representative. The dish called allure, for instance, comprises assorted Kaluga caviar-topped cream cheese spreads on top of crackers in a checker pattern. The so-called Feeladelphia collaboration will run out of an event space located at 525 West 24th Street, between 10th and 11th avenues, in Chelsea, from July 14-16, with reservations available on OpenTable.
Momofuku Noodle Bar reopens on the Lower East Side
The East Village flagship location of Momofuku Noodle Bar is reopening on Thursday, July 14, for dinner service five nights a week (closed Tuesday and Wednesday), according to an Instagram post. What was initially announced in February as a month-long revamp expanded into “a few long months of kitchen renovations” during which time EV Grieve reported spotting workers hauling tables and chairs out of the space.
Two decades-old Chinatown favorites are teaming up
According to an Instagram post from Kam Hing, a bakery known for its airy sponge cakes, has launched a special, limited-run strawberry lavender flavor at neighborhood stalwart, Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. — Emma Orlow, reporter