Cynthia L. Herzog 
Posted on June 2, 2022 at 11:14 a.m. by West Side Rag
By Scott Etkin and Lisa Kava
Black Lab Coffeea space designed for people to dine with their dogs, is open on the corner of Amsterdam and 80e Street, replacing Olma Restaurant & Bar. Black Lab has designated areas for people to eat and drink and for their dogs to walk off-leash (see NY1 video dogs in action). It also has outdoor seating along 80e Dog-inspired street and features photography by local artist Vanessa Eastman. Last year WSR profile Black Lab co-founders Lise Evans and her sons Kris and Nik Powers, who aim to make Black Lab “a kind of community hub for dog owners,” Lise said. (Thanks to Melinda for the tip.)
Ample Hills Creameryan ice cream shop with unique the flavours like “Ooey Gooey Butter Cake”, “Baked/Unbaked”, “Nectar of the Queens” and “Breakfast Trash”, will open at 526 Amsterdam between 85 and 86 in early July. The previous tenant was Orange Leaf Yogurt, which closed in 2014, and the landlord used the space for construction and staging, according to real estate brokers Doug Kleiman and Jason Pennington. Ample Hills started as a rickshaw in Prospect Park in 2011 and now has nine locations in New York City. Reviewed by Free time as among the best ice cream parlors in town, it is also available online and in supermarkets. According to the company’s website, its “mission is to share joy with our neighborhoods, one ball at a time.”
Afternoon, a cafe that features unique food brands, replaces 107 Kim’s Cleaners this summer. Most of the brands they offer use Asian flavors or offer inventive traditional dishes. Highlights include: Jongro rice hot dog, egglab (scrambled egg sandwiches), Mochi Mochi Donut and House Croffe (croissant waffles). The Afternoon concept is already popping up in downtown Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Fort Lee, NJ. UWS location owners Seon and Joe also run Koko Wings on 106th Street near Broadway, writes tipster Tracy. “They say don’t miss the egg sandwiches!”
Something new will also open next to Afternoon: Kyuramen, a Japanese ramen restaurant, replaces the long-running 107 West restaurant. An opening date is yet to be set, but will be announced soon, Kyuramen told WSR. Kyuramen’s backstory is that its founder, Gary Lin, went to Japan to learn about the nuances of the dish. Besides soups, menu also offers “burgers” which use rice or ramen as bread. There are already a few Kyuramen locations in New York — including Union Square, Bayside, Park Slope and Flushing — and more are expected to open, according to the website. (Thanks to Tracy and Molly for the tips.)
Virgin street cafe opened a new UWS location in Columbus between 68th and 69th, replacing a Kangol store. Upper West Siders may already be familiar with the minimalist cafe from its existing store on the corner of 79th and Broadway. Blank Street has grown rapidly in Manhattan and Brooklyn since its founding in the summer of 2020, now with over a dozen locations. Stores are usually located in small storefronts and use beans from local vendors, such as Parlor Coffee. (Thanks to Dan for the tip.)
Bellinian upscale Italian restaurant serving “rustic” fare, has opened at 2 Waterline Square, 235 Freedom Place South on 60th Street, as part of what will be Harry’s painting, a Cipriani-affiliated craft market, set to open soon. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating on a terrace overlooking the Hudson River. Since Harry’s Table is not yet open, you can find the entrance to the restaurant by following the courtyard towards the water. The lunch and dinner seasonal menus include “pasta, grilled meats, pizzas and Crudi di Pesce”. Brunch is available on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bellini—no affiliation with the restaurant of the same name on Columbus between 83rd and 84th—also owns restaurants in downtown Seaport, as well as Providence, RI, and Miami.
Bondi Sushi opens a restaurant later this summer on Broadway between 70th and 71st streets, replacing the Sabon soap factory. The menus for lunch, dinner, happy hour (weekdays 3-6 p.m.), and take-out offers a variety of rolls, combo boxes, and rice bowls. Enthusiasm considers Bondi one of his favorite sushi delivery options – ideal for the person who likes to customize everything in their order “from the type of rice (or cauliflower rice), to the various side sauces and add-ons optional”. They have locations in Tribeca, Nolita, Nomad, and the Upper East Side.
