NYC Restaurant News: Taïm's Collapse and More

## Taïm's Collapse Raises Concerns A notice posted at the Midtown location of Taïm, a pioneering falafel chain, has sparked concerns about the restaurant's future. The notice states that the property has been seized for nonpayment of taxes and is now in the possession of the state of New York. According to Nation's Restaurant News, Taïm's parent company, Craveworthy Brands, owes around $632,000 in business taxes. The restaurant's four New York City locations are listed as 'temporarily closed' on Google, and the phone numbers ring out. The Instagram account hasn't been updated since July 22, and the online ordering site is no longer active. The Goldbelly store is also gone. The D.C. location shuttered in July. Taïm was founded in 2005 by chef Einat Admony and her partner Stéfan Nafziger. The business expanded to several locations, with 14 locations in NYC at its peak. In 2021, Untamed Brands acquired Taïm, and in 2024, Craveworthy Brands bought Untamed Brands. ## New High-End Chinese Duck Restaurant Opens in NYC iDen's Beijing Duck House is set to open on September 1 in the former La Grenouille space. The restaurant follows the sibling location in Vancouver, which opened six years ago. Chef Matt Chen, who previously ran the kitchen of Le Palais in Taipei, has created a menu that includes a nearly $200 tasting menu and a la carte options like a duck and egg yolk roll and surf clam and okra salad. ## Other Restaurant News A longtime Queens deli, Manor Delicatessen, is closing on August 21 after over 100 years in business. The Retrologist reports that the deli is up for sale. Grand Central is expanding its dining options, with an elevator shaft being converted into a grab-and-go spot and a new restaurant, Osteria Centrale, opening in the former Rite-Aid space. Eddie Huang, a multi-hyphenate chef, is debuting a new series, Huang's World, with Complex. The series will focus on 12 New York City chefs. A Brooklyn food bookstore and cafe, BEM, has closed for in-person shopping but will continue to offer programming focused on Black food, books, and cultures. Tara Mór, a Midtown Irish pub, is hosting Mór Fest NYC from August 19 to 23, featuring live music, comedy, sports panels, and food and drink from Irish producers. Parcelle Wine is closing its Greenwich Village location, and cocktail bar Vodka Bar will take over in the fall. Justin Wands, a partner at Chez Fifi, is opening a new cafe, Cafe Wands, this fall. Barcade in Williamsburg will be closing in 2029 due to its lease expiring. Vegan ramen and sushi roll spot Redwhite Boneless Ramen is opening in the East Village, with limited hours and menus starting on August 7. Lure Fishbar in Soho is open outdoors for lunch and in the dining area for dinner due to a pipe burst. The second edition of Pago Lo Que Puedas/Pay What You Can day is happening on August 26, with participating restaurants including Kabawa, HAGS, Vato, and Hellbender. Ritual Bar, an homage to Japanese tea culture, has opened inside Matchaful in Williamsburg, offering classes and tastings. Eli Sussman, the chef of Prospect Heights bistro Gertrude's, has left New York City for Chicago to become the director of brand strategy and communications at DineAmic Hospitality.