News Bites 4/3-4/10
Shake Shack has new french fries! The burger and shake enterprise is phasing out its much loved old-school pre-frozeen crinkle cut fries in favor of "skinny fries" that are made from fresh russet potatoes. As most decisions of this nature, its up to supply and demand (customers) to determine if the change is a good one. While fries that look like they actually came from a potato are nice, there is something nostalgic about the over processes curves of a crinkle cut fry. Going back to the basics may not be so basic.
Photo By Dominique Ansel Facebook Page
The Great Cronut Drought of 2013 ended on Tuesday with the reopening of Dominique Ansel's Bakery after a weekend spent re-cementing the floors and renovating the space in response to a shutdown by the DOH for a pest violation. A customer posted a video last Thursday of a mouse scurrying across the bakery store, and once the video found its natural way to the internet was noticed by the DOH. Dominique has released multiple statements, one at the time of the shut down apologizing for the mishap and also admonishing whoever didn't apparently understand that we live in a city filled with mice or the consequences of their actions on the business. In performing a massive deep clean of the restaurant, they found only one mouse, but hundreds of mouse droppings. The second statement was released on Monday in anticipation of the re-opnening in which he thanked those who stood by the bakery and announced a special Rocky Baloa themed Cronut to be sold Tuesday morning in spirit of their comeback.
Photo by Racked NY
As if Urban Outfitters wasn't already the definition of commercialized hip, they are going to become more so now that the "concept space" called Space Ninety 8 in Williamsburg opened on April 4th. The space is a renovated warehouse designed to be a place to gather, shop, hang out, eat, and drink. If you've ever been reluctant to leave an Urban Outfitters store, now you don't have to be. The restaurant, The Gorbals, is expected so start serving in May.
Photo by Chick-fil-a
Of all the places for Chick-fil-a to plan expansion, it chose New York for a chunk of its anticipated new 108 locations. This is flowing major changes such as promising to switch to antibiotic free chicken within five years and are working on removing high fructose corn syrup from their dressings and sauces in an attempt to appeal to Millenials. Also apparently appealing to our generation is supposed to be a grilled chicken sandwich that has been 12 years and 1,000 recipes in the making. A large part of the expansion has been a strengthened focus on food and an agreement to leave social issues out of the chicken sandwiches.
Photo by Vice
Vice launched its own food channel and despite a "soft opening," they're already killin' it. Munchies' current content includes a story on Seattle's own haunted soda machine, Eddie Huang's Vice-sponsored series, Fresh Off the Boat, and an opinion piece on one man's intense fear of mashed potatoes. Basically, it looks promising, very promising.
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