Yumcha

[SobaAddict70]

Its appetizers include shavings of peekytoe crab atop a cardamom custard and, separately, fried frog legs with a Thai chili mayonnaise. Its entrees include ginger-shellacked veal cheeks. Its desserts include a black sesame crème brûlée.

The star anise infusion in a cold appetizer of tea-smoked chicken was too faint. The veal cheeks and the halibut had the excessive sweetness that frequently occurs when Asian food is adapted for American palates.

Yumcha (Frank Bruni)

Chef Angelo Sosa, formerly of Jean Georges and Spice Market, offers a new look at fusion cuisine in the heart of Greenwich Village.

Soba

[lambretta76]

Has nyone been here? The reviews, save for Bruni's, seemed to be fairly positive. And I kind of have a love-hate relationship with Bruni (love his writing style, don't really trust his tastebuds.)

[Bond Girl]

Rumour has it that three weeks ago, Sosa and the whole kitchen staff walked out during the middle of service. Anyone knows the fate of the restaurant?

[swissmiss]

New Chef at Yumcha

Quentin Dante, the owner of Yumcha, who says that his chef Angelo Sosa walked out with his entire kitchen staff on August 3rd, forcing him to close the restaurant with a full book of reservations, has appointed Ten Vong as the new executive chef for its re-opening on September 7th. Ten was most recently Chef de Cuisine at Terrance Conran’s Guastavino’s and was previously Executive Sous Chef at Jean-George Vongerichten’s popular Mercer Kitchen. I remember his fennel frond mussel dish that he made under chef Daniel Orr at Guastavino’s. It was pretty spectacular. So I am looking forward to his new menu. Sosa, who vehemently denies the claim that he walked out and says he was fired, says he is in the process of researching and opening what he describes as an extremely high end Asian restaurant. For more on the drama at Yumcha and on the often angst-ridden relationship between chefs and owners in general, please check out my feature in the New York Post, next Sunday.

From this week's Strong Buzz

[AmyDaniel]

I found this:

[greensNbeans]

I found this:

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any news on what made the crew split - I am interested to know where Sosa ends up - his menus look very original

[Bond Girl]

Life according to the gossip mill was that he got into a fight with the owners.

[tan319]

Andrea Strongs article in the NYPost about it (Yumcha and Sosa) and similiar...disagreements.

http://www.nypost.com/food/51800.htm

[tan319]

Ahhhh... it would have been nice to have a bit more depth to the article, Ms. Strong is usually strong on this (in a light way) but the article is interesting nonetheless.

Any owner on a startup thatts doing more or less fine dining should be expecting food costs

somewhere between 33% to 45% and that's maybe lowballing it somewhat.

For at least 3 to 6 months.

Not meaning an owner should be just closing their eyes and humming a happy tune but...

My two cents...