Thursday, April 21, 2011

After Years, A Sign Of Life At The Former Banania/Porchetta/ Carniceria Restaurant Space On Smith Street

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For years now, the storefront at 241 Smith Street at the corner of Douglass, has been standing empty, the paint slowly peeing from the big french doors and the newspaper yellowing in the windows.

It wasn't always like that. Back in the 1990's, that corner was hopping. The location was the home of popular French bistro, Banania, a pioneer of Smith Street's Restaurant Row. It later became Porchetta, but when its owner, Marco Rivero, got into a legal entanglement with his chef Jason Neroni , Rivero closed that restaurant to open Carniceria, an Argentinian steakhouse. That too was short lived and since May 2008, the place has been unoccupied.
That may be about to change. A few permits were just issued a week ago by the NYC Department of Buildings.

It would be nice to see that corner of Smith Street come alive again.

Related Reading:
Perfect For Halloween: Carniceria's Ghost Restaurant
Carniceria Bites The Dust On Smith


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6 comments:

Jill said...

I still miss banania.

neil said...

Ditto - loved Banania

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah banania with its complimentary basket of small chocolat croissants...

Anonymous said...

Word on the street is that it's a french bistro that will open in the space.

Anonymous said...

Well, I too LOVED Banania. Had a nice date there with a jerk, but he paid. Had many easy going meals there in a really tasteful setting.
I was mad that the Carniceria incarnation dude bribed.. I mean extorted.. I mean bought... I mean offered the REAL Canirceria down the block a small bundle for his original sign that had been there for years. Now where is it? He should have given it back!

Anonymous said...

What? A French Bistro? Really? Wow! I've never heard of such a thing on Smith Street! ;)