Vegan soul food restaurant set to open on Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Harlem

Harlem’s first full-service, vegan soul food restaurant is about to work its magic with yams that taste like crawfish, lotus roots that pass for barbecued riblets and a medley of soy and seitan with the zest of smothered Southern chicken.

Chef Brenda Beener and her son Aaron will be opening Seasoned Vegan in Harlem in August. First, they’re trying to raise $20,000 to help pay their start-up costs.

In an area long plagued by frightening rates of obesity and diabetes, Seasoned Vegan will offer meatless and nondairy feasts with no gluten or animal fat — and it will apply for kosher certification to dramatically broaden its appeal.

“One of our goals quite simply is to increase longevity and improve the health of the neighborhood we love,” says Brenda Beener, 57, the chef, founder and co-owner.

“And we will satisfy even the most skeptical of carnivores at the same time,” vows her partner and son Aaron, 27.

The budding mother-and-son entrepreneurs plan to open in August on a booming stretch of Frederick Douglass Blvd. near 116th St. that has emerged in recent years as Harlem’s Restaurant Row.

Employing 15 people, Seasoned Vegan will occupy 1,800 square-feet on two levels with an upscale, 30-seat restaurant above a ground-floor lounge offering smoothies and “vegan-style alcohol.”

Soulful entrees created with “mock” meat and fish — and a savory mac and cheese sampled by the Daily News that doesn’t really use any cheese — will be priced between $13 and $18.

“Our neighborhood has sometimes been called a food desert because we just don’t have enough healthy choices,” said Thomas Lunke, director of planning at the Harlem Community Development Corp.

“Brenda is creating a home-grown business using fat-free ingredients that will help to change all that.”

But there’s still one obstacle: money.

The Beeners expect to spend $250,000 to acquire and outfit the restaurant space and cover rent and operating expenses for a year. They’re seeking a bank loan that would require a 20% downpayment, or $50,000.

To help them reach that sum, they’ve launched a campaign on Kickstarter.com, which provides funding for creative projects online by asking friends, vegans and supporters to kick in another $20,000.

With 22 days left in the 30-day campaign, they’ve lined up 48 backers who’ve pledged $2,397 so far.

Would-be contributors can view the Beeners’ pitch at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1518430027/seasoned-vegan-a-full-service-vegan-restaurant-in

dfeiden@nydailynews.com

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Harlem Merchants Band together to put Frederick Douglass Blvd. on Business Guide Map

Frederick Douglass Blvd., has become a prime culinary destination and … winner of the Best Neighborhood Award … in 2011.
Harlem’s trendy Frederick Douglass Blvd. is now on the map. Literally.

Merchants and community leaders from uptown’s new “it” neighborhood have created a colorful guide to market services and stores from W. 110th St., to W. 124th St., hoping to lure shoppers and tourists to “The Gateway to Harlem.”

Lia SanFilippo (left) and Selene Martinez (right), are the owners of 5 & Diamond restaurant, located at 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Harlem

“There are so many reasons to come to the neighborhood now,” said Lia San Filippo, co-owner of the hip new “5 and Diamond” restaurant and co-president of the recently formed Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance (FDBA).

“And that’s why the map is so important,” she said. “It helps people know that we are here and helps them find us easily.

The other night, we had customers who came from 110th St. and one woman said, ‘Oh my God, I have been living here 20 years and never walked in this direction.’ ”

The FDBA represents 45 of the businesses on the street, including Harlem Vintage, the first upscale wine store, hip new butcher shop Harlem Shambles and the first supermarket, Best Yet. There’s also Land Yoga, Harlem Children’s Zone, two beer gardens and the classic old gas stations and beauty salons that line the boulevard.

“The most important thing about the map is that there is something to put on it,” said Hans Futterman, who designed the upscale condo 2280 FDB and three more condos on nearby Harlem streets.

“For decades,” he said, “you could drive up and down FDB and there was little to attract your attention of any positive nature – just a lot of vacant, burned out blocks, drug dealers – things that made people feel they wanted to hurry through the neighborhood.”

The dramatic transformation was spurred by a 2004 rezoning of the boulevard which the paved the way for more high-rise residential construction and ground-level retail space at a time when 40% of the street’s 226 storefronts were vacant.

Today, Frederick Douglass Blvd. has become a prime culinary destination and was the winner of the Best Neighborhood Award given by the Curbed NY blog in 2011.

The Alliance plans to mail the map to 1,200 households and have it posted on Columbia University’s student and faculty websites.

Merchants say they are there to stay, and have been able to rejuvenate the historic boulevard with the joint help of the Columbia-Harlem Small Business Development Center, the Harlem Community Development Corp., Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Office.

Marcelo Orve, owner of MB Dry Cleaners, was one of the first new businesses to open on the street 11 years ago, when crime and empty lots were the norm.

“When we first came in 2001 we had the doors locked all the time,” said Orve, relaxing behind the counter of his store last Tuesday night. “Little by little, more developers came. Now, everyone wants to be here.”

hevans@nydailynews.com

Calling it a night?: Harlem Bars Slam Community Board Proposal

Barkeeps say 2am close would kill business 

HARLEM BAR AND RESTAURANT owners fear that a new proposal requiring local establishments to stop serving liquor at 2 a.m. could close the tab on their late night business.

The proposal, initiated last week by Community Board 10′s Economic Development Committee, would require new businesses seeking a liquor license recommendation from CB 10 to agree to stop serving two hours earlier than the 4 a.m. norm in the rest of the city.

“The entire city is open until 4 a.m. so if Harlem bars were to close at 2, it would put us at an extreme disadvantage,” said Sherri Wilson-Daly, one of the owners of the popular Harlem Tavern on W. 116th St.

“For them to put our businesses at a disadvantage like that is doing a real disservice to the community.”

Although CB 10 cannot change the hours of operations for existing businesses, the board can omit their liquor license recommendation for new businesses seeking approval from the New York State Liquor Authority.

CB 10 is still in the early stage of the proposal process and will further examine the effects of the plan before moving forward, said CB 10 Chair Henrietta Lyle.

“There’s still a lot of work being done looking at the economic effect and police reports by the community board,” said Lyle. “It is still in the early stages.”

As more bars and restaurants continue to pop up in bustling Central Harlem, CB 10 aims to limit the late night crowds that have appeared in other bar-ridden areas of Manhattan, like Murray Hill and the Meatpacking District.

“They’re nervous that Harlem will become like the Lower East Side or Meatpacking District with lots of people in the streets, but we are still very far away from that,” said

Susannah Koteen, the proprietor of the Italian restaurant Lido on Frederick Douglass Blvd. and W.117th th.

“We’re keeping people in the community, hiring people from the community and bringing money into the community, so it seems strange that would want to hinder business,” she added.

In August, CB 6 approved a similar proposal forcing bars and restaurants in the Murray Hill area to meet with the New York State Liquor Authority if they wanted to keep serving later than 2 a.m.

“It’s hard to do business in Manhattan,” said Koteen. “If businesses want to stay open a little later and make a few extra bucks, why not?”

BY Joseph Tepper
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A Harlem Block Comes Together Over Crime

Long time residents and newcomers of 114th St. come together

Roberta Coleman has seen it all on her beloved Harlem block.

For the nearly 40 years she has lived on W. 114th St. between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvds., there’s been a turf war between the mothers and grandmothers on the tree-lined street and the never-ending stream of drug dealers.

Profile of W. 114th - between Frederick Douglass and Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvds. has been a haven for drug dealers for decades. Now with new condos being built, young urban professionals are joining forces with long time public housing residents to rid their storied block of crime.

But now there is hope that power may finally be shifting for good to the long-suffering, law-abiding citizens of the storied block.

With gentrification moving at a blazing pace in Harlem, Coleman, still going strong at 67 as president of the public housing tenant’s association, has a new partner in fighting crime: the young urban professionals who have moved into two luxury condos on the corner.

After two murders on the block this summer – not involving people who lived there – newcomers and oldtimers have joined forces to drive out the dealers.

“Whatever help we can get to make it a better block and get rid of the crackheads, we are happy about it,” said Coleman, noting that most of the 300 people who remain are senior citizens, many of whom are afraid to go out at night.

Coleman said she was initially angry the condo owners did not reach out to her and her neighbors, but were able to get the prompt attention of local officials and police with their calls and letters.

“Without getting to know the residents, they lumped us together as if were were all animals and drug dealers,” she said.

It’s a sociological and economic earthquake on the street, where long-time residents of NYCHA’s Philip Randolph Houses never expected to see $500,000 to $1 million dollar apartments replace vacant lots. Or restaurants that charge $26 for shrimp and grits.

Young professionals have been moving in, drawn to new, roomier apartments that cost less than other parts of Manhattan. They are also drawn to Harlem for its rich history and friendly feel, where long time residents, many of whom moved to New York from the South in the 60s and 70s, still greet each other with a warm hello on the street.

“It seems like everyone wants the same thing-a safe environment,” said condo president Ron Peterson, who moved in with his wife last year after working abroad.

“The hardest part for us was coming home on a Saturday night and have police escort you around crime tape. That was very strange, especially for people with kids.”

Peterson and Coleman are now the dynamic duo of W. 114th St. They have planned a Christmas tree lighting at 5pm Sunday on the block, with condo owners and residents baking cookies and making hot chocolate.

Local officials and police will be on hand as well, including State Senator Bill Perkins, who has an office on the block and recently held a community forum on the quality of issues life facing the block and the area.

“The good news is the coming together of those who have been here and those who just arrived to move the community forward,” said Perkins. “Unfortunately, the common ground is as a result of drug dealing and guns. But you have to give credit to the leadership on W. 114th Street for having persevered and having kept the faith.”

There was a time some 30 years ago when more than 600 children gave the block life, playing jump rope and riding bicycles while grownups looked on from their stoops.

The drug of choice was heroin then, users keeping to themselves, said Coleman. Now it’s crack with “younger players who have no respect for themselves or the community.”

Coleman, who moved in as a young mother from Alabama in 1975, said she welcomes her new -and mostly white-neighbors.

“It looks like we are all on the same page now,” she said.

“No one really wants to move because we love our street. We are here to stay.”

BY Heidi Evans
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Harlem’s culinary treasures: Zagat guide shows Uptown Manhattan’s stars

Chef Marcus Samuelsson with his Lamb Hash at his Red Rooster restaurant on Lenox Ave. in Harlem.

As with apartments, there are bargains to score Uptown when it comes to hunting for a good meal.

Upticks in real estate investment are translating into more and more dining choices, said Tim Zagat, co-founder of the Zagat New York City Restaurants guide series. And oftentimes, the new eateries are hitting the mark.

The newest Zagat New York City restaurant guide found some new stars to watch: Marcus Samuelsson‘s hot-ticket Red Rooster on Lenox Ave. was named as a “key newcomer,” as was Lido, an Italian restaurant on Frederick Douglass Blvd., where a good meal will cost close to $100.

But there are some inexpensive spots to check out too – such as Covo Trattoria & Pizzeria, where happy hours go until midnight, most dishes are less than $15, and the outdoor dining is a Zagat top pick.

“During happy hour, you can come and have a couple of drinks and pizza for under $20,” said general manager Luca Valeriani about the restaurant on W. 135th St. and 12th Ave.

“This neighborhood is getting better and better. We are becoming the Meatpacking [District] of Harlem.”

Zagat raved about Covo, calling it a “first-rate” job “for the money.”

For soul food, there’s Zagat favorite Amy Ruth‘s on W. 116th St. near Lenox Ave., deemed a best brunch and child-friendly spot by the review team.

Miss Maude’s on W. 137th St. near Lenox Ave. was called “solid” because “they really feel like rural North Carolina, right down to the backcountry prices,” said the guide.

Miss Maude’s owner Norma Jean Darden said the hungry come from across the globe to sample her $12.95 fried chicken platter and $4.95 red velvet cake.

“It’s homecooked food. It’s not a restaurant,” said Darden. “We are for people who are away from home, or for people who just don’t want to cook, or pay an arm and a leg for good food.”

Longtime Dominican favorite El Malecon, on Broadway and W. 175th St. in Washington Heights, looks plain – but the food sure isn’t.

Zagat cited El Malecon for its “luscious” $9 whole chicken and other “stick-to-your-ribs” dishes “para poco dinero.”

Empire Szechuan on Broadway near W. 170th St. has entrées such as Lamb with Szechuan Ma La Sauce for just under $14. But Zagat suggested diners skip the “drab decor” and indulge via phone.

For date night, head to Inwood for a “bargain” eat-in place, Garden Cafe on Broadway near W. 207 St. Hang in their “lovely” garden while chowing down on snazzy entrées such as like Cajun Dusted Sashimi Tuna, for less than $20.

The tiny, ten-table Rao’s – which is practically impossible to get into unless you’re already a loyal customer, like Mayor Bloomberg or A-Rod- was listed in the newest version of Zagat’s as Harlem’s best.

El Paso Taqueria came in second, with Dinosaur BBQ, Covo, Red Rooster, Hudson River Cafe, Amy Ruth’s and 5 Diamond respectively rounding out the list.

5 Diamond co-owner Selene Martinez said Harlem was her top pick for her eatery.

“We choose Harlem becaues it’s always filled with all types of people. Everyone is represented here and there is a great history,” said Martinez, who suggested folks try out their Monday Mac & Cheese Night.

“There’s truffled Mac & Cheese and Lobster Mac & Cheese. David [the chef] has a special secret in there.”

knelson@nydailynews.com

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City to rename street in Harlem to honor Officer Phillip Cardillo?

Todd Cardillo was just a year old when his father was shot to death inside a Harlem mosque nearly 40 years ago.

No one has been convicted in the murder of Officer Phillip Cardillo, a married father of three, even after police officials promised in 2006 a renewed focus on the case. The trail has gone cold.

Now an effort to honor the fallen cop – renaming the street in front of the 28th Precinct stationhouse where he worked – also has come up empty. Fear, red tape and a Community Board 10 moratorium on street renamings have brought the project to a halt, the Daily News has learned.

“All these years later, in reality, no one is going to go to jail for what happened to my dad,” said the 39-year-old son. “But this is something that would give us a little bit of happiness, an acknowledgment that my dad did the right thing.”

Officer Cardillo answered a bogus 911 call on April 14, 1972, reporting a cop in trouble inside the Nation of Islam Mosque No. 7 on W. 116th St. Cardillo, who was white, was shot and died six days later.

Fearing street unrest would escalate to a race riot, Mayor John Lindsay and then-Police Commissioner Patrick Murphy let 16 witnesses walk out of the mosque without being interviewed.

One suspect stood trial, but there was a hung jury. Then Louis 17X Dupree was acquitted during a retrial.

The murder has long been considered one of the darkest days for the NYPD, but it hurts much more for a son who knows his father only through photographs and stories.

“He died doing his job and doing it the right way,” the son said. “But with the coverup and all the controversy, it was all brushed aside.”

Last spring, the Cardillo family gained a valuable ally.

Deputy Inspector Rodney Harrison, the commanding officer of the 28th Precinct, got involved. He was the first person from the Police Department to approach the Cardillo family about renaming the Harlem street, on Frederick Douglass Blvd. at W. 123rd St.

The family was thrilled, but police sources said Harrison’s supervisors were worried that moving forward without the blessing of the members of the mosque might ignite racial tension.

Harrison has told mosque officials and community board members about his plans to rename the street. He even passed along to Community Board 10 more than 2,700 signatures collected by officers from the NYPD and other police departments in support of the renaming. More than 200 Harlem residents also signed a document of support.

Deputy Inspector Kim Royster, an NYPD spokeswoman, said Harrison and mosque officials were planning a sitdown. Royster said there’s no reason to believe the mosque would oppose the renaming of the street.

Still, it wasn’t clear when the moratorium would expire.

Community Board 10 would not comment, but a source familiar with the issue said the moratorium was put in place while the city Department of Investigation probes an unrelated street naming that may have involved criminality.

Todd Cardillo is hopeful but taking a wait-and-see approach.

“What happened to my dad should be remembered,” he said. “And it shouldn’t happen again.”

rparascandola@nydailynews.com

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A guide to the booming Harlem nabe

Aloft Harlem, the nabe’s first new hotel in over 40 years, is the latest in a string of chic boutiques, restaurants and cocktail lounges on Frederick Douglass Blvd. above 110th St. The area’s first beer garden opened in August, and luxury condos are cropping up on every corner. No wonder realtors call this bustling stretch of Eighth Ave. Harlem’s Gold Coast.

*The booming boulevard begins at Frederick Douglass Circle (Central Park North & Frederick Douglass Blvd.), where a monument to the abolitionist was completed in June (pictured above). The B and C trains at 110th St.-Central Park North bring visitors to the vibrant corridor running up to 125th St.

*Niche shops like MODSquad Cycles (2119 Frederick Douglass Blvd.; above left), Bebenoir Boutique (2164 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) and the just-opened Bibi Salon (2220 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) are meeting the rising demand of incoming professionals. “We’re bringing a service into a neighborhood that really needed it,” says Laralyn Mowers, 31, from MODSquad, which rents out bikes and hawks customized wheels for up to $4,500. “Sometimes kids come in with a flat tire, and we’ll patch it for no charge.”

New eateries are expanding the area’s palate, like Patisserie des Ambassades (2200 Frederick Douglass Blvd., above right) and Questan’s (2113 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) with its seafood specials. The 5 & Diamond (2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) opened in March with organic American fare, and upper West Side favorite Levain Bakery will open at 2167 Frederick Douglass Blvd. next year.

*Harlem was poised to be New York’s next It nabe three years ago until the real estate crash halted many projects. Now as more students and young families settle uptown, investors are taking over vacant lots and empty storefronts to build new businesses.

The condo boom, however, has some longtime residents worried about getting priced out. The FDB 2280 (2280 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) luxury complex prides itself as Harlem’s “new standard” of living, while the one-bedrooms at the Livmor (301 W. 115th St.) begin selling at $460,000.

*Bier International (2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd.; above), Harlem’s first beer garden, opened in August with nine international and domestic drafts, plus scores of bottles. “This is what the neighborhood needed,” says co-owner Chris Pollok. “My partner and I have been in business for years, mostly in the East Village, but now everything is happening here!” There’s more on tap: Harlem Tavern opens next month at 116th St.

*”The lounge culture has gotten really popular,” says Malik Sharif, who works at Moca Lounge (2210 Frederick Douglass Blvd.). Karl Williams at 67 Orange St. (2082 Frederick Douglass Blvd., shown above) is also bringing the cocktail culture of Death & Co. uptown. “This area is really starting to open up, and I love it,” says the Harlem resident. “I don’t have to go downtown to go ­shopping or have a good cocktail. We’re creating that downtown experience up here.”

*Iconic pieces honoring Harlem’s history still color the nabe, such as the 30-by-11-foot Spirit of Harlem glass mosaic by Brooklyn native Louis Del Sarte (80 W. 125th St.; above left), or the nearby Swing Low: A Memorial to Harriet Tubman bronze sculpture by Allison Saar (123rd St. & Frederick Douglass Blvd.) celebrating the Underground Railroad leader.

* Plenty of local artisans still sell their wares between the bars and chic boutiques. One vendor from Burkina Faso sells handmade West African-style jewelry for a song, including carved wooden bangles and necklaces for $7 to $10, and glass rings for $5 (above right).

*The Aloft Harlem hotel (2296 Frederick Douglass Blvd.) opened on Thursday with 124 rooms averaging $239 a night, plus a gym, a bar/lounge area and outdoor patio. Says local resident Ashtan Pina, 21, “This area is booming, and yet, those places like the Apollo and Sylvia’s that make Harlem Harlem are still here.”

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