Eater sweated it out at last night’s Community Board 3 meeting, listening as a couple of dozen liquor license applicants outlined their plans for new restaurants and bars on the Lower East Side.
According to their report, the French team behind Experimental Cocktail Club won support for their plan to take over the Kush space at 191 Chrystie. They are apparently dreaming up some recipes paying homage to the neighborhood’s culinary roots, including a pickled martini and a smoked salmon bloody mary.
The panel also signaled its approval for Saro (the Eastern European bistro at 102 Norfolk) to upgrade to a full bar.  Mexicue, which plans to open a spot at 106 Forsyth, got the go-ahead for a beer/wine license. Same goes for Gaia, the Italian cafe on East Houston, and Top Hops, a craft beer take-out shop (with a tasting table) going into 94 Orchard.
The committee signed off on the transfer of a wine/beer license from the defunct Sushi Uo (151 Rivington) to Yopparari, also a Japanese restaurant. According to their application, the menu includes Japanese noodles, rice, tofu, fish and grilled meats. This place plans to be open for dinner until 2 a.m.
The CB3 committee’s recommendations must now be approved by the full board. The State Liquor Authority has the final say; community board opinions are one of many factors the SLA commissioners consider.
