Under Cover
Harry’s comeback
Harry’s at Hanover Sq., which shut its doors two years ago, will soon be resurrected. The famed Wall St. watering hole, which once boasted one of the city’s more impressive wine cellars, will reopen its doors as early as August, although the name may change, UnderCover has learned. Its owner, Harry Poulakakos, shut the popular establishment in 2003 – which he had owned since 1972 – after his wife and business partner, Adrienne, died of cancer. Located in the basement of India House at 1 Hanover Sq. the return of Harry’s will be welcome news for another restaurant that shares the landmark building. Poulakokos’ son Peter owns Bayard's, an upscale restaurant upstairs. The Poulakokos family also co-owns Ulysses, a nearby bar on Stone St.
Weiner loves the Governors
Every mayoral hopeful needs a cause to rally the masses and floundering candidate Anthony Weiner seems to have finally found his: the even more floundering Governors Island. Weiner, the House rep from Brooklyn, unveiled his alternate plan for the neglected island and, if elected mayor this November he vows to “shake off the torpor” surrounding the island’s development, according to a statement. The Weiner-run atoll would include a think tank “devoted principally to addressing the evolving challenges of New York City.” Our head hurts just from thinking about it.
De Niro sells out
Robert De Niro, the American Express commercial-anointed symbol of Tribeca, will need to change his voter registration card, if he hasn’t already. The actor-turned-Tribeca-real-estate-mogul has sold his lavish Hudson St. loft to investor Michael Novogratz for a whopping $12.5 million. De Niro listed the two-story condo (one story of which once belonged to fellow thespian and pal Harvey Keitel) for $14 million, but before the contract was signed, the price had dropped, the New York Observer reported.
Although De Niro owns the Tribeca Film Institute and the Tribeca Grill on Greenwich St., along with a hotel that is under construction with partners Ira Drurkier and Richard Born on the same block, he has been living large for quite some time at the Langham on Central Park West with his wife, Grace Hightower.
Perhaps his latest real estate windfall will free up a little cash to replace Hightower’s $95,000 diamond earrings that her maid allegedly lifted along with two pairs of her suede shoes earlier this month.
Titillating tapas
The tapas bar Salud on Beekman St. scored big on the Citysearch’s 2005 "Best Restaurants” contest. Customers voted it number one for the city’s “Best Small Plates/Tapas" restaurant.
Salud proprietor Edward Rodriguez penned an amorous missive to his faithful devotees. “We promise not to take this award for granted, or become complacent because of this accolade,” he professed. “This will only encourage us to work harder and continue to improve on the quality that you have come to expect and enjoy at Salud.” Next there will be free tapas all around!
Roll in the frijoles
Drew Nieporent is on a roll, or should we say burrito roll. The creator of the Tribeca favorite, Nobu, is paring off with Lower East Side chef Aaron Sanchez of Paladar to launch a Mexican eatery, Centrico on West Broadway. The new restaurant is slated to open later this month in the space that was once home to his Layla.
China Battery Pops
China is investing in more than manufacturing – it’s buying up TriBattery Pops CDs. David Preston, Philadelphia Enquirer reporter turned Beijing teacher plans to get the government to buy copies of the Battery Park City group’s “West Street” album for students in China. He is also teaching them the lyrics to “You Can’t Kill Me,” a 1987 Washington Squares original penned by his old pal, TriBattery Pops conductor Tom Goodkind. “He's teaching it to the class on Monday,” Goodkind told UnderCover. The Pops will be playing the Washington Market gazebo on July 4 at 2 p.m. for free – but don’t tell Beijing.
