Another Specialty Japanese Dessert Shop Heads to NYC

Another new Japanese dessert place

Desserts from Asia are going strong around New York City: The latest addition to Canal Street Market will be a kakigori shop, a Japanese shaved ice treat often topped with fresh fruit and other toppings. Bonsai Kakigōri, popping up on January 9th in the Chinatown food hall, will change its flavors seasonally, but expect options like goat’s milk caramel with sea salt and a persimmon cardamom lime version. Though Taiwanese shaved ice has been growing in popularity in NYC, kakigori isn’t as prolific. But it might be on its way: Last month, an ambitious dessert counter called The Little One opened, also serving kakigori with flavors like hojicha caramel and lime zest.

‘Clueless’-themed brunch in Midtown

Bilevel Midtown gastropub 5th & Mad is hosting a Clueless brunch on Saturday January, 20th — where diners are encouraged to wear their best outfits inspired by the ’90s film. The restaurant will have games, the movie playing in the background, and themed food and drink like a Luke Perry and a Dionne. Tickets cost $40 and include a brunch dish, dessert, and bottomless prosecco from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. A $75 ticket comes with a whole bottle of bubbly. The same restaurant has also previously hosted a Meal Girls-themed brunch.

Chelsea restaurant Motel Morris goes daytime and late night

Lively Chelsea neighborhood American restaurant Motel Morris now offers lunch and a late-night menu. The spot from former Red Cat chef Bill McDaniel serves an extended bar menu with dishes like pimento cheese deviled eggs, tuna tartare with black sesame, chili with sriracha potato chips, and a fried chicken sandwich topped with celery root and a cabbage remoulade. Costs range from $9 for malt vinegar fries to $19 for a burger with black garlic barbecue sauce, cheddar, onion ring, bacon, and picked jalapeños. See the full menu below.

Two more closings downtown

The end-of-year to beginning-of-year restaurant closing bonanza continues. The East Village location of popular Latin restaurant Yerba Buena has closed after close to a decade in the neighborhood. Owner-chef Julian Medina — who was accused of sexual misconduct last year — plans to flip his West Village restaurant Toloache into a new outpost of Yerba Buena this summer. Over in LES, taqueria El Luchador shuttered this week due to a broken water pipe, and it’s not clear when or if it will reopen. It’s been open for a year and a half.

‘Foodgod’ Jonathan Cheban eats most disgusting creation yet in Queens

In this absolutely ludicrous video on Page Six, Kardashian regular Jonathan “foodgod” Cheban visits Bayside, Queens pizzeria Krave It for a pizza topped with fries, onion rings, burger patties, bacon, burger buns, deep-fried Oreos, and powdered sugar. It makes no sense and looks obscene, but Cheban claims to like it: “This is yummy,” he says. For a more appetizing-looking pizza, look here: