‘Forsythia’ Aims to Make it Where Kitty’s Canteen Couldn’t
With Kitty’s Canteen closed and in the history books, another nightlifer is looking to open a restaurant at 9 Stanton Street. One that revives Italian cuisine at this address.
The newcomer is a 24-seat Italian restaurant called Forsythia. The liquor license application questionnaire lists Jacob David Siwak as the principal for the business. At the moment, not much else is known about the concept. Except that Siwak seeks full liquor and 2am closing times for the establishment.
Forsythia goes before Community Board 3 later tonight for consideration.
The last time an Italian restaurant featured at 9 Stanton Street was the decade-long reign of Mangiami. Following its shutter in the spring of 2013, The Box’s Richard Kimmel planted a flag with Kitty’s Canteen, a kitschy Jewish soul-food joint that operated in a bordello-type environment. It became somewhat of a hotspot with “sexy crowds,” thanks in part to the financial involvement of Snoop Dogg.
Sixteen months later, a “lighter” version appeared next door in a more “fast casual” climate. It served until early 2017, when Kimmel teamed with Darren Sussman and Roman Gambourg to change over the concept to Samovarchik, which itself lasted only a year.
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