Ch-ch-changes: proposed falafel shop and frozen yogurt place

[teko.livejournal.com]

I noticed today that Diva Lounge has posted a public hearing sign to discuss the proposed conversion into Amsterdam Falafelshop. According to the sign, the hearing will be Jan 18 at City Hall, 2nd floor, 6pm, if anyone's curious. What's more interesting is their proposed plans, posted here. No more bubble windows or pod-shaped bathrooms!

In looking up those plans, I also noticed a proposal on the docket to convert Farmer's Bounty into some sort of frozen yogurt shop. Those plans can be viewed here.

Comments

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Do you happen to know if that's just for the Lounge, or if it also includes the restaurant? I'm not a huge fan of the bar, but I love their lunch buffet.

[ron_newman]

The linked plans show just the Lounge being converted. It was not always part of Diva restaurant, although I no longer remember what it used to be before Diva annexed it.

[unferth.livejournal.com]

It was an Indian grocery store - apparently named Subzi Mundi, if the internet is correct. I remember the store, but not specifically the name.

[beezy515.livejournal.com]

Oh, I liked that store! It wasn't around for very long, though.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Just the Lounge would be affected, not Diva itself. I think most people are of the same opinion as you, really.

[ron_newman]

I'd hate to lose Farmer's Bounty. It's the only place to buy fresh fruit in Davis Square.

[teko.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that came as a surprise to me. I'll miss having a wacky little grocery store with fresh fruit, imported beer, samosas, and British food.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's much of a shortage of stores that stock Indian products -- there's one just past Teele Square, one in Central Square, and another in Porter (to the best of my recollection). I will miss Farmer's Bounty for the British candy bars, though!

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

There's also the store ont eh corner of Mass Ave and Rindge in North Cambridge.

[ron_newman]

And another on the south (west) side of Mass. Ave. opposite Day Street.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I've seen Coffee Crisp there, but I've more reliably bought it at Newbury Comics, of all places. I haven't seen it there recently, though.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

Yes, but their selection is smaller and their prices higher.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

hidden sweets in harvard square also has coffee crisp, or at least they have in the past. might be cheaper than shaw's but i'm not sure.

[avecvu.livejournal.com]

Gourmet Express in Porter has a crazy collection of British candy! I haven't examined their selection closely in a while but they have more than Shaw's does for sure.

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

Looks like there are already several suggestions, but Gourmet Express across from the Porter T station has a surprising selection of British/European candy bars. I always went to Cardullo's in Harvard Square, too.

Of course, I actually haven't been in there in a couple months, so maybe I should say had, and you should double-check! ;)

[misterthorn.livejournal.com]

Dave's Fresh Pasta sells fresh produce, though I can't remember at this exact moment if they sell fruit. Tends to cost more than FB, but it is often my fallback when FB is out of stuff.

It's also the only other place in Davis that sells soymilk!

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

They do sell some fruit, on a limited basis.

[ritcey.livejournal.com]

Lots of produce at Pemberton Farms, too

[ron_newman]

More expensive than Farmer's Bounty, though.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I love falafels, and if this place is more of a fast-food joint in style, that might be a nice way to get them when I don't have time to sit down and wait to enjoy the utter bliss that is the food at Cafe Barada. Also: not burritos = good. However...would this place be owned by the same people as Diva? Because if so, I'm unlikely to patronize it due to this stuff (http://www.tuftsdaily.com/2.5519/racism-at-diva-lounge-1.592780?pagereq=1#.Tw2zvmBJX0M).

[teko.livejournal.com]

It doesn't look like it, no. Amsterdam Falafelshop (http://www.falafelshop.com/) is a chain (their only US store so far is in DC) so I think they're simply taking over the space.

[ron_newman]

The DC store is the only one they list on the website at all. Does this chain exist in the Netherlands or some other part of the world?

I'm looking forward to this.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I honestly can't tell. Their site makes it sort of sound as if they started as a Dutch falafel chain, but they never actually say that they're from Amsterdam. Either they're a small European chain that's just starting out in America, or someone thought it'd be a good idea to make a Dutch-themed falafel franchise.

[ron_newman]

It's pretty cool that they chose our neighborhood, out of all the other places in the US they could have gone, for their second US location.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

It looks to me like it's a rip-off of Maoz (http://www.maozusa.com/about/our-story), a falafel chain that really did start in Amsterdam. *dreams about a Maoz opening in Davis*

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

That's what I said when this came up in a comment thread in an earlier post. But since we're not getting Maoz, I'll settle for Maoz-style. :)

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

The Maoz in NYC's Union Square has some of the worst hygiene ever :\ I would much rather have a non-Maoz place.

[ron_newman]

I asked on their Facebook page and got this response:

We are actually a US based concept with no locations abroad. DC is currently the only location but we are starting to bring our award winning falafel to wherever we will be welcomed. We think Davis will be a good starting point!

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Cool! I'd give it a shot.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

It's a franchise operation, though -- so it's quite possible that the owners of Diva just bought a franchise of Amsterdam Falafelshop.

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

Oh, i totally agree! Namaskar is awesome. It's the Indian restaurant I go to more than any other.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

For what it is worth, the plan is a non-accessible workspace. Smallest gap in the work area is 20", well under ADA requirements.

The seating area looks fine (although I'm curious as to the exact gap between the self-service island and the workspace gate), in that respect. At least, assuming some of those tables have chairs rather than static booths.

[mzrowan.livejournal.com]

And the bathrooms are downstairs, unfortunately.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

There's an accessible bathroom on the main floor. Behind the check out counter.

Why there are 2 employee only bathrooms is beyond me.

[fefie.livejournal.com]

What??? Farmer's Bounty is going away and being replaced with a frozen yogurt shop? What a loss. As Ron said - it's the only place to get fresh fruit in Davis Sq. (This is the worse local news I've heard since.... the MBTA's proposed service cuts and fare increase.)

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

Mmm, a good kebab shop like the kind on every corner in Europe would be awesome. Of course it will be twice as expensive.

[tony-dot-bmp.livejournal.com]

I like those bubble windows

[squirrelitude]

As in, the landlord would kick out Farmer's Bounty and take a new tenant?

[teko.livejournal.com]

That's what it looks like. According to the plans submitted to the city, the new tenant would be called iYO Café. From the description of what they're selling, it looks like this is the first US branch of a Vietnamese frozen yogurt chain:

http://iyo.com.vn/index_eng.html

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

I hope the falafel place isn't way overpriced like most of them. I just got back from Israel and will sorely miss <$3 falafel.