Nathan Fielder Was Bartending in Williamsburg Last Week for ‘The Rehearsal’

For New Yorkers who walked by the Alligator Lounge last week and saw a new awning that said “Nate’s Lizard Lounge,” fear not: This is not the end of the Williamsburg bar known for its free pizza. In fact, quite the contrary. The signage switch-out is only temporary: Over the past week, comedian Nathan Fielder took over the bar, where he could be seen bartending, as part of promotion for season two of his HBO show The Rehearsal (the ___location choice is intentional, as the Alligator Lounge factored heavily into the plot of season one.) Actress Emma Stone, a Fielder collaborator, was a guest.

An Ecuadorian sports bar relocates

The atmosphere at Chuzo Culture in Park Slope, a sports bar, may have left something to be desired, but its Ecuadorian food was great — that was until the spot closed down a couple of months ago. Now, according to a spokesperson for the restaurant, it’s relocated to Bay Ridge and rebranded as Bar Chuzo — the menu is a bit more free form, calling itself a “Latin bistro” as opposed to strictly Ecuadorian. This allowed chef Ronny Jaramillo “a lot of room for creativity using Ecuadorian flavors in non-traditional ways,” says the spokesperson, such as “the scallop crudo [that] uses guanabana as the base, with salted honey-roasted cucumbers and apples on top for this sweet, sour, salty combo that is so unique and delicious.” The spokesperson added: “Ronny’s goal was always to elevate his native cuisine, and, judging from the feedback we are getting, it’s definitely welcomed and encouraged here.”

City Bakery founder returns with another pop-up

Since the closing of the beloved City Bakery in 2019, Maury Rubin has gone on to start several businesses. For the past few years, he’s been hosting pop-ups under the name the Color of Chocolate, which went on a hiatus. Now, it’s returned for May around the corner from his former eponymous bakery: Rubin will be serving mornings through afternoons at Another Country Cocktail Lounge, at 10 E. 16th Street, near Fifth Avenue. Expect chilled chocolate drinks, pastry, and puddings. This time, Rubin is also shaking things up by inviting guest pastry chefs like Anne Rosenzweig, who will be serving her signature chocolate bread pudding, once at City Bakery, for the first time in Manhattan in more than two decades.