ACME Kitchen Brings Taste of The South To East Village

Terryl Gavre, the dynamo behind Café 222 and Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant, is going back to the basics with her latest eatery, called ACME Kitchen (901 E St.).

The neighborhood spot replaces the East Village's shuttered New Café, an American breakfast-and-Chinese food combo which is being completely gutted and remodeled.

She calls the 1,000-square-foot space, slated to open in May, a "teeny-tiny Southern-style kitchen" featuring down home food and beer. Despite its modest size, expect a bustling business; she's putting 40 chairs inside, along with 40 sidewalk seats.

Choose a main meat plate (smothered pork chops, cracker-crusted fried chicken) and add two sides (Brunswick stew, mac and cheese pork neck greens with garlic) for $15; or a sandwich (pulled pork, grilled meatloaf) with a side $10. If the house-baked "angel" biscuits, white rolls or jalapeño-corn muffins don't fully satisfy, a finale of bread pudding or lemon cream pie will.

With a focus on takeout, Gavre also hopes customers will bring the kitchen's cooking home or back to the office.

To help define the space, she's partnered with Paul Basile of Basile Studio, who recently completed Polite Provisions, to create an "old timey Southern kitchen" feel with a cozy, warm and casual interior.

ACME Kitchen Menu