Nearly six months after a suspicious fire burned at Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza (2027 Emmons Avenue), the damaged storefronts are finally restored and turning up on the real estate market.
The fire happened in November at XO Creperie, causing major damage to the second level of Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza. In its wake, XO Creperie and neighboring restaurant Sherizade shut down, and Loehmann’s closed for three months while it renovated because of smoke and water damage.
Keep reading to find out more about progress at Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza
Courier-Life is reporting that FDNY officials regard the fire at Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza as “suspicious” and possibly arson:
The early-morning fire that ate through a Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza restaurant may have been arson, FDNY officials said this week.
An FDNY spokesman said that fire marshals are treating the fire at XO Creperie, 2027 Emmons Avenue, as “suspicious” as they try to determine how the blaze was sparked.
Firefighters were called to the restaurant at 5:30 a.m. on November 21 after the flames triggered a fire alarm inside the restaurant, officials said. The blaze was put out within 50 minutes.
No one was inside the eatery when the fire broke out, although a firefighter suffered a strained shoulder as he doused the blaze.
(Courtesy of Lisanne Anderson)
Reader Lisanne Anderson spoke to one of the workers who was involved in the cleaning operation at XO Creperie in Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza after yesterday’s fire, who said that he didn’t believe that that there was much damage to the restaurant. Much of the damage was caused by putting out the fire, which included breaking the windows. Apparently the fire occurred when no one, including workers, was in the restaurant at approximately 5:30 a.m., rather than 6:20 a.m. as we reported earlier. He acknowledged that investigators were there yesterday, but doesn’t believe that they’re sure yet of the origin of the fire. Loehmann’s will be closed through Monday for cleanup, as there is still water residue and a pervasive smell of smoke on the second and third floors. The businesses on the ground floor, such as the Seaport Buffet, are open today.
We just got word from a tipster that XO Creperie, located in Loehmann’s Seaport Plaza (2027 Emmons Avenue), has burned down. The second-floor restaurant has been in the building for several years and is one of the oldest, continuously-operated businesses in the plaza. The tipster says crime scene investigators were at the building earlier today, and that Loehmann’s was closed due to the fire. Based on the blurb from Gothamist Maps, it appears the fire occurred around 6:20 a.m. today. We’ll let you know as we find out more.
(Photo courtesy of Alexandre Chang via Flickr)
To help you plan your weekend better, Sheepshead Bites is launching a new feature – the Restaurant Review Mania. Every Friday we’ll scour the web’s top business and restaurant review sites like Yelp and Citysearch to bring you the latest opinions posted about our local spots. Agree with one you see? Disagree with it? Let your fellow readers know in our comments sections.
Sheepshead Bay’s sushi scene got a few new followers – and brought back a few old ones – this week. First up was Steffi R., who had stopped visiting the half-price sushi joints under the persuasion of a stomach assaulting roll. But Momoyama (1901 Emmons Avenue) renewed her faith in Brooklyn sushi, and she says the Yaki Shrimp was totes not yucky. Meanwhile, Greg W. had been staging a Wheeler’s-inspired “No Sushi” protest in light of the “slew of Japanese joints … in stupid close proximity to one another.” But he violated his sushi strike with a weak-willed trip to Mitoushi (1714 Sheepshead Bay Road), and raves about the appetizers, special rolls and – yup – the prices. But he promises he’ll go back to solidarity with Wheelers. We’re not holding our breath. Lastly in the sushi vein, Aleksandr R. felt it was time to pay Yelp tribute to his favorite sushi spot, Yoshinoya (1741 Sheepshead Bay Road). He just loves that they remember his face, but he hasn’t realized it’s ’cause they can’t forget the crazy guilo who never orders anything new.
Elsewhere in restaurant review world:
Reviewer JJ K. from Ft. Lauderdale loved the outdoor service of “this Russki place,” XO Creperie (2027 Emmons Avenue). But he warns to stay away from the hookah “as they have no clue how to do it nor do they know that it should be cleaned, once in a while.” Eek.
Greg W. – perhaps the same one on strike from Wheeler’s – is “lukewarm on [Cafe] Istanbul” (1715 Emmons Avenue). There’s nothing wrong with it, he says, but there’s nothing great, either. We’re starting to get a little “lukewarm” on Greg.
Munchinette (1738 Sheepshead Bay Road) inspires Melinda P. to blab on about its freshness of ingredients. She thinks it’s a cut above the “assortment of bagel and sandwich shops” on Sheepshead Bay Road and Emmons Avenue and swears by the everything bagel with cream cheese, tomato and lox. She also says the salmon platters are “surprisingly delicious.”
Either someone felt guilty after stealing the silverware or a sidewalk patron lost a fork.
Either way, this lone fork somehow made its way onto the XO sidewalk menu display.
I’ve never dined at XO Creperie or New Cats Cafe, but if I do, I’ll keep a close eye on the fork.
If any of you have eaten at either establishment, let us know what you thought.
XO Creperie
2027 Emmons Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 368-4477
New Cats Cafe
2027 Emmons Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235
(718) 332-4850
