First, we must never believe construction workers when they say they’re working on a phone store. Eyal Hen, who’s opening a restaurant—and not a phone store—at 88 Reade, where Mike’s Papaya was, says that construction workers told him that they “always say they’re working on a T-Mobile store” because it stops people from asking more questions.*

Chick P’s menu on Seamless (click to enlarge)

But back to the exciting news: Hen is opening a restaurant called Nish Noosh—Hebrew for “snack”—in a month or two. It’ll be Middle Eastern and vegetarian, along the lines of his Chick P in Prospect Heights. (He also has a restaurant, Fish & Sip, in Park Slope.) “It’ll be very similar to Chick P,” he says, “but with a new twist—something very, very pleasant and surprising and yummy. But I’m not telling you anything else yet.”

*Which means the space at Church and Franklin could still be becoming an IHOP….