Au Cheval, the Chicago burger joint whose opening here has foodies all in a tizzy, is poised to open. JH reports they had a soft opening / friends and family night last week. This picture is taken through a hole in the papered window so it’s not a glamour shot, but you get the idea. This could be the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning for Cortlandt Alley, whose gentrification is a lock with the gallery district migrating to the area from Chelsea in waves.

As for the anticipation for Au Cheval (by some quirk of the lexicon, it means “with a fried egg on top” in French) this was Eater’s account in January:
Burger fiends across the country know the Au Cheval burger, which falls into the classic American varietal of two griddled four-ounce patties with American cheese, dijonnaise, and pickles on a toasted bun. It sounds simple, but the Chicago restaurant still racks up multi-hour-long lines for what is modernized diner fare. Owner Brendan Sodikoff — who already has a Manhattan hit on his hands at 4 Charles Prime Rib — is set to open the second-ever location in Tribeca. There will be 75 seats for that burger and other neo-diner fare, such as potato hash with duck heart gravy, matzah ball soup, and chilaquiles at the Chicago location.