Columbia Social opened in the location of Plum Pomidor on Aug. 5.
The new menu features burgers, salads and a variety of tapas. PHOTO: Mike Fitelson
When Emmanuel Xenopoulos and his son Evan bought Plum Pomidor in January, they knew they wanted to keep the neighborhood hangout feel that brought the after work crowds to the popular night spot. But they also wanted to put their own spin on the restaurant.
Sit down table service was a new feature for the family’s chain of eateries, Evan said, which includes six locations throughout Midtown and the financial district. Those restaurants are mostly make-your-own-salad and sandwich take out type places.
When the Xenopoulos family bought Jou Jou Café and Plum Pomidor, both located around Broadway and W. 168th Street, from Edin and Jelena Musabegovic they knew they were buying a good location.
“We look for foot traffic. What better foot traffic do you want than a hospital?” asked Evan. “We decided to change the name [to Columbia Social]; we felt it fits with the area,” he said. “Social is just the feel we wanted.”
Jou Jou Café is being completely renovated, and the interior of Columbia Social has been changed, with new tables and chairs. The main focus has been the huge windows in the front. Unencumbered by the railing that was there before, the windows now open directly onto Broadway.
Next summer they plan to open an outdoor café to expand the seating capacity when it warms up.
“It’s great during the spring and summer months,” Evan said.
At the front of the restaurant there is an expanded pick up and delivery area – part of the lunch time experience from the Xenopoulous’ other restaurants – and some of the booths near the bar have been removed to open up the area and provide more standing space.
Columbia Social is expecting its new liquor license soon, and will once again be able to serve drinks to the after work and dinner crowd.
With the new look has come a new menu.
“The old menu focused on pastas,” Evan said.
The new menu is more standard American fare, with sandwiches, burgers and salads, but that doesn’t mean boring.
“Our appetizers are really good for sharing,” Evan said.
There’s an Asian influence in many of the dishes, like the Wok-charred Edamame and seafood ravioli in squid ink dough, both from the tapas menu.
“I think we have a good selection but nothing too expansive,” Evan said.
Columbia Social began serving lunch and dinner on Aug. 5, and Jelena, who stayed on to manage the day-to-day operations of the restaurants, said the reception to the change has been good, but slow through the summer.
“That was intentional, that’s when we did the renovation,” she said. “Lunch is already showing the potential.”
Evan said he’s upgraded the sound system and hopes the patrons who used to spend weekend evenings there return for the music and private parties they enjoyed at Plum Pomidor.
The closing of wine bar In Vino Veritas nearby spurred Jelena to expand the wine selection.
“That opened a big niche of wine lovers” and potential customers, she said.
The wine list will have old and new world wines, particularly several selections from New York vineyards, as well as bio-organic and kosher varieties.
“I think it’s going to be something new,” she said. “This is exactly what we want to promote.”
Columbia Social, 4009 Broadway between W. 168 and 169th Street
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