Tavern on the Green is coming up for bids and the gladiators are salivating. “Yes, Alan Stillman and I have talked about doing something together at Tavern,” says Nick Valenti (the man who spun off Restaurant Associates to emerge as Patina Group and buy all of Stillman’s out-of-town restaurant). Dean Poll, the Long Island restaurateur who brags of boosting the Loeb Boat House take from $8 million to $18 million in 2007, hopes he has an inside-the-park advantage over all the usual suspects competing for Tavern’s expiring license, because “there are not many Saturday, Sundays or afternoons available in my party room. I could really fill that place.”

        The Parks Department has promised to get the Request for Proposal (RFP) out soon to give suitors time to puff up their acts, doodle their plans, maybe give the winner time to book a few parties before the license expires December 31, 2009. Industry gossips see Danny Meyer, Drew Nieporent (who spent some of his youth working at Tavern) and maybe even the Ciprianis...more 

Click here for short order archive.