EAST VILLAGE — More than a year after a fire tore through Korean fried chicken joint Mono+Mono, the eatery is finally set to reopen.
Repairs are underway at the restaurant at 116 E. Fourth St. — known for playing its massive music collection of 30,000 jazz LPs, which were mostly spared in the blaze — and the owner hopes to reopen in about three weeks, said Sung Chung, manager and event coordinator.
Before the April 2013 fire, Mono+Mono was only open for dinner, serving its signature twice-fried chicken with soy garlic sauce, alongside traditional pan-fried Korean pancakes. Now, it will be open during the day as well, with a slightly different concept, Chung said. He declined to give additional details.
Owner MJ Chung, who is not related to Sung Chung, was not immediately available for comment.
Mono+Mono has been closed since a fire broke out on the building’s roof at about 1 a.m. on April 21, 2013.
The blaze sent flames leaping about 35 feet, witnesses said, breaking windows in the Hell's Angels' East Third Street headquarters directly behind the restaurant. Mono+Mono was left with "excessive damage," according to Fire Department records.
After the fire, the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order for Mono+Mono, which is still in place. The DOB recently issued a permit for workers to rebuild the bar and replace the building's heating and air conditioning system, records show.
Mono+Mono initially told worried customers that the restaurant would be fixed up and reopened not long after the fire.
“Thanks for your support,” the restaurant posted on Facebook in May 2013. “We’ll be back stronger than ever!”
