An exciting new restaurant is gearing up to move into the space that was recently vacated by The Colonial.
Grafe is a brand new restaurant concept from club-owners Vlad and Afaiat Nurieva, who have spent the past decade operating out of their neighborhood of Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. Vlad and Afaiat are the owners of Signature Restaurant and Falada. Signature is a banquet restaurant located by the waters of Sheepshead Bay. Offering a variety of banquets and parties like corporate events, weddings, birthdays, and bar mitzvahs, Signature is known for providing guests with every amenity they need to plan the banquet of their dreams.
Falada, meanwhile, is a popular nightclub located next door to Signature. A combination steakhouse, karaoke lounge, and hookah bar, Falada features a full bar and regularly hosts parties lead by local DJs. The lounge was formerly known as Faberge, and cultivated an aesthetic of wealth and luxury, but was forced to change its name when Vlad was sued by the Fabergé jewelry company for trademark infringement. Vlad insisted that his club had nothing to do with jewelry, but ultimately lost the case and was forced to change the name of the club.
Now, it appears that Vlad and Afaiat are moving into Manhattan with a brand new concept planned for 149 East 57th Street. Grafe is described as a “full-service upscale restaurant, serving premium meats and seafood.” Occupying the entire two-story building, Grafe will be replacing Le Colonial, a popular French-Vietnamese restaurant that operated on the block for over 25 years. Sadly, it appears that Le Colonial has no plans to reopen anywhere else anytime soon.
While Vlad successfully operated Falada as a popular night club and lounge, Grafe is expected to be a more subdued affair, open daily from 10AM – 10PM, seven days a week. With a small additional bar on the second floor, Vlad has indicated that he would like to offer live saxophone music to guests, and has adequately soundproofed the space to accommodate that desire.
