Subway Has Pulled its Application to Open on Magazine Street

THE CHAINS — Subway has pulled its application to open in a partially vacant strip mall on Magazine Street reports Uptown Messenger. The initial application from the sandwich chain was met with major controversy — acting as a turning point in the debate on chain restaurants opening up on Magazine Street. [UPTOWN MESSENGER]

THE SHUTTER — O’Brien’s Grille, a fine-dining steakhouse on the West Bank, has closed after a decade in operation reports The Advocate. O’Brien’s distinguished itself in a neighborhood known for casual shops, with an Eater NOLA reader calling it “a solid upscale option.” [THE ADVOCATE]

REALITY TOP CHEFFAGE — New Orleans’ own Sophie Frankowski, aged 13, is headed to the small screen reports The Advocate. The tween is competing on season two of Top Chef Junior, which premiers on Saturday, September 8. Frankowski’s schtick is Polish food, which she hopes will set her apart from the rest. It’s not the first time the youth of NOLA have competed in this reality series — two New Orleans natives competed in the show’s first season. [THE ADVOCATE]

DRINK HERE — Gambit puts Compere Lapin bar mastermind Abigail Gullo in their three-course interview hot seat. Gullo’s offered advice for regular drinkers to improve their at-home cocktails: research! “Go out and talk to different bartenders, drink different drinks, try different programs and then take the pieces (they) like.” [GAMBIT]