Whew: Abducted Brooklyn Bodega Cat Boka Is Back Home

What a relief: Boka is back home. The Brooklyn bodega cat that was abducted in late July has been returned to its owner, Brooklyn Paper reports. A person who was “in contact with the cat-napper” brought the cat back to the shop, owner Abdulmajeed Albahri told the publication. After Albahri posted a photo of Boka to Instagram — where the cat has gained quite a following — customers poured into the shop to celebrate Boka’s return.

Brooklyn Paper reports that a Reddit user claiming to be the person who took the cat posted a thread on the forum saying that they grabbed the cat because they were “concerned for Boka’s safety.” They had allegedly seen the animal roam outside of the shop and had returned the cat to the bodega multiple times previously. Albahri told the paper that Boka was properly cared for and the abductor was lying.

A buzzy Williamsburg all-day cafe eyes a new venture

Nathan Adler and Rachel Jackson of Williamsburg all-day cafe Gertie are looking to open a new Italian American restaurant called Jackie in Two Bridges, according to information on a liquor license application spotted by Bowery Boogie. The duo hope to involve Jonah Miller, the owner of East Village Spanish spot Huertas — where Adler is also a business partner — in the project, but the idea is still in its early phases. A lease hasn’t been finalized yet, according to Adler, and Miller hasn’t officially signed on to the project yet.

Owner of acclaimed West Village restaurant Silver Apricot calls on city for more support for outdoor dining sheds

Two people were recorded having sex in Silver Apricot’s outdoor dining structure recently and the city and police have been slow to respond to the incident, owner Emmeline Zhao tells the New York Post. Zhao says the structure has been “a lifeline” during the pandemic, but the police allegedly won’t help with keeping the shed clear outside of dining hours. Zhao put up a temporary wire fence around the structure, but she says that a real gate is too expensive to install.

A dining guide to Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood

Bon Appétit has mapped out top Portuguese, Spanish, and Brazilian restaurants to visit within walking distance of Newark’s Penn Station.

Update: August 8, 2022, 12:10 p.m.: This article was updated with more information about plans for Jackie in downtown Manhattan.