NYC Restaurants: Big Gay Ice Cream Lawsuit + Swedish Fish Edition

NEW YORK CITY — A sweet New York City ice cream chain saw itself in the middle of a bitter lawsuit that capped a swirl of food news this past week.

Foodie happenings didn't stop the last week before Labor Day. Besides the lawsuit, there was a fishy Swedish invasion, a big fine dining reopening and a very holiday-appropriate highlight on wage theft for restaurant workers.

And Patch's eternally famished local newsroom served it all up for our dear readers.

Check out our weekly roundup, and come back next week for seconds.

The soft-serve Big Gay Ice Cream chain got served up a hardball $4 million lawsuit by one of its founders.

Douglas Quint filed a suit in Manhattan court that accuses a business partner, Jon Chapski, of mismanaging the once-successful company and defrauding the government out of nearly $300,000 in loans during the pandemic.

Chapski not only cut off Quint from decisions at the company, but caused most of Big Gay Ice Creams' locations to melt away, the lawsuit contends.

Quint hopes to wrest back control of Big Gay Ice Cream and save the brand.

Beyond the disputes of business owners and executives, the plight of everyday restaurant workers made Patch headlines.

More than a dozen Upper East Side restaurants owe nearly 350 workers roughly $650,000 in unpaid wages, according to a new data analysis.

The Documented analysis of state and federal Labor department data looked at multiple industries, but the restaurant business is thought to be the epicenter of wage theft across the state.

• Big Gay Ice Cream Shop Served $4M NYC Lawsuit
• 16 UES Restaurants Stole Wages From Workers: New Data Analysis

Salmon may swim upstream, but the Swedish fish soon will swim Uptown.

The sweet Scandinavian treat appears to be headed to a new candy shop — BonBon NYC — on Lexington Avenue and East 82nd Street devoted to Swedish fish.

BonBon NYC isn't from Sweden, but from the Lower East Side where three self-described "real-life Oompa Loompas" who import candy from Sweden and offer their own brand of fish with Willy Wonkish flavors such as wild strawberry, elderflower and sour peach.

The whimsical candy shop isn't the only upcoming Uptown eatery.

Former fine dining destination Café Boulud will reopen in a new Upper East Side location this fall, the restaurant announced.

The restaurant will open its doors to diners at 100 East 63rd St., just off Park Avenue, in November.

"This Café Boulud will be unique in its approach," said Chef Daniel Boulud, "but will continue to be guided by my four longstanding inspirations as well as the deep roots of the brand."

• Go Swedish Fish: New Lex Ave Candy Shop To Serve Scandinavian Treats
• Café Boulud Will Reopen On The UES In November

As always, some New York City didn't have such a sweet week.

Greenwich Village lost some of its quality eats, specifically the Quality Eats steakhouse.

Owner Michael Stillman — the restaurateur behind Smith & Wollensky and son of the TGI Friday's founder — confirmed

the restaurant's weekend closure, Eater was first to report.

And three New York City eateries were closed by health inspectors.

• Go Elsewhere For Quality Eats, This Village Steakhouse Closed: Report
• NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Aug. 25 - 30