Gabriel Stulman opened the very well-regarded West Village restaurant Joseph Leonard in late July. But before he ventured out on his own, he ran the front of the house (and co-owned) the exceedingly popular Little Owl and its sister restaurant Market Table, along with Joey Campanaro and Mike Price. It's been a year and half since Stulman parted ways with Campanaro and Price. But it's quite clear the partnership didn't end on a positive note. Last month Stulman filed a lawsuit against his former partners, claiming Campanaro and Price stiffed him out of his 20 percent stake in the partnership and never paid him any of the profits he was entitled to, an amount he says now totals $437,000. Stulman's suit is below.

♦ Frank Bruni had the economy in mind when he visited Market Table on Carmine Street: The restaurant earns two stars for its reasonably priced menu and comforting atmosphere that's like a "wool blanket, emphasizing good sense over high style." [NYT]
♦ David Bouley's Bouley will be closed tonight in preparation for its re-opening tomorrow at 163 Duane St. [Zagat]
♦ We though the lousy economy was killing off ridiculously silly ideas. Apparently not. The dude responsible for Guest House and Home is opening Greenhouse, New York's "first environmentally-friendly club," tonight. [NYP]

♦ Is Frank Bruni leaving the Times? Possibly, although he says he's not. [Eater]
♦ Eli Zabar has slapped an "energy surcharge" on all purchases at Eli's and some customers aren't happy about it. [NYT]
♦ A look inside Citrine, the new Flatiron club opening in late October. [DBTH]
♦ Now there are two Spitzers down for the count. The Department of Health has shuttered Spitzer's Corner, the LES bar/restaurant. [Bowery Boogie via Eater]
♦ Pork nut/amateur psychic David Chang says in the future we'll make do with less meat and eat more veggies. [Esquire via GS]
♦ Meet the five finalists in the annual Vendy Awards, which celebrates the city's finest food carts. [GS]

• High drama at Central Park Boathouse yesterday: two employees were abruptly canned and 14 others briefly stormed out in protest before management caved. And yet by day's end it was the most boring restaurant in the city again. [NY Post]

The West Village restaurant Market Table occupies the old home of the legendary Shopsin's. Shopsin's and its mercurial owner Kenny Shopsin have since moved to a smaller place in the Lower East Side's Essex Street Market. Now, Market Table is the child of Little Owl's Joey Campanaro and Gabriel Stulman and ex-Mermaid Inn chef Mikey Price. Aesthetically it follows the low key luxury of Little Owl, while the menu reflects Price's fixation on seafood. The place is a lot like the West Village without Shopsin's: rich, unoffensive, restrained.