Robert De Niro is all set to say goodbye to his longtime Nobu partner Drew Nieporent, for a new boutique hotel.
New York, June 16 : Robert De Niro is all set to say goodbye to his longtime 'Nobu' partner Drew Nieporent, for a new boutique hotel.
The actor is set to open Downtown this year on Greenwich St. in Tribeca, but rumour has it that, he plans to leave the witty restaurateur out in favour of his another partner in L.A's Ago, chef Agostino Sciandri.
De Niro and Nieporent launched Nobu at Hudson and Franklin in 1994 with chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, managing partner Richie Notar and producer Meir Teper.
Nobu's nonpareil fusion cuisine produced a host of other aspirants, not to mention more than a dozen Nobus around the world.
However, De Niro later fell in love with Sciandri's Tuscan cuisine, and opened Ago in L.A. and Miami with partners Harvey Weinstein and Ridley Scott.
The actor, who is also the founder of Tribeca Film Festival, did resort to Nobu's original designer, architect David Rockwell, who has come up with a building so in keeping with the historic neighbourhood.
But the 88-room hotel's presence must be a double threat to Nieporent, since Ago will battle with his Tribeca Grill next door, plus his Vietnamese-flavoured Mai House and Mexican-inspired Centrico down the block.
Nieporent could not be reached, while De Niro's spokesman was not available for comment.
ANI