After we broke the news that Team Bagatelle was taking over the Merkato 55 space this fall, everyone began to wonder where the Koch brothers (who ran the brunch there last season) were heading with their gang of loyal followers this month. Today, we receive word that Derek and Daniel will be taking over The Garden at Revel (10 little west 12th street) in Meatpacking.  Looks like it will be a new season of the Battle of the Brunches. We can’t wait. Let the games begin!  The first brunch under the twins’ Dual Groupe will take place tomorrow!

[Champagne Superman at Bagatelle] With fall just around the corner, it’s time to start looking at where your options are to get your Booze Brunch in order.  Last season, we covered the “Battle of the Brunches,” a fight to the end between Team Bagatelle (run by Remi Laba and Aymeric Clemente) and Team Merkato 55 (Run by twins Derek and Daniel Koch). This season, in what appears to be an ironic twist in the history of the beleaguered Merkato 55 space, the duo from Team Bagatelle have signed on to take over the Merkato 55 space, neutralizing any competition in wild Saturday brunching, at least in the Meatpacking district. Apparently Remi and Aymeric are planning to turn the Merkato 55 space into an Italian Brasserie and are teaming up with a certain St. Bart’s restaurateur that goes by “Pascal” (story developing)…. More»

Yesterday Merkato 55 filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Crain’s broke the news that wasn’t much of a surprise given the restaurants inability to capitalize on anything other than their famed boozy Saturday brunch parties.  After changing it’s name to Le 55 this month and using stakeholder Brazilian model Fernanda Mott to market the “new” and “improved” spot, they will attempt to reemerge from bankruptcy. In the meantime, according to the Koch Brothers the Saturday brunch party will continue per usual:

“Our brunches will continue on in our tradition at Merkato 55 while the ownership gets the time they need to deal with the ravages of the recession. We know that many restaurants in NYC are suffering now and we will continue to provide our support where we can and deliver the very best experience for our clients at Merkato.”

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From hamptons.guestofaguest.com: Just because you can’t make it out to Southampton (whether by choice or not), doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get a taste of what the Day & Night party is like.  It looks a lot like Merkato 55, except for the fact that there is sun, sand, lobsters and bikinis. The Koch Brothers have taken “brunching” to a new level of verbage.  MORE>>>

For those of you that missed it, Merkato 55 was recently renamed Le 55. Not a hard miss given that the name change has happened with little fanfare (at least up to this point).  But what might have caught your attention is the increased exposure of one of the restaurant’s early stakeholders Brazilian super model Fernanda Mott and her relationship to the boozy brunch franchise. More»

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via hamptons.guestofaguest.com: OMFG it’s here!  Summer that is…and crazy parties out east. We can’t resist the nostalgic feelings of BED that this photo conjured up.  Where in the world was something like this happening?

It was the Koch Brother’s new Day & Night party in Southampton of course! Read all about the party that helped start off summer ‘09. MORE >>>

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Before summer hits, we want to take one last look at the Merkato 55 brunches, which have made up some of our favorite best 2k’s over the last months.  Lucky for the Koch Brothers, they are twins and always in two places at once. Though they will have their hands full in Southampton, for the unveiling of the Day & Night Restaurant Beach Club in the Pink Elephant, Capri space, and all of the parties that entails; they will still be taking reservations at Merkato. We can not wait to check out the space this weekend. In the meantime, one last look at the party that truly made “brunch” a verb in Manhattan.

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[If these guys can't take on the Hamptons, no one can] Exclusive: What a great way to send us off into the weekend.  I just received the official scoop on Derek and Daniel Koch’s (the brother’s behind, among other things, the “Day & Night” Merkato 55 brunches) summer plans.  They will be opening their very own restaurant/beach club at Pink Elephant in Southampton! From the twins:

“For the past few months, we have been creating and building our very own Day & Night Restaurant & Beach Club at the Pink Elephant inside and outside the walls of The Capri Hotel in Southampton, New York. More»

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Other bloggers were claiming Merkato 55’s demise months ago.  But, as you can see, each week the mayhem is taking to new heights.  How much rosé does it take to get to the point where putting flaming objects in your mouth seems like a good idea?  I would like to know.  One things for sure, the ladies seem to like this gentleman’s (new found?) talents. Hey, whatever works. Take a look at more from Merkato 55 last Saturday...

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It’s only Wednesday, but we have weekend brunches on our mind.  And, in case you were wondering, Merkato 55’s is still going strong.  As if there was any doubt… Anyway, with the outdoor seating now open, the Koch Brothers have only expanded their brunch kingdom.  Even with competition sprouting up from every corner, Merkato 55, the place that invented the large scale nightclub-during-the-daytime style brunch is holding it’s own.

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Last Saturday, Merkato 55 spilled open to the sidewalks of Meatpacking. Increasing the amount of people they can include in their famous brunch parties, there was more than one happy guest (take the guy on the left) in attendance. Just goes to show you, that it’s possible for even the champagne sparklers to take second place to the sun. Ironically, even with the extra tables and chairs, the line to get into the “nightclub-during-the-daytime” was out the door. It was business as usual inside.

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