French hospitality magnates consider Oak Room for eatery

Brothers Gilbert and Jean-Louis Costes, whose Parisian hospitality empire includes Hotel Costes and the celebrity eatery L’Avenue. are eyeing New York’s iconic Oak Room and Oak Bar in The Plaza Hotel for another Costes hotspot, the New York Post reported.

Before making an offer however, they want to make sure they have permission to make “modest” changes to the landmarked trophy interior, including adding additional bathroom space for patrons, the Post said.

The former owner of The Plaza Hotel’s Oak Room, Eli Gindi, decided to close the restaurant amid a bitter dispute with the landlord earlier this year. According to the New York Times, Gindi gave The Plaza a 90-day notice of departure in April, after landlord Elad Group said the Oak Room would have to either cancel its lucrative “Day and Night” Saturday afternoon parties or pay more than twice its current rent. [Post]