Canal Street Dreams
Episode: BAOHAUS BACK with Roman Grandinetti & Russell Steinberg
Hosts: Eddie Huang & Natashia Perrotti
Date: March 3, 2026
Overview
In this lively episode, Eddie Huang and Natashia Perrotti welcome their Bauhaus partners—Roman Grandinetti and Russell Steinberg—back to Canal Street Dreams for a frank, funny, and affectionate conversation about the highly anticipated reopening of the iconic Taiwanese-Chinese restaurant, Bauhaus. Broadcasting from Canal Street, this crew reflects on New York’s evolving food and cultural landscape, life changes as parents, and the magic of creative partnerships.
At its core, this episode is about the resurrection and evolution of Bauhaus—a hub born from, and now returning to, the heart of downtown New York. The team discusses everything from restauranteur war stories and block party ambitions to the importance of true community hangouts and the sometimes-absurd realities of restaurant life.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Russell Steinberg's Restaurant Journey
- Early Stories & Energy: Russell recounts his wild 90s NYC hospitality journey—from working at Match and channeling Wild West energy (“Billy Gilroy would chase you down the street with a baseball bat if you didn’t pay the tab” [01:14, Russell])—to developing his lounge singer persona, Johnny Fava.
- Parenthood & Return to NYC: Having a young daughter changed his priorities: "I can't really travel around anymore... now I'm like, I'm gonna anchor in and drop in." [02:01, Russell]
- Inheriting an Iconic Space: Russ reflects on opening a restaurant in the legendary former Yafa Café: "This is such an iconic space... in my idiotic mind, I was like, I could... I should just open a restaurant." [03:04, Russell]
- High-stakes Hustle: "I put all the money, every penny into the walls. I open with no runway... just throwing hemorrhaging, you know." [03:39, Russell]
2. The Bauhaus Search: Finding Their Perfect Home
- Eddie, Roman, and the partners reminisce on hunting for the next location:
- “We were looking for gazebo at first. We was looking for gazebo. And then you flipped it to Bauhaus, which I thought was very smart.” [04:44, Eddie]
- Discussion of why St. Mark’s is the cultural home for a youth-driven Asian concept.
- “If you got a youth cultural Asian concept, it belongs on St. Mark’s. That’s where the freaky Asian is.” [05:41, Eddie]
- Roman: "You were probably the pioneer to bring culture to food, to where I didn’t necessarily know where a bao was from, but I knew that it was from New York in my eyes." [14:01]
3. St. Mark’s: A Historic and Cultural Battleground
- Eddie frames St. Mark’s as the true epicenter for new-wave Asian food and youth Asian American culture:
- “It is, like, the battleground for Asian concepts in New York.” [06:29, Eddie]
- Ranks the city’s best Chinese restaurants—all on St. Mark’s—tying Bauhaus into this lineage.
4. The Meaning of Bauhaus: Community, Vibe, and Transformation
- Roman calls the new Bauhaus a “coming of age version” [15:02]—not just a restaurant, but a fully realized cultural hub.
- Eddie fondly recalls how the original Bauhaus operated as a "place that everyone in the neighborhood was like, oh, this is like my apartment, but on the street." [15:45]
- Natashia and the group riff on Bauhaus as an intentional anti-reservation spot: “We’re not doing reservations. It’s going to be walk-in only because we want... If you’re in the neighborhood, walk in, pop in.” [20:38, Eddie]
- Roman: “There is no more accidental New York. It’s like, over planning at a certain point.” [21:00]
5. Family and Generational Shifts
- Honest parenting laughs: from “I have a 25 year old and a 6 year old” [10:08, Russell], to the ways their own parents haunt their words (“I felt like I was being channeled by a demon—it just came out of my mouth” [09:23, Natashia]).
- Intergenerational vibe: raising kids in the restaurant, parallels to their own childhoods in NYC.
6. Design and Opening Rituals
- Roman’s approach: “Our new logo looks like mahjong tiles, but it also looks like the Italian flag.” [18:31, Eddie]
- Collaborative design—a blend of Italian and Chinese influences, following not trends but personal and spiritual cues. "If you say, hey, listen, I love blue... but green is what your heart is saying... and the green was something that he felt." [37:03, Roman]
- Commitment to openness and community: “If you’re a friend of ours, just call us. You get a reservation, easy. Community shit.” [20:38, Eddie]
7. Restaurant Life: Scars, Stress & Surreal Moments
- The business side: Debt jokes, hustling to survive, and poking fun at finances: “Help Russell pay his debts” as a postcard for checks [29:06, Eddie].
- GM “talent pool” woes; self-awareness about their roles: “Don’t do it, bro. Don’t do it again. Just be the finance.” [28:49, Eddie]
- Bathhouse Audits: The group explodes in laughter recounting how Russ vetted Eddie at the Russian Turkish baths—“In the bath’s like, ‘no, no, no, he's good. We've seen his dick.’” [26:26, Eddie]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
The Energy of New York Hospitality
- “I used to perform at a place called Johnny Fave... all of a sudden went from my partner dressing like Slash to like being on stage with Slash.” [02:01, Russell]
- “You want to go to Bauhaus, and it’s like, more. You’re getting more than food. It’s a vibe.” [07:44, Russell]
St. Mark’s, Asian Food, and Identity
- “It’s the only block in America you walk in every restaurant, there’s, like, Hente on the walls.” [05:44, Eddie]
- “As an Asian chef... there is so much Asian food on St. Mark’s... it has that history. And now it's become so Asian. That it's kind of—represents something.” [05:57, Natasha Wong]
Community Dreams and Realities
- “We want people to, like, hang out on the block. Not even line, yo, give us your name, we'll call you...” [22:08, Eddie]
- “We need that for adults. We need a place. You get some good wine, you get some good beer, get some good Taiwanese Chinese food, listen to music, look at, like, maple thorpes and dash nose on the wall.” [16:17, Eddie]
Design Process & Spirituality
- “None of us are driven by logic. I'm driven by the stars and, like, weird spiritual [things]. You want to have a great time, and you’re a romantic, brother.” [38:40, Eddie]
- “You don’t necessarily get enough credit for how fucking smart you actually really are... your true feelings towards [the project] are making this place what it is.” [37:15, Roman]
Best Day of the Year
- "We always do audits of the year... We literally talked about that day so much. We were like, that was the best day of the entire year.” [24:50, Natashia]
Honest Expectations
- “The best part was when he was vetting me... This guy's at the baths asking other dudes, like, Bugsy, like, ‘yo, what do you think about this guy?’” [26:09, Eddie]
Food and Fun
- Debating which dish to name after Cecilia, with a jokey devolution into "Empress Cecilia’s sesame noodles.” [35:10]
- “The flower shop is Michael Jordan playing baseball. This is back with the 4 5. This is what I do. I make Chinese food.” [32:17, Eddie]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- 00:40 – 03:44: Russell’s origin story, wild NYC restaurant days, Yafa Café nostalgia
- 04:27 – 07:16: St. Mark’s scene, Asian food, and the Bauhaus/Cultural pivot
- 13:00 – 17:19: The new partnership, the essence of Bauhaus, and creating community
- 20:38 – 22:08: Walk-in only model, anti-reservations, and “accidental New York”
- 24:00 – 25:10: “Best day of the year” NYC story, the natural feel of St. Mark’s
- 26:09 – 27:46: Bathhouse vetting, business transparency, and bathing suit mishaps
- 28:02 – 29:47: Excitement about Bauhaus re-launch, division of roles, financial jokes
- 35:09 – 36:02: Naming Empress Cecilia's dish
- 37:03 – 38:40: Design inspiration, teamwork, and why green wins over blue
Tone and Closing Thoughts
The conversation is personal, raw, and hilarious—a blend of battle-scarred hospitality wisdom, NYC lore, and affectionate ribbing (“I have an innie” [27:42, Russell]; “I like Mr. Eddie” [11:23, Russell]). Nothing is too sacred or too silly. It's clear that this team values loyalty, history, and neighborhood above hype or trend.
Their hunger to build not just a successful restaurant, but a sanctuary for their chosen family and creative community, shines through every exchange. As Eddie sums up:
"This is who I am... I make Chinese food, you know." [32:14]
For listeners wanting insight, laughs, or a shot of NYC nostalgia—come hungry for more than just food.
Notable Guests:
- Russell Steinberg (restaurateur, performer, accidental finance guy)
- Roman Grandinetti (designer, tactical partner, “consummate teammate”)
- Natasha Wong (Bauhaus partner, East Village expert)
Key Moment:
- “Teamwork, everything came together.” [18:31, Eddie]
Bauhaus Grand (Re)Opening:
February 28, 2026 – Mark your calendar!
Next episode teasers:
- Will Russ finally get paid?
- Empress Cecilia’s sesame noodles debut!
- Will anyone keep their pants on at the Russian baths?