hello, readers.
there seem to be more of you now since the last time i've posted, and for that i have to give credit to the twitter plugs from both BuffaloEats and BuffaloDotCom, and an interview with BuffaloSpree.com.
i hope i can both validate and sustain the interest.
onto some news:
Cantina Loco - why isn't this place open yet? the projected opening was supposed to be in September was it not? a quick trip to the Allen Street Bar and Grill last night shows that future Loco manager Drew Love is still working in his current position as bartender. One contact of mine speculates that the hold up is possibly due to the contractors and their poorly paced outfitting of the kitchen's ventilation equipment. Another source tells me Cantina Loco's delay in opening is due to the even more poorly paced process it takes to get that little slip of paper from the State Liquor Authority. Is there any Buffalo restaurant that's opened in the last two years that these guys haven't screwed over?
********************************************** update *****************************************************
Mike Andrzejewski (proprietor, Cantina Loco, SeaBar) was kind enough to give us an update on Cantina Loco's delays"
"Hola- Cantina Loco..You are on the right track, Alot of Building ,Construction,Electrical,Plumbing etc ended up being done, as well as refrigeration etc. Kitchen exhaust contractors actually did a great job even though they had to go up 5 stories with the vent. Liqour license is still working and was as much our mistakes as NY>. Take Out will be available soon , then followed by Dining/Bar. Kitchen is practicing at Seabar so were getting closer..... Mike A"
Lagniappes (French Quarter Cafe)/Lucky Dogs - while some of this has been discussed already over twitter, between myself and BuffaloEats, it is ground worth retreading. Its been some time since either of these establishments have had lights on. After a question about whether or not I had any idea if the close was permanent, I checked it out with a former employee of the French Quarter Cafe. My contact said that the close was intended to be temporary -- a "vacation" -- and that Chef Chris Silverstein was looking for a financial partner to help keep the establishments afloat. the request for bar help at the French Quarter was brought to my attention by several friends, but my contact made a point to tell me that the liquor license has been coming "next week" for about six months. The SLA strikes again, eh? None the less, Lagniappe's most recent status updates seem to confirm that they have secured a beer and wine license, and the lights in both establishments should be back on very soon. Hopefully this will turn things around for French Quarter and Lucky Dogs
Truffle Dinners - has anybody noticed there are two of these going down in November? Sunday, November 13th SeaBar is hosting a Truffle Dinner event thrown by Chef Steven Gedra and the folks at Bistro Europa. November 14th, Dinner with Danger is promoting a Truffle Dinner to be held at Torches -- undercutting the ticket price of the Europa/SeaBar dinner by $50. It seems clear this signifies a parting of ways between Bistro Europa and Michael 'Danger' Bernhardt, who had partnered up for the Truffle Dinner last year, but the cause for the falling out is unclear. Murmurs suggest the folks at Europa disagreed with the promoter, over the parameters of his promotional duties and privileges. The conflict seems as much about personalities as it is about demands, but it seems certain that Europa and company are done with Danger. Rumor suggests there is no love lost between Europa and Torches, which makes the latter's partnership with Danger in a Truffle Dinner intended to rival, in every sense of the word, Bistro Europa, seem antagonistic at best.
Rue Franklin - I received a tip off from a contact that the Rue had been sold by its owners, Joel and DeeDee Lippes, and that they had been spotted dining at an Elmwood restaurant with the new buyers. As my contact seemed to have quite a bit of information, including figures about the sale, I decided on a whim to see if that information could offer me any leverage in a conversation with anyone at the Rue, so I went to the source. At the time of the discussion between myself and long time Rue Franklin Chef, Corey Kley, the Rue had been operating under his ownership for about ten days. Chef Kley was quick to insist that Joel and DeeDee are not retiring, but moving on from restaurant work to follow other pursuits. They will, however, function as consultants to the restaurant and its new ownership. Chef Kley intends for very little change in the establishment -- the staff, decor, and direction of the menu will be retained in much the same fashion as it has under its former ownership. While Chef Kley refused to talk numbers, my contact claimed that the Rue, building and business, was for sale at an estimated 2.5 million, and that the figure for the business alone hovered around $500,000. Chef Kley did confirm that the ownership of the building itself remains with the Lippes. Whether or not the contents of the wine cellar is included in the estimated sale price is unclear, but it has been rumored to be appraised at around $40,000 in and of itself.
all right folks.
that's all for now.
thanks for reading. stay tuned for some upcoming features -- i'm hoping to make a "whatever happened to" post soon, and...i may or may not have a surprise up my sleeve, i should know in a few days.
caio caio
-DR
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