Restaurant mysteries
Our Little Italy correspondent, Mr. Owl Meat, has been keeping me up to date on Velleggia's fate. Apparently the auction of the Little Italy restaurant, which was supposed to happen today, has been postponed without notice.
In Velleggia's current incarnation, we seem to have Baltimore's first -- perhaps the world's first -- wine bar and gelateria. At least that's what the sign says now.
Owl meat also sent me this link to a story about Velleggia's in the Daily Record that's worth reading.
In the same vein of what the heck is going on? ...
Baltimore Foodie Lars Rusins pointed out that Vin's sister restaurant in Houston closed in mid-January. I didn't even know it had a sister restaurant in Houston.
In the link Rusins sent me to a story in the Houston Chronicle, the Cordish Company's David Cordish said Vin closed "as part of our national strategy."
The Houston-based restaurant was in business for less than a year. According to Rusins, ex-Baltimore Vin chef Chris Paternotte consulted on that one, too, and it looked almost identical to the one in Towson.
(Photo of Velleggia's bar by Kim Hairston/Sun photographer)
Comments
Now THAT is a view..... snap, crackle, POP and sweet Mary!
Owlie, tell us none of those butz are yours. Please.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 14, 2008 9:04 PM
not sure what happened, that was me.
Posted by: Bourbon Girl | July 14, 2008 9:16 PM
I talked to the Chef at Baltimore Chefs and Wine Experience on Sunday and he said they are closing after the last day of Restaurant Week for construction not because of the circle
Posted by: Jessica L. | July 14, 2008 9:52 PM
Bourbon Girl, I can guarantee that I am NOT in that picture. Yikes, that's an unflattering piece of work. There's so much crack in that picture that the Mayor should start a Task Force.
Posted by: OMG | July 14, 2008 11:51 PM
Also, does anyone know what happened to Wink's Hilltop Bar and Grill on Conkling? I rode by there last week and they had a sign on the door:
"Temp Closed"
That is always a bad sign.
Posted by: Drew from Greektown | July 15, 2008 7:30 AM
There was a For Rent sign in the window of Michelle's Cafe on Eastern in Fell's Point when I was by last weekend.
Thanks. EL
Posted by: Lissa | July 15, 2008 8:05 AM
Velleggia's is still listed on the Restaurant Week website
Posted by: Greg S | July 15, 2008 11:01 AM
This may be old news, but on driving along Pratt Street this weekend it appeared that the Inner Harbor Fuddrucker's has closed. The location is no longer listed on its web site. Though I disdain chains as much as most of you, I used to relish their hamburgers until they stopped cooking them rare.
Posted by: Federal Hill Jim | July 15, 2008 11:46 AM
J J Everyday in Timonium closed a week ago Friday. It was a fun little local hangout.
Posted by: Kitkat | July 15, 2008 12:31 PM
Correction - there are For Sale signs at Michelle's Cafe (I was by again today), but it is open.
Posted by: Lissa | July 16, 2008 8:01 AM