I saw that too, it doesn't look good. 

We tried to go to Vinyl and the sign said closed for remodeling, to re-open at the end of Sept., but it didn't look like much remodeling going on inside.

I was told last week that a Christian Moerlein brewpub in OTR's Gateway District is a no go.  The person I talked to indicated they couldn't make it work but the brewpub people who were involved in the project were going to look at other sites.

What about somewhere around Fountain Square?

Interesting Chicago view on Cincinnati restaurants.

 

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=11628

I went to La Mexicana in Newport. It was definitely authentic!! I am a burrito connoisseur/aficionado and they get my stamp of approval. My only complaint is that I don't like their salsa. Currito on Calhoun St. is nice as well, though it's just Chipotle with different options. They have Cajun burritos and my personal favorite, teriyaki :)

I heard the same thing about the Moerlien brewpub, and that the Gateway spot they were looking at is close to being leased to another restaurant.

I went to La Mexicana in Newport. It was definitely authentic!! I am a burrito connoisseur/aficionado and they get my stamp of approval.

David somehow I always end up in burrito discussions with you.  Although I have not had a burrito at La Mexicana, I can vouch that their food is very authentic and very good! 

Tarbell sells Grammer's

Jean-Robert's partner buys German tavern in OTR

BY STEPFANIE ROMINE | [email protected]

 

 

Jean-Robert de Cavel's business partner, Martin Wade, has bought a historic German restaurant and tavern in Over-the-Rhine, according to Hamilton County property records.

 

See link for article:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070918/BIZ01/709180325/1076/BIZ

He's also planning Lavomatic Café in Over-the-Rhine, scheduled for a spring opening.

 

Did we know the name of the Jean Robert's Cafe before? Potential confirmation of a spring opening.

He's also planning Lavomatic Café in Over-the-Rhine, scheduled for a spring opening.

 

Did we know the name of the Jean Robert's Cafe before? Potential confirmation of a spring opening.

 

This is the first time I've heard a name.

Chef backer buys another site

BY LISA BIANK FASIG | CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

September 18, 2007

 

OVER-THE-RHINE - Restaurant investor Martin Wade, who with his wife Marilyn helped finance the four area restaurants operated by chef Jean-Robert de Cavel, has acquired the former Grammer's Restaurant and several other surrounding properties in Over-the Rhine for a combined $1 million.

 

See link above for article.

Belgian Concept?  I bet they would have a really good beer selection.

According to the Downtown Resident's Council page, Sung Korean Bistro will be opening on Sept. 28th.  Now, all we need is to get Nada up and kickin' as well.

According to the Downtown Resident's Council page, Sung Korean Bistro will be opening on Sept. 28th.  Now, all we need is to get Nada up and kickin' as well.

 

Along with Oceanaire, Graeters, and Potbelly's ... DT is right there on the edge ...

...Via Vite...that'll be a HUGE impact place, I'm hoping...

 

...Via Vite...that'll be a HUGE impact place, I'm hoping...

 

 

lol ... oh yeah! I forgot about that one. ;)

 

all we need is one sweet streetcar to tie it all together,

 

News...

Join representatives from HDR (the consulting firm handling the Cincinnati Streetcar Feasibility study) for one of two public meetings concerning the streetcar project.

 

Dates are as follows:

 

Thursday - September 20th

5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

@ the Art Academy of Cincinnati

Room 563S, 1212 Jackson Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

 

or on

 

Thursday, September 27th

4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

@ City Hall Council Chambers

801 Plum Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

Nada should be open mid November.

 

I've had some of the food and it is unbelievable. I can't wait.

I  had a message from Vinyl yesterday saying they were closed for 10 days for renovations but are now open.  Whew!  I was wondering what I was going to do with $75 dollars worth of gift certificates if they closed! http://www.wizfm.com/goout.asp?u=http://roc.radioonedeals.com/

I  had a message from Vinyl yesterday saying they were closed for 10 days for renovations but are now open.  Whew!  I was wondering what I was going to do with $75 dollars worth of gift certificates if they closed! http://www.wizfm.com/goout.asp?u=http://roc.radioonedeals.com/

 

MrsAWeeks, for some reason ... I just don't see you as a WIZFM.com reader ... ;)

I kind of peaked into NADA this morning (they had the doors wide open) and I don't see how this will be completed by mid-November.

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?NoCache=1&Dato=20070920&Kategori=BIZ01&Lopenr=709200327&Ref=AR

 

Via Vite bringing Tuscany to square

Italian restaurant plans Oct. opening downtown

 

BY STEPFANIE ROMINE | [email protected]

 

His native Florence, Italy, was the birthplace of the Renaissance. Now, Nicola Pietoso hopes Via Vite, his new bistro on Fountain Square, has a similar effect on downtown Cincinnati.

 

Set to open for dinner Oct. 1 at 520 Vine St., Via Vite will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. "until the last customer leaves,'' Pietoso said.

 

See link above for article.

I think I just peed myself over Via Vite opening Oct. 1! 

I know it wasn't their choice to leave their present location downtown, but it was announced today that Federal Reserve is officially moving to NOTL  :x  I just don't see that place thriving in a glorified mall.  They did say they'll try to open a second location downtown. 

 

 

Federal Reserve takes a table at the Levee

Business Courier of Cincinnati - 10:43 AM EDT Thursday, September 20, 2007

by Lisa Biank Fasig

Staff Reporter

http://www.bizjournals.com/search/results?Ntk=All&Ntx=mode matchallpartial&Ntt=%22%22

The Federal Reserve Restaurant and Piano Lounge, which is moving following the sale of its lease at the end of September, has chosen to relocate to Newport on the Levee because it could not find an affordable downtown location that could accommodate it quickly.

 

See link above for article.

I think I just peed myself over Via Vite opening Oct. 1! 

The owners are "confident" of that but who knows.

I give the FedRes 6 months before it pulls out.

 

Anyone else want to take a stab? 3 months? 12 months? ... Let's hear it! 6 months is my choice though.

I give the FedRes 6 months before it pulls out.

 

Anyone else want to take a stab? 3 months? 12 months? ... Let's hear it! 6 months is my choice though.

 

You mean pull out of NOTL? 

 

I never thought Jefferson Hall was going to make it there, but I guess it did.

I give the FedRes 6 months before it pulls out.

 

Anyone else want to take a stab? 3 months? 12 months? ... Let's hear it! 6 months is my choice though.

 

Well I loved the Federal Reserve Piano Bar and they had well priced drinks.  Moving to Newport just lost my business.  Goof luck, FRPB...  You can't replace the atmosphere of the old Federal Reserve with a glorified mall.  So what is moving into the old Federal Reserve?

I liked the Federal Reserve. Most of the bar tenders were pretty cool.  On slow weeknights it had more of a neighborhood feel to it.  Usually a couple of people getting off work from one of the other restaurants/bars downtown and the bar tender hanging out.  On weekends, the personality of the place was completely different.

I give the FedRes 6 months before it pulls out.

 

Anyone else want to take a stab? 3 months? 12 months? ... Let's hear it! 6 months is my choice though.

 

You mean pull out of NOTL? 

 

I never thought Jefferson Hall was going to make it there, but I guess it did.

 

Yea, moving out of NOTL.

 

Now, I can see JHall making it, but not FedRes. There's no way ... mark my word. It's just not it's scene.

To me the building and location were a huge part of the atmosphere for Federal Reserve.  I find it hard to picture it anywhere else.  Anyway, they were asked to leave so you can't blame them for taking the bargain basement rent, although I am not sure it is good that NOTL has to be so aggressive to get a business to locate there.  That is the MO though, and I guess they are generating enough rent to pay the bills.

 

8 months on the dead pool, and I doubt a second location will ever come to fruition.

Well...I have given the entire NOTL complex 3-4 years before it runs dry.  This venture however gets a shorter lifespan...something like 12-18 months.  BTW, the times I have been to Jefferson Hall it has not been crowded at all.  I can see them jumping ship in the somewhat near future...maybe the same 12-18 month time frame.  I would think that the Fountain Square area is looking pretty appealing to them right about now.

I will NEVER visit Fed Reserve at NOTL.  What you guys said about atmosphere is SO true.

 

I'll go with 1 year.

I agree with the comments on the FR.  While the food was decent, I thought the atmosphere was the appeal. I don't see how they can recreate that at NOTL.  I think this was mentioned previously so I apologize if I am repeating something but I believe the owner of the building was considering converting it to condos.  On the flip side, it could turn out to be something positive for 4th street.

Interestingly the Enquirer says nothing about the reason for the move being a decision by the landlord.  Has that been confirmed, and is the paper blatantly ignoring this?

8 months on the dead pool, and I doubt a second location will ever come to fruition.

Bingo!

Rando, I have been to JHall a couple of times since the move to NOTL and it was pretty damn busy. The last time I went was a few weeks ago and you could barely walk. I cannot stand NOTL, but I just wanted to throw this out there.

I spoke with their bartender last Friday and she said a bank was buying the space because all the old vaults are in place.  I hope the wall paintings, the woodwork, the vaults, the high ceilings, etc. survive the next tenant. 

Was that building really a federal reserve bank branch?! Why would they move to NOTL, when their image/brand is rooted in the history of the previous building!?

I guess the the Stock-yards Bank is going into the space. From the articles, it sounded like they couldn't afford to find a spot in DT, I'm guessing they hope that they do alright in NOTL and then find some financing to fix something up DT or perhaps in OTR. Back in the heyday of Main Street there was a piano bar across from SCPA.

The Federal Reserve Piano Bar would have been perfect on 6th Street next to the future Oceanaire Seafood restaurant.  Do I have to hold some of these businesses hands with these obvious locations?

The Federal Reserve Piano Bar would have been perfect on 6th Street next to the future Oceanaire Seafood restaurant.  Do I have to hold some of these businesses hands with these obvious locations?

 

Apparently...remember when the Comisars were saying that the Downtown dining scene was going down hill?  He he he, I guess they were right (McCormick & Schmick's, Oceanaire, Boi Na Braza, Nada, Via Vite, new Mortons, plus the new places in OTR).  Well played.

I guess the the Stock-yards Bank is going into the space.

 

Indeed...

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=13909.msg221733#msg221733

Café gets makeover

BY MIKE BOYER | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

September 22, 2007

 

WEST CHESTER TWP. - The historic Port Union Café on Princeton-Glendale Road is getting a new life and look as Trinity Irish Pub. The two-story building, which dates from the 1820s and was once a coach stop on the Miami Erie Canal, was acquired in June by Port Union Properties Ltd., a local investment group.

 

See link above for article.

^ Those are two interesting historic buildings surrounded by the most disasterous sprawl in the area.  Not just any sprawl , but sprawl on some of the most beautiful and prolific rich dark farmland in the region.

Review: Morton's

Relocated steak restaurant is a smashing (and pricey) success

BY MICHAEL SCHIAPARELL | CITY BEAT

September 19, 2007

 

DOWNTOWN - Morton's The Steakhouse has a new location. Now perched above Fountain Square, its second-floor windows face Vine and Fifth streets, providing a wonderful view of the enormous fish hovering over McCormick & Schmick's.

 

Our waiter proudly tells us this brighter layout is Morton's prototype for the future. (In fact, every other U.S. Morton's location is currently windowless.) We enjoy the changing quality of light as the setting sun reflects off downtown's steel-and-glass towers. And we love that we can see we're in Cincinnati, rather than being hunkered down anywhere else in America.

 

See link above for article.

Went by Vinyl last Saturday for drinks following dinner at Gajah Wong....Vinyl is still very much closed.

 

On the plus side, the Mixx Lounge/Sushi Bar over on Main Street is coming along and looks great inside. That should be a very cool space.  Was also a good idea for them to drop the corny "ultra lounge" moniker.

 

Also--according to insiders, Via Vite will most likely not be opening on October 1.  Nick just wants the employees to think it will so everyone is ready.

 

Sung's Korean Bistro is not opening September 27 or 28 as the DRC indicated.  Now looks like October 3, however they are working in there every day and look to be doing staff training at this point.

 

Also good to see the interior framing getting installed in the Oceanaire space.

Via Vite just posted on Career or Monster.com today all the positions available.  Guess Nick hasn't started hiring yet.

I went to an interview but I'm still waiting to see if they call me in :( They said they would give me a call this week. Who knows.