The Shutter MASSIVE CARNAGE EDITION: Jacques-Imo's, Imagine Bar & Grill, Cafe Fuego, Taka, DeMarco's, Mandler's Midtown, & Nino's
Thursday, October 4, 2007

It's hard to convey the epic scope of this edition of The Shutter, our restaurant closings report, so let's just get right to it. Surgical gloves, please.

2007_10_imos.jpg

1) Upper West Side: New Orleans transplant Jacques-Imo's is playing the blues: "it's official," emails a tipster, "the attached (above) says 'lost lease' but this place has looked dead for some weeks." Something of some sort will live on in the Mecca that is Long Island City, however, so there's that. [Shutter Inbox]

2) East Village: Emails a reader, "What's the deal with Imagine Bar & Grill? Looks pretty dead to me from walking by, the garden's been totally cleaned out and the restaurant looks cleaned out too. I haven't seen any signs about it either. Seems like this must be a closure, as I would imagine it'd be pretty stupid to do renovations at the end of outdoor dining season when your business is basically centered around a garden space." Indeed, it seems just like yesterday that Imagine opened to no acclaim in the old Miracle Grill space, but yeah, it's arrivadoenski. [Shutter Inbox]

3) East Village: From a special Eater operative: "Cafe Fuego, halle berry's boyfriend's dead on arrival cuban place, is no more. they have closed for the next few days and will reopen as Fuego, World Tapas. Great idea." According to the official website, "The World Re-Ignites October 8!!!!" Be very afraid (and be on the lookout for homeless Internet-types.) [Shutter Inbox]

4) West Village: Sayeth a tipster: "Walking home yesterday on Grove Street I noticed that Once sushi strong hold Taka has closed its doors. The place use to be packed and had a good reputation. Then something happened? I'm not sure if the place changed hands, because the crowds were no longer. Give it a few years and there you go." [Shutter Inbox]

5) Central Village: DeMarco's pizzeria on West Houston street, scene of that bizarre, tragic shooting last spring, has closed its smallish takeout area, Deep Dish reports. Emails a tipster, "I confirmed by a call to DiFara's. Dom's daughter who was the owner at DeMarco's answered the phone and confirmed that the place is closed for good
now." [Deep Dish]

6) Midtown West: Midtown Lunch emails, "The union square location of Mandler's Sausage is still open, but the midtown location has closed." More details on his blog. [Midtown Lunch]

7) Carroll Gardens: Old-school (since 1968) Italian eatery Nino's is done. Lost City serves up the color: "The place has gone through about a million renovations in the past five years. At one point, it sported some ugly, screaming-red neon signs saying 'Italian Eatery.' After that, some fancy awnings made their debut and a hand-lettered sign said 'Under OLD Management.' The interior kept getting more polished and less interesting, though you could always count on the horrible old oil painting of a drunken codger cradling a bottle of wine." [Lost City]


Filed under Brooklyn: Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, Buzz: Closed, Manhattan: East Village, Manhattan: Greenwich Village, Manhattan: Midtown West/Times Square, Manhattan: Upper West Side/Columbus Circle, Manhattan: West Village, Demarcos, Imagine Bar And Grill, Jacques Imo, The Shutter

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Comments (5 extant)

1.

The real Taka closed and sold the place about 3 or 4 years ago. It was never the same. The new owners should not have kept the name but they tried to ride on her reputation. They will not be missed.

By Anony Mousse at October 4, 2007 3:46 PM

2.

I lived on Nino's mammoth chicken parms for most of my (broke) twenties. One-half a hero for dinner got me two nights' supper for a little under $7. It is very sad to see them close, but it's been common knowledge for some time that Vinny's, on Court Street, is the place to go for your parm fix. Nino's quality wasn't very consistant over the past six years. Still, it was a landmark. I've got to think the boys at the 76 Precinct must be in mourning, IF they were allowed to go there ;)

By Pete at October 5, 2007 10:09 AM

3.

sadness...my dad's been going to ninos since the 70s. their veal parm was the best in the city in my opinion.

and demarcos...strangely, i loved their squares. and the fact that it was nearly always empty and open late, id go whenever i caught a movie at angelika or film forum...

By sam at October 5, 2007 11:13 AM

4.

Jaques-Imo's, YAG! No one who's actually FROM New Orleans eats at the original on Maple St. It's a tourist trap with indigestible food for out-of-towners who want a hip spot during Jazzfest or whatever, created by a functional alcoholic with aboslutely no true palette to speak of. Disgusting!

By Bruni's dick at October 5, 2007 11:40 PM

5.

The weird slow death of DeMarcos was painful to watch... wonder what will go in there?

By Anonymous at October 8, 2007 7:06 AM




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