It's officially a blood bath

My colleague Casey Cora, in working on a story about the closure of The Kitchen and De Santo in St. Petersburg, came upon the disturbing news that The Table in St. Petersburg has also closed its doors, perhaps temporarily. Turns out owner Rafael Manzano pulled up with a U-Haul on Sunday night, took the light fixtures and the reservation book and got out of town. General manager Joe Moledo and building owner George Rahdert have plans to reopen in a couple weeks. According to Moledo, the Sarasota location of The Table has closed as well, thus co-owner and chef Pedro Flores will be free to come to oversee the kitchen at the St. Petersburg location. They hope to keep the concept (Atlantic Rim cuisine, heavy on the South American) and much of the decor, but to reduce prices somewhat. Right now, Moledo and Rahdert are awaiting a liquor license to reopen, and we'll just sit tight and see what happens.

In other ominous news, right next door at Bella Brava lunch business is on temporary hold until a new lunch menu has been worked out--they are shooting for October to open back up for lunch.

St. Petersburg's Central Avenue Restaurant Row is starting to look a little gloomy...

Comments

[David]

Now if they could just do something with that eyesore of a pier.

[Jeff]

Bella brava is no good at all with that new chef, used to be my favorite restaurant, now I go to Carrabba's so I do not care if it closes

Time to lower prices if you want people to come.

[Bob]

Go have lunch at Cafe Alma! The food is great. The new owners are warm and wonderful. And the prices are very affordable.

The Table, Bella Brava and De Santo all had one thing in common, great concepts but no operating or marketing plans to bring them to life and make them sustainable.

[Melissa]

Coming for someone who routinely eats out for lunch- lower prices are a must. $12-15 lunches are just too much in this economy especially when you can get a $5 sub.

[Jim]

I couldn't agree more. One Sushi roll at publix is $10 now! DeSanto was cold and unfriendly. Bella Brava is nice, but too expensive. The Table too. The Kitchen? Never even tried it. Maybe me and the boys will take Bob's advice tomorrow. Besides who wants to eat in a recently fumigated restaurant???? Did you see the tent on Central? Crazy.

Bella Brava's failure is because of the ownership / management. I am a a regular diner and on more than one occasion have witnessed them arguing or reprimanding their employees. They seem to have no understanding of how a restaurant operates.

[Dr_Dug]

Overall...St Pete is going down hill. They didn't even mention Durangos and Bennigans.
Rick Baker is the Mayor...and he's to blame. Baker is an AssClown!!

[tim]

I'll bet the recent newspaper and politician glorification of a crime there didn't help.

[tim]

I'll bet the recent newspaper and politician glorification of a crime there didn't help.

[I]

if you want sushi at $10 and a sub at 5... then go to publix or subway.... if you want music and decor, you pay more (i guess they also have to pay for rent and the designer).... Bottom line is, support St. Pete restaurants, unfreeze rules to go out (parking, allowing people to party longer), have festivals, police, concerts, outdoor markets and bring back tourists, families and students... oh and by the way, stop robbing us with property taxes. If the tax were less I would not mind injecting the money in my local area. I love St. Pete!

[I]

homelessness also... we need a solution. This is just -not- working nore bringing any security in our area.

[Alex]

Find a way to get rid of the homeless degenerates roaming the streets mooching off good hardworking people and scaring the dickens out of lone females.

[lm]

I agree with Alex. Why is nothing being done about the homeless issue?
St. Pete is so fabulous, but it's not fun being hit up at every street for cash. If a city as large as NYC made it go away, why can't St. Pete do the same? Business owners, you can save your businesses by fighting for this!

[Hungry In St. Pete]

I can't wait for the Happy Shack to open on 4th Street...talked to a guy who knows the owners...local guys...said they plan to offer quality food at a fair price...just what St. Pete needs!

[Tanya]

St. Pete is not really going downhill, there are a lot of other great places to dine, if people really know how and what good food means. The problem with the people in our city is you're stuck on Central. Not all restaurant in St. pete sits on Central, especially the best ones. For instance, Cafe Alma, they have definitely defined award winning cuisine and great service. When the new owner took over, the quality of food went up 100% more without jacking up their prices,instead they made it reasonable & affordable. Their menu is so comprehensive, nothin pretencious; no names u can't pronounce that when u get it u just defined it as rip off like most as ifs in town. Great location too, I would say it is a very cool place to habg out n dine & chill.

[Kevin]

Wow, no one has blamed Bush yet for restaurants closing in St. Pete?

The truth is that there are a plethora of mediocre restaurants opening and closing all the time. Is there really enough commerce in downtown St. Pete to support that many restaurants? I know there is no tourism, since the downtown cityscape is a joke to outsiders.

I am curious, how many of the restaurant owners had a realistic business plan? How about adequate capital to make it through the slow season? A fundamental marketing plan?

It's always sad when someone has a dream and it doesn't succeed, but that certainly doesn't mean he or she is a failure. The restaurant business is fickle. Only the strong survive. Perhaps we could get some places with realistic prices and good food. Is that too much to ask?

[kristine]

I agree with Kevin, a lot of people who venture to the restaurant business make the mistake of not having ample capital, no insurance (idiotic), no marketing plan and most of all they think this business is easy. It is Not! and yes it is fickle.

Kev go down to Cafe Alma you'll get what you are looking for.

[Martin]

I hate the bad economy, but it weeds out the crap. People will still spend money on good, affordable food and a nice dining experience. Cafe Alma is a good example of a great restaurant. DeSanto sucked in so many areas including an overpriced confusing menu, wannabe attitudes and lacklustre food. The Kitchen was good food, but their system was awkward. If you're going to charge good money for food and atmosphere, you'd better deliver.

[Peter]

As a former GM of one of downtown's remaining, if not best, restaurants, I'd like to comment on what I've seen happen to that area's restaurant scene...

I've been in NYC for the last year and have just been blessed with the opportunity to eat some of the best food in the world. I now know what all of those damn Yankees were talking about all of the time. The simplest restaurants here are better than most in other cities.

I vacationed in the 'burg in May and June and spent a lot of time catching up on downtown. I was shocked by what I saw:

First of all, the homeless situation is just heartbreaking. Part of me has nothing but sympathy for those poor souls. Another part of me also recognizes that I saw more vagrants in downtown St. Pete than I do in Manhattan. Especially with so many restaurants dependent on outdoor and sidewalk dining.

But even that issue misses the point...what really hurts so much of these restaurants is the worst combination of factors: this is a horrible market for restaurants. If you are not a chain, you won't make it.

Ever since Grand Finale left, downtown St. Petersburg has been trying to put together a restaurant row to no avail. The fact that some posters are citing Cafe Alma, the direct descendent of Finale, is ironic because that place has been here for a while now while other new ones come and go.

I really think it begins with the personnel that own, run and work at these restaurants. The owners of many of these restaurants are often transplants from the North looking to replicate in St. Pete what they liked somewhere else. As for the employees that staff these restaurants, lemme tell you: service is not their first priority.

But let's just get to the honest to goodness truth about some of these spots:

De Santo: who the hell did you think you were...this market could never sustain you begin with.

Table: horrible food. The foie gras I ate there smelled like dog food. I am not joking. And what a weird setup inside. Half club. Two high tops. Outdoors, but not really. In a hotel, but not really.

Kitchen: I loved the food there, and I think with better marketing, perhaps more elitism, it would have made it...but it was just too good to be true.

As for Bella, that is the worst management and ownership in downtown.

As for those restaurants that remain: many of you: The Garden, for example, need to clean up and simplify. More local food. Better ingredients. Better staff.

Others, like Grill 121 or Frescos, need to decide what they are doing and do it better.

All in all, St. Pete is in terrible, terrible shape. I am so glad I left. What I return to one day, I hope will be better.

[foodie]

Are you the Peter accused of embezzlement? The one fired from the restaurant you managed? Your opinion rates highly with me, for sure.

[Peter]

I was never fired from a restaurant for embezzlement or any such thing. Be careful what you say.

[foodie]

As careful as you were... were you fired from that restaurant you managed? I never said you embezzeled from it, did I...

[Peter]

Yes to the first. No to the second.

[B]

I work downtown and lunch and dinner here often. I think there are a lot of great options... the few mentioned here def had problems (all of which others have listed). My biggest disappointment is Bella Brava. That place was fantastic when it opened. I don't keep up, so I assume chefs have come and gone since then because the last couple of times we gave it a try it was horrible, especially for the price. Also, Pincho y Pincho is mediocre compared to Ceviche. I don't understand how these folks can put so much into creating what could be amazing restaurants, without the most important ingredient: good food.
Also, The Kitchen had great food, sad they couldn't work out the kinks soon enough.
But let's not get all "doom and gloom" people, still a lot of nice spots.

[Stella]

So Peter Schorsch has been in NYC for the last year, no doubt finding a new set of dupes to prey upon.

They can have you.

[Amanda]

Most of Central Avenue (the older buildings) is a "tear down". The buildings are ancient and filthy dirty INCLUDING the kitchens of some of the restaurants. The reason they tented that entire block was not due just to termites. Those buildings are FULL of cockroaches AND rats. Until they knock those old, holey buildings down and put up something attractve and sturdy without all the rotted wood and holes, you will always have a dirty dining problem in the restaurants on Central - INCLUDING Bella Brava and some of the other self-proclaimed "hot spots" downtown. This I know for a fact because I work in an office on 1st Avenue North (right in back of some of the old buildings on Central) and they are so full of rodents and bugs, its not even funny! The buildings smell like old musty wood.

I totally agree with the poster who said that Bella used to be good but not anymore. We went there not too long ago and they completely changed their menu and now only have like 4 items on the dinner menu. Not going back unless they go back to the way it used to be.

If you all want to go to a nice CLEAN looking (and smelling) restaurant, you're better off going somewhere like Parkshore. Even though it's a little pricey, the food is consistantly good, the wines are great and the service is pretty good there. I never wory too much about roach wings being in my food at Parkshore like I do at the old buildings on Central!

[Kirk]

I'm sure everything will improve in a few years when the Rays leave and the hotels close. There'll be plenty of greenspace on the waterfront for the sleepy old codgers and homeless who remain . . . I'm done with St. Pete, which it kills me to say because less than 2 years ago it seemed like it had so much potential. Congratulations to the NIMBYs and homeless activists. It'll all be yours soon enough.

[Optimistic Foodie]

A great place to dine downtown is Primi's. I have never been disappointed with anything I have ever ordered there. Lunch is reasonable. Some really good wines, too. The recco sauce is awesome. Owners are sincere and care about quality. Never disappoints.

Don't be hatin on my Bella Brava. Bella Brava has a great deal on Wednesday night- 1/2 off a bottle of wine. Share an entree, pick out an appetizer, and enjoy that wine you normally pay twice for. The fennel sausage pizza is reasonable and disarmingly wonderful.

Pacific Wave can be pricey, but worth the treat. Everything is fresh. Glad to see comments that their menus prices will be adjusted for current economic climate. The spinach salad alone shows these people mean business.

Ceviche's little bar on the corner is also a cool place to check out. The servers seem to care about the food and experience. It has a little bit of a European feel to it without trying too hard.

The King and I has some really great Thai food and creative sushi specials. Ratchada isn't too bad- and it's pretty easy to get in and out of there for a decent lunch.

[Peter Schorsch]

Which Stella is that?

[Carnivore]

The I'm irresponsible I've never claimed otherwise. Peter Schorsch ??